The snowball is rolling: The employees of Furs now also have wage demands

By: C.R.

Employees of the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (Furs) are closely following the events surrounding the expected presentation of the new salary system and the activities of other trade unions, as well as the government’s responses. They have formulated several demands themselves, among other things, they want to actively participate in the renovation of the salary system, and until then the current system should remain in force without separate agreements.

The demands of the employees of Furs were formulated at the meeting on January 17^th by the conference of the Durs trade union, which operates within the framework of the Trade Union of State Authorities of Slovenia. As they wrote in today’s press release, they want dialogue, active cooperation and an honest exchange of opinions and information. This would be the easiest and mutually beneficial way to ensure the enforcement of our own and common interests, they wrote, adding: “We hope that we will not have to ensure this in any other way. We know how to close ranks, show our teeth, and prove that we can fight back.”

The requests were addressed to the Ministry of Finance and the Government. As they wrote, they want the active participation of Furs representatives in the planning of the salary system. When the proposal for the new salary system is announced and coordination is underway, at least two representatives of the Durs union conference, who will represent almost 4,000 employees at Furs, should participate.

Until the implementation of the new salary system, the current one should remain in force without separate agreements. If the government, until the approval of the new system or before January 1^st, 2024, grants the demands of any group of employees in the public sector with immediate effect, it should also provide a monthly payment of 600 euros to each employee at Furs. This will also ensure a fair assessment of the incompatibility of the profession, the legal ban on strikes in the full sense and other difficult working conditions, they wrote.

If the new salary system does not get broad approval or approval in the National Assembly, the government should raise the salary grade of all Furs employees by five grades from January 1^st, 2024, and return to them the 15% supplement due to the legal ban on performing activities that are incompatible or in conflict with the interests of Furs, as well as the five percent supplement due to the legal ban on striking, if the new wage system is not implemented by then.

By March 1^st, the government should undertake to appoint a responsible representative who will lead negotiations with the representatives of the trade union with the aim of accepting the collective agreement of employees at Furs by October 1^st at the latest. The government’s response to all these requests is expected by February 20^th.