The position of workers in Serbia is far from satisfactory, despite the fact that the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia and its laws guarantee rights in the field of labour relations in accordance with the highest standards. High unemployment, undeclared work, endangered right to using the vacation and sick leave are just some of the situations that show that workers' rights in Serbia are being violated and are not sufficiently protected. The concept of the dignity of labour must get a deserved place, said the Protector of Citizens Zoran Pašalić on the occasion of the International Labour Day.
In the previous year, citizens most often addressed the Protector of Citizens with complaints about harassment at work, termination of employment contracts, non-payment of salaries, non-payment of social security contributions. In the control investigations into the work of the public administration, the Protector of Citizens came to the conclusion that the imposition of measures and the imposition of sanctions by the Labour Inspectorate and the Tax Administration against employers is often ineffective and inexpedient. In many cases, workers do not have adequate mechanisms for the protection of their employment rights, especially in situations where employees of bankrupt companies are involved, as well those of companies whose accounts have been blocked.
The latest research data show that workers in Serbia have the longest working hours in Europe, and that serious injuries at work continue to occur due to the negligence of employers. The Labour Law guarantees certain rights to employees, but the employer still has room to set working conditions, defend or hinder trade union organization, and on the other hand, employees are forced to accept exploitation in order to keep their jobs and provide for their families.
Employment, the right to professional development, safety and security at work, equalization of the position of women and men in the labour market, and no less important, the right of vulnerable groups to labour must be the state's priorities in improving the field of labour. On the other hand, it is necessary for the competent authorities to establish effective cooperation and exchange of information, as well as to take all measures against employers who violate the rights of employees, Zoran Pašalić pointed out.