Post by radovic on May 9, 2008 9:38:27 GMT -5
SSCG: tax the rich
Thursday, 08 May 2008 22:23
!Montenegro’s workers paid the highest price during the transition and reform process that produced a new class of rich people and destroyed the middle class which socially just states are based upon, the reform wing of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Montenegro (SSCG) stated.
The Secretary General of the reform wing, Srdja Kekoviæ, believes that a functional state of law needs to be established as well as efficient mechanisms of responsibility at all levels.
“Revision of the privatisation process should tax easily acquired capital,” said Kekoviæ, adding, “A review of fiscal policy, that will collect taxes from the newly made social elite and benefit social funds for unemployed and socially vulnerable people is in order.”
Kekovic believes such changes are the only way to stop the process of fast social disintegration threatening the social peace in Montenegro.
“Montenegro is a rich country and there is still plenty to be privatised, so we have the opportunity to correct the mistakes that we made at the beginning of the privatisation process,” said Kekoviæ.
He said that the most frequently breached rights of workers in Montenegro are the right to earn a living wage, the right to have weekly rest and annual holidays, the right to a 40-hour work week and the right to work under safe conditions.
“When we discuss these problems with unions from developed European countries, they are simply not able to understand us, since our situation is absolutely incongruent with their working conditions and their level of industrial democracy,” Kekoviæ said, adding that the problems could be solved only through reforms to the system’s institutions, particularly the Labour Inspectorate. Kekoviæ believes the new Law on Labour is detrimental to workers.
“Unfortunately for us and for the workers, the government excluded us from the dialogue, so we were only able to discuss the draft law with the other wing of the SSCG,” said Kekoviæ.
Thursday, 08 May 2008 22:23
!Montenegro’s workers paid the highest price during the transition and reform process that produced a new class of rich people and destroyed the middle class which socially just states are based upon, the reform wing of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Montenegro (SSCG) stated.
The Secretary General of the reform wing, Srdja Kekoviæ, believes that a functional state of law needs to be established as well as efficient mechanisms of responsibility at all levels.
“Revision of the privatisation process should tax easily acquired capital,” said Kekoviæ, adding, “A review of fiscal policy, that will collect taxes from the newly made social elite and benefit social funds for unemployed and socially vulnerable people is in order.”
Kekovic believes such changes are the only way to stop the process of fast social disintegration threatening the social peace in Montenegro.
“Montenegro is a rich country and there is still plenty to be privatised, so we have the opportunity to correct the mistakes that we made at the beginning of the privatisation process,” said Kekoviæ.
He said that the most frequently breached rights of workers in Montenegro are the right to earn a living wage, the right to have weekly rest and annual holidays, the right to a 40-hour work week and the right to work under safe conditions.
“When we discuss these problems with unions from developed European countries, they are simply not able to understand us, since our situation is absolutely incongruent with their working conditions and their level of industrial democracy,” Kekoviæ said, adding that the problems could be solved only through reforms to the system’s institutions, particularly the Labour Inspectorate. Kekoviæ believes the new Law on Labour is detrimental to workers.
“Unfortunately for us and for the workers, the government excluded us from the dialogue, so we were only able to discuss the draft law with the other wing of the SSCG,” said Kekoviæ.