WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
Although the idea of introducing a seven-hour working hour may seem like a step towards improving the quality of working conditions, the Employers' Union announced. They call on the general public, and especially decision-makers, to consider the broader economic and social picture when discussing this and similar issues.
The Montenegrin economy, as the Employers' Union emphasizes, is already facing a chronic shortage of labor, a low level of productivity and numerous structural problems that limit its development.
"In such a context, a unilateral and isolated measure such as reducing the number of working hours, without parallel activities aimed at increasing productivity, efficiency and technological modernization of business processes, will have the opposite effects of those desired - a decline in economic activity, an additional financial burden on employers and public finances," they point out in the statement.
The Employers' Union of Montenegro, as they claim, does not dispute the need for improving working conditions and greater flexibility, but points to the necessity of a realistic assessment of the capacities of our economy, objective obstacles to its further development and the existence of space for businessmen to be additionally burdened.
"We note that working conditions in Montenegro, which are prescribed by the Labor Law and other regulations, often exceed those in force in far more developed countries and economies, and in the context of the topic of working hours, it should be noted that, unlike ours, very often in comparative labor legislation of EU countries, the daily break is not paid.
Therefore, instead of administrative measures aimed at shortening working hours, we propose that the focus be directed towards areas in which the delay in reforms is extremely pronounced, such as the optimization of public administration and its efficiency or activities aimed at increasing overall productivity, such as improving education and lifelong learning, combating the gray economy and abuse of sick leave, and many others," the Union states.
They say it is important to note that actual work shorter than 40 hours per week, or 8 per day, is not unknown for the labor market in Montenegro, and that it, like working from home, is increasingly the result of an agreement between employees and employers when it is assessed that such a regime can function and provide the desired results. "Therefore, we believe that this trend should be nurtured and affirmed, but not as an obligation, but as an option that, along with a number of others, is available to employees and employers," the Employers' Union concluded in a statement.
