Promotional event of KSS – Peaceful settlement of labor disputes

Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Macedonia promotes the mechanism for fast, efficient and financially viable extrajudicial settlement of labor disputes.

Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Macedonia – KSS today in Holiday Inn Skopje, in front of its membership organized an event for promotion a mechanism for the peaceful settlement of labor disputes with the help of conciliator or arbitrator.

On this event the members were informed that with the established mechanism for successfully overcoming the collective or individual labor disputes, it is created greater legal certainty and effective procedures that are of interest to all stakeholders. Law on peaceful settlement of labor disputes came into force in 2015, and now there are conditions for its effective implementation. The procedure of peaceful resolution labor disputes is voluntary, assists the parties in an easier, faster and financially cost-effective way to reach a compromise or a solution to a particular problem.

The project, Promotion of social dialogue, with full support and cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the social partners, succeed to enable preparation of a training program, intensive training of mediators and arbitrators, and 90 candidates were trained and 50 of them were awarded with an official license from the Ministry of Labour and social policy.

,, Since its establishment in 2005, KSS has launched this model of peaceful settlement of disputes and advocated for more effective implementation of the arbitration as their own commitment and idea. As a result of the extraordinary efforts and excellent work of all partners involved in the realization of the project, the country received a new mechanism that will allow to the licensed conciliator and arbitrators effectively to exercise the statutory procedure for peaceful settlement of labor disputes with what benefits will have all workers and employers, and the country as a whole”, said the President of KSS, Blagoja Ralpovski.

Into the framework of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy was established an electronic system for case management, which includes a registry of licensed conciliator and arbitrators, which should enable accurate, timely and easier management of labor disputes since their initiation, until their dismissal.

The event was with educational character for the membership in order to be better informed about the rights and opportunities. Conciliator is a person that gives assistance to the both parties in collective dispute in order to reach agreement to resolve the dispute in relation to conclusion, amendment or implementation of collective agreements, the rights of trade union organization and strike.

Arbiter is an independent third party, which based on the facts and arguments of both parties (employee and employer) adopts binding dispute resolution associated with the canceling an employment contract or payment of salary. Ministry of Labour and Social Policy covers the entire eligible costs for the procedure of resolution of labor disputes.

The event was organized by the project Promotion of social dialogue, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Labour Organisation as part of the promotional campaign for the trade unions. So far, within this project, the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Macedonia has received technical support for strengthen the capacity for collective bargaining, representation of the confederation and attracting new members.