In an announcement of the Autonomous Trade Union in “Zastava Arms” (affiliated to the CATUS) it is said that workers condemned the decisions related to the dismissal of managers in the production (a director and two other managers) and were ready to prevent further harassment of employees and trade union members. Later on, the decision on dismissal was revoked, but the management is still determined to dismiss the leading production manager – who, as a member of the Trade Union Assembly is protected by the collective agreement – and banish him to another factory unit, where he would be unable to do his trade union work. It’s a man who for 30 years has been performing difficult and responsible work on the shop floor where the job is done in extremely complicated and risky conditions.
Recently, two other executive directors in production have been dismissed – engineers with a long term experience, but also the lady who is the manager for galvanization and her colleague responsible for transport. Previously, marketing and sales directors were the targets too, as well as a big number of low ranked managers.
In the Autonomous Trade Union they think that the attacks on their affiliates made by the President of the Supervisory Board, who ‘completely privatized his public function’, started intensifying after the downfall of his candidate, (who is affiliated to the Industry Trade Unions) at the elections for the Representative of social capital. In the Autonomous Trade Union they estimate that constant change of leadership has been destroying factory system for years, the consequences being the record-breaking losses, especially in 2017, when Ivica Marjanović was nominated President of the Supervisory Board. They also say that the experienced engineers will be the next ones to take the hit, as they will be transferred to other units, while a great number of young engineers have already left the factory.
“Dismissals of key managers happens at the time when the production of rifles for the US market needs to be improved significantly”, say the unionists and announce that due to the latest worsening of the situation and conflict between the management and factory workers, the session of the Trade Union Assembly of “Zastava Arms” will be held today.
