Unions call on lawmakers to adopt FBiH Government’s bill to save New Steelworks Zenica

The Government decided on this move with the aim of protecting jobs, preserving domestic industry, and maintaining the stability of the Federation’s economic system.

"Many promises have been made over the past five months, but at this point almost no one is working. Yesterday, we received a call for consultations regarding the systematization of jobs, which stated that there would be 1,198 surplus workers. This is the “new era” that has been talked about over the past five months and announced by the Management. There are certainly another 300 workers on fixed-term contracts, so this figure will rise to nearly 1,500 workers who will lose their jobs," said New Steelworks Zenica union president Rasid Fetic.

The union, he added, will do everything to stop plans to shut down integrated production and to restart the recently halted blast furnaces, sintering plant, and steelworks.

"This proposal confirmed that they have abandoned integrated production. It was also written that the Management owes nothing to the workers, but the Management certainly does owe them. First of all, they owe holiday allowance payments, which should have been paid in May but still have not been paid, so we call on them to do so as soon as possible. More than 80 of our colleagues who retired have not had their pension contributions paid, so they have neither pensions nor salaries," said Fetic.

Fetic stressed that they expect the company’s Management to fulfill its obligations toward workers and explain its positions and actions, but also added that Director General Ahmed Hamzić has not been present at the company, nor in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for several days.

A message of optimism, which he emphasized had not been common in recent months, was sent today by Kenan Mujkanovic, president of the Metalworkers’ Union of the Zenica-Doboj Canton. He believes the move by the FBiH Government is exactly what the unions had requested from the moment they learned that integrated production would be shut down.

"As much credit as we deserve, so do you, because you are our voice to the public. This is the first time I feel optimistic. That is why we call on lawmakers in both chambers of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to show responsibility and, once the session is scheduled, to adopt this law," Mujkanovic said, calling on the new owners to withdraw peacefully.

The shutdown of integrated steel production, he added, is “breaking the backbone of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina” and affecting many sectors of the economy in this Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, as well as the country as a whole.

"This company has enormous potential. Not only for what we are currently doing, but also for the production of new products," Mujkanovic said, noting that previous owners had invested in the plant and ensured that the blast furnace could continue operating for at least another 20 years.

He called on the Management to accept the offer of the FBiH Government and step aside in order to preserve jobs and steel production in Zenica and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The president of the Metalworkers’ Union of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Almir Salihovic, as well as his colleagues from the Zenica unions, said they do not want to link the FBiH Government’s decision to a political move aimed at improving its position ahead of the upcoming elections.