Bosnian commerce workers on the verge of winning regular days off, paid holidays

Commerce workers across Bosnia and Herzegovina and their union are calling on the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to pass a law that will close shops on Sundays and secure national holidays.  

UNI’s Bosnian affiliate, the Commerce Trade Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (STBIH), has been campaigning for over ten years to change the legislation to secure free Sundays and national holidays for commerce workers. Their campaign got  Article 17 on “shop working hours” included in the upcoming Bill on Internal Commerce, which the parliament will discuss on 22 October 2024. 

“We have been advocating for this law for such a long time,” said Mersiha Besirovic, the President of STBIH. “I hope our parliament will finally put the interests and needs of commerce workers – who make more than half of the working population in the private sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina – as a priority and grant them same rights that their colleagues in the public sector have.”  

Under the current legislation, commerce workers are guaranteed one paid day off a week, but that day may change every week, making it difficult for workers to schedule their lives and spend time with family. Once the parliament adopts this law, commerce shops will be closed on Sundays, and commerce workers will be able to enjoy a regular day of rest on Sundays.  

In addition, the law will also expand the national holidays — set by the government and implemented only in the public sector – to commerce workers.  The bill would extend five additional holidays to commerce employees: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Labour Day, and the day commemorating of the founding of the country. Currently, they have to work these without any additional payment.  

UNI joined Swedish affiliate Handels on a solidarity visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina this week and met with the shop stewards of STBIH.  

“We fully support Bosnian commerce workers and their union,” said Linda Palmetzhofer, President of Handels. “They deserve work-life balance and equal rights; and we had the opportunity to see how committed they are to win them.”   

Highlighting the importance of the law, the workers called on the parliament to pass the law with banners that read, “I don’t want to work on Sundays and on holidays.”  

“I have been working in a supermarket for 25 years, and I have never been with my family on special days because I have to work. This law means a lot to me and workers like me,” said Rebija Velic, a shop steward in Konzum Supermarkets in Bugojno City. “I am looking forward to seeing this law adopted so I can be with my family on the first day of 2025, so I can travel on the other national holidays and so I can also enjoy Sundays with my children.”   

According to a survey conducted by STBIH, 97.5 per cent of the commerce workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina want their shops to be closed on Sundays and national holidays.  

“Commerce workers provide an essential service, but they are deprived of some essential rights,” said Mathias Bolton, Head of UNI Commerce. “We join our Bosnian affiliate in calling the Parliament to pass the law and give our workers what they long to have.”