In the last plenary session, an amendment was made to the Labor Code, where annual holidays for employers, from four calendar weeks, become 22 calendar days.
This means that employees will benefit from six days less vacation per year. The Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania reacted to this change.
According to KSSH, this draft law was approved without any prior consultation with social actors and interest groups, without going through any consultative structure.
"It is unconstitutional, significantly worsens the position of the employee and loses a right acquired for decades by the employees", says KSSH, while warning of a national strike, if the parliament does not withdraw.
The reaction of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania: The Parliament of Albania "cuts the time of annual holidays of Albanian employees by 6 days".
In the flurry of draft laws approved on the last day of this season, the Albanian Parliament, with the proposal of some anonymous deputies and tools of the economic and financial oligarchy, approved the amendment of the Labor Code without any prior consultation with social actors and interest groups, without passed to any consultative structure such as the National Labor Council or the Ministry responsible for labor relations.
According to this proposal, which has to do with the time of annual paid holidays, the phrase "4 calendar weeks" has been removed from the Labor Code, Article 92 point 2 and has been changed with the phrase "22 calendar days".
We wish it was a mistake or slip where the word "calendar day" was confused and replaced with "working day"
KSSH asks the Government and the Parliament for explanations and proper transparency: "If the change was with the phrase "22 working days", then Saturday and Sunday would not be included, which would make it possible to calculate the annual holidays in 28 total days.
If the change were in the form of "22 working days", it would be in accordance with Convention C52 of 22 September 1939, Convention C132 of 30 June 1973 and Recommendation No. 47 of the ILO, which guarantee minimum standards for annual holidays payable. As well as Convention C144 "On Tripartite Consultations to Promote the Implementation of International Labor Standards, of 1976 entered into force May 16, 1978.
On the contrary, this legal change in the form presented publicly will reduce to 6 days the time of annual paid holidays is unconstitutional, significantly worsens the position of the employee and loses a right earned for decades by the employees, including the time before the 1990s.
KSSH is ready to confront if the Parliament does not withdraw by calling for a National Strike, and will contact the responsible structures of the EU and the ILO to exercise their authority regarding the correct fulfillment of the universally accepted minimum standards... within the processes integration of our country to the EU .