Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Aleksandra Sofronijević visited the construction site of the Northern Bypass around Kragujevac to mark Serbian Construction Day.
During the visit, a historic collective agreement was signed for Serbia’s construction and building materials industry. Minister Sofronijević emphasized that the Serbian government and the Ministry of Construction honor the long-standing fight for workers’ rights and continue to foster active social dialogue.
Saša Torlaković, President of the Construction Workers’ Union, highlighted the significance of the agreement, noting that it will soon equalize the rights of all construction workers across Serbia.
This marks the first time a collective agreement has been signed directly at a construction site. Veselin Ražnatović, President of the Construction, Building Materials and Housing Industry Sector within the Employers’ Union of Serbia, stated that this should become a regular practice going forward.
The construction of the bypass will help create a healthier environment in Kragujevac by redirecting heavy traffic away from the city center.
Serbian Construction Day commemorates a three-day workers’ strike that ended on August 8, 1940, following unsuccessful negotiations between unions and employers over collective agreements and wage increases.
Report by RTK journalist Zorica Savić Ranković.
