The Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs of Serbia, Darija Kisić Tepavčević, announced today a social program for Fiat workers in the factory in Kragujevac by the end of the month.
She told reporters in Kragujevac that after expressing interest in certain jobs, the compilation of a social program for Fiat workers in Kragujevac will follow, which should be by the end of May.
“Then we get involved in negotiations with the National Service (for employment) and we are here for mediation and talks. So everything will be transparent … because that is exactly the policy represented by the company Fiat, as they told us in the conversation, and we are here when the social program is presented to participate in the negotiations and see what are the best opportunities in the given circumstances “, said Darija Kisić Tepavčević, Beta reports.
She stated that there were meetings with representatives of the Fiat union on Friday, and yesterday a meeting with other representatives of the workers who have already presented the conclusions from those meetings.
“The government of Serbia, the state of Serbia takes care of its workers, and the same is true when it comes to Fiat workers,” the minister said, adding that it was clear that private employers should also operate according to Serbian laws.
“In accordance with that, we talked to the workers and we know that at this moment, as the management of Fiat stated, that after the decision on the transformation of the company was made, it is an internal research regarding the structure of interest in certain jobs and ways of engagement. transformations, followed by writing a social program “, said Kisić.
Then, according to the law, it will be included in the negotiations with the National Employment Service.
“In any case, the workers will be acquainted with all the conditions and all the possibilities, and we will see that in this period of transformation, it will be the best solution for the workers,” the minister said.
She also assessed that it was “extremely good news” that Fiat decided to produce the new model in Kragujevac, “but in order for the production facilities to adapt for the production of the new model, one time period and personnel and spatial transformations are needed,” said Darija Kisić. Tepavcevic.
Today, the Minister of Labor visited the German company “Wacker Neuson”, which is marking 15 years of work in Kragujevac.
Kisic: “Wacker Nojzon” is an excellent example of employment growth
Minister Darija Kisić visited today the company “Wacker Nojzon”, which has been operating in Kragujevac for 15 years and which, as a leader in employment in the region, stands out especially for hiring hard-to-employ people.
The company pays special attention to workers working on welding jobs, as well as a training center where future welders and students who are trained according to the dual education model are trained.
The Minister stated that the number of employees in this company has doubled since 2017 and that this is the path that Serbia wants to take.
“Bringing new investors, new jobs, increasing the employment rate is what the Government stands for, and Kragujevac is an excellent example as a city with the fastest decline in the unemployment rate.” In the last year, the unemployment rate has decreased by 15 percent. “Only from the beginning of the year until today, over three thousand people have been employed in the records of the National Employment Service in this city,” said the Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, reports Tanjug.
She also stated that the company “Wacker Nojzon” is an excellent example for the growth of the employment rate, but also for the inclusion of the most vulnerable groups from the labor market, people with disabilities, as well as members of the female population, who work here as welders.
“I talked to them today and they are extremely successful in this business and they showed that gender is not a barrier to doing any job. This company also employs members of the Roma population, and I am really proud of how much they invest in training and education of their employees here, “said the Minister.
The company “Wacker Nojzon”, by the way, after 15 years of business is building a new factory of over 20 thousand square meters in Kragujevac, which should start operating in October this year, and the director of “Wacker Nojzon” Kragujevac Branko Ilic says that the company owes its growth and development professional and experienced workers, primarily skilled welders, as well as engineers.
“Wacker Nojzon is among the first companies in Kragujevac to recognize the future lack of trained staff and organize training in the field of welding and locksmithing. Hundreds of people passed through the company’s training center, as well as students from the Secondary Vocational School in Kragujevac, as part of the dual education program, “said the director.
Currently, more than 20 women work in production in the Kragujevac factory, and the plan is to hire more in the future. One of them is Ivana Stefanović, who works as a welder in the factory.
“My previous work experience was in the trade for more than ten years, but I wanted to change my job and I applied for the competition for a welder in this factory. It’s not hard for me, although we all have some prejudices that women can’t do that. I can say that it is easier for me than in the store. My colleagues accepted me well and I learned a lot from them “, says Ivana, who has been working for the company” Wacker Nojzon “for a year and a half.
The company is engaged in the production of steel structures and parts for construction machinery, and currently employs about 600 people in Kragujevac, Politika reports.
