ITUC page with global updates: COVID-19 Pandemic: News from unions
ETUC page with information from EU countries
ETUC Covid-19 Watch
OECD countries at TUAC:
Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC): Mapping out trade union and social partners’ responses
News from SEE and NIS:
updates as of 30th of April
NIS region:
After the initial shock and lockdowns, countries inevitably had to deal with the consequences for economies, social protection and unemployment. The quarantine and self-isolation measures where they existed in the region are prolonged into May; however, plans and stages of deconfinement have also started coming into Governments’ agendas.
Most governments concentrated on business support measures, stressing the imperative to keep jobs. Direct measures to support workers’ income were also set by many governments. The adequacy is dependent on the general resilience of the national economy.
NIS ITUC affiliates continue to put forward their demands to governments (vs tripartite bodies or otherwise) and also continue playing an active part in volunteering and providing support to essential workers and the most vulnerable in the population.
Enhancing occupational health and safety (OHS) for essential workers remains the key requirement from unions at all levels.
Also, first attempts to breach the existing social dialogue procedures are registered, as well as concerns regarding human and trade union rights and freedoms. There exist doubts that special pandemic provisions and limitations will be lifted after the COVID-19 crisis is over.
The EU COVID support aid to Eastern Partnership countries, as announced on 8 April, while outlining development funding reorientation for immediate needs, has still to be operationalised. It is without doubt that social partners will have no or little say in that process (also in other countries), and some of the organisations are asked to join the ITUC-ETUC pilot actions to ensure that the EU external aid processes are put within social dialogue frameworks and contribute to the strengthening of social protection systems, and are not used to serve the interests of certain business or power circles.:
Armenia.: the country declared state of emergency till 14th of April. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has taken the initiatives to draft the amendments to the Code of Labor of RA to regulate the labor relations in the state of emergency. The CTUA has presented its proposals concerning the payments of the salaries during the special cases such as pandemic situations. Besides this, the CTUA is working during these days by helping the employees online or by phone with the legal advices, by making legal clarifications of the situation which the employees are facing now by media.
KPA’s Trade Union Organizations of Miners, Metallurgists and Jewelers o organized online meeting with the employers in order to exclude or to reduce the risks to the health of the employees, to follow all regulations of hygiene adopted by the Government, to obtain the masks, alcogels, protective gloves, non-contact thermometers and etc which are obligatory to use for protection of the health. The result of above-mentioned collective bargainings the employees of the above mentioned field will be paid 2/3 of their tariff rate salary during possible and/or enforced idleness of the enterprise.
KPA information: COVID-19 measures
update: The government adopted a social support package. Eligible people can apply electronically.
The measures are non-recurrent. Only one lump-sum type of support is available to citizens and is not available to those who are already eligible for social security benefits (pensioners, the disabled, etc.).
The government potentially will get in May an IMF loan to cope with COVID-19 consequences. The president called on all businesses to develop plans for preventing COVID-19 in the post-quarantine period.
Azerbaijan: Special fund to tackle COVID is established by the President, supported by individuals and businesses. A special working group to tackle labour issues is set up, which AHIK is part of.
update: Different Funds are supported by AHIK and food fow low income families provided by TU volunteers
Full list of measures and AHIK activities
Belarus. Statement of Executive Committee of Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions
BKDP calls on the Belarusian government to fundamentally change its policy of underestimating the threat, that country is facing and to review its decisions on no need of introducing quarantine, and take all exhaustive actions and measures aimed at preventing the uncontrolled spread of the virus and minimizing the damage it causes.
update: The president has finally recognised COVID-19 as a threat. However, preventive measures are not being sufficiently taken. Moreover, the government has summoned workers of key enterprises for a “subbotnik” – unpaid Saturday public work in the middle of pandemic.
BKDP has addressed Guy Ryder, the ILO director general, and asked him to intervene and urge the government to cancel “subbotnik” and take measures to curb COVID-19. The ITUC supported its affiliate in its pledge.
Georgia: State of Emergency was introduced untill 21 of April, the Government introduces quarantine in some parts of the country. Quarantine for workers equals the payment for sick leave. Those who refuse to self-isolate may be forced into quarantine by police.
In response, on March 24-29, new guidelines were issued for various sectors: construction, services, trade sectors, etc., detailing labour health and safety standards during the virus, including GTUC request to emphasize the employer’s obligation to ensure that employees are not only provided with collective, but also individual protection gear (protection masks, gloves, disinfectant, etc.).
From the first days, GTUC called on the Georgian government to set up a special fund to raise funds to support measures against Covid-19. The government has set up such a fund, where GTUC has transferred GEL 20,000 (EUR6300) and in addition, they have offered two facilities in Kobuleti and Kechkhobi to the government for quarantine purposes.
In addition, GTUC provided food products and personal protective equipment to workers: health care personnel, journalists, railway workers, metro workers, couriers, etc.
GTUC appealed to the government to postpone utility bills for at least two months for those who became unemployed and provide certain financial assistance to those who need it most. In this process, the needs of the self-employed who account for almost 48% of total employment are especially significant.
GTUC is currently working on an initiative that will give parents who have kindergarten and school age children a flexible working regime or possibility to work remotely in order to enable them to take care of their children during the school suspension. Also, another important issue is provision of transport for employees by employers that we have already managed to achieve in several companies.
update: Package to support business: deferral of tax payments till 1st of November for HoReCa, tourism, etc.; also, loans.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced support to the country.
A post-crisis economy plan is under development.
Unions continue to be concerned by OHS environments in the country and the weak role of labour inspection, especially in the industries that still keep running (e.g., mining and construction). The GTUC appealed to the prime minister to ensure maximum security for labour, prevention of accidents, and detection of violations. It was urged that a unified, coordinated approach be developed to ensure that the safety of employees in the emergency is maintained equally in all sectors of the economy; that control and supervision be exercised over responsible bodies; and that labour inspection be authorised to ensure the safety of workers in all sectors of the economy throughout Georgia.
Also, unsafe working conditions were detected by the union in the SPAR supermarket chain. The GTUC president addressed this issue with the head of labour inspection.
Moldova. in state of emergency, incentive measures to medical workers, additional funds for hospitals released. CNSM has issued recommendations for labour issues and OHS measures. It calls to arrange flexible hours, individual work time, working from home in agreement with the workers, registration of stoppage of the enterprise with payment of 2/3 of the basic income, paid regular vacations, also to comply fully with OHS measures (PPE etc) as stipulated in the legislation.
Original article in RU
Federation of healthcare workers is following situation and supporting healthcare workers on daily basis. Original article in RU
update: New package as of 6th of April: the unemployment benefit has been raised to up to 2775 lei (€130), Minimum income for vulnerable groups: 1300 lei (€60). There are subsidies for salary payment for business, return of social transfers to individual entrepreneurs, and also tax alleviation.
There is an increase for special funds for agriculture and unemployment.
Amendments to the budget: additional allocations to healthcare (1.4 billion lei), social security and unemployment benefits (1.6 billion lei), support to economy and business (2.1 billion lei), and 1 billion lei for road construction.
Additional payment to public servants (including medical workers and policemen) who have been infected with COVID-19.
The CNSM and National Confederation of Employers issued an address to the prime minister calling for boosting support for employers and employees, including social and economic protection. The social partners require a new programme of economic development. Also, they call for the efficient use of EU help, namely for the healthcare sector, support of the unemployed, and damaged businesses.
Russia: restrictions introduced, getting stricter with growing numbers. COVID situations is legally a force-majeure. Quarantined people have to be considered on sick leave and are supposed to get 2 weeks payment. Additional incentive for people over 65 to self-isolate – around 45EUR onetime payment for Moscow region. Have to be considered on sick leave, if they work. Central bank called for mortgage and loan reliefs for individuals, but no state ruling yet. On March 25, the President’s addressed the people. He announced a week of official days off, to ensure uninterrupted and timely social payments, sick pay (not lower than the minimum wage), increased unemployment payments to the minimum wage, noted the need for credit reliefs in case of loss of income, reduced the tax burden for small and medium-sized businesses, including reduced insurance contributions to 15% instead of 30% for those whose salaries are above the minimum wage. He also introduced a tax on interest on individuals’ deposits in banks in excess of 1 million rubles (11k EUR), income from bonds and securities, and also introduced a tax on dividends that go abroad.
Unions are working in the tripartite commission to have proper labour arrangement in response to COVID, mostly related to arrangement of distant working and compensations so that to protect workers’ interests. The prime-minister calls not to dismiss people during COVID outbreak. Both affiliates are publishing legal and OHS advice on how to protect on workplaces during the COVID.
Declaration on employers’ and employees’ actions in time of pandemic, adopted at tripartite council
Original in RU
KTR Executive Committee’s declaration
update:The government is continuously introducing support measures for business and citizens:
– fully paid days off till 30th of April;
– increase of unemployment benefit by 1.5 times;
– mortgage/loan payment deferral for those who have lost income (limited amount of loan);
– lump-sum payments for pensioners during self-isolation period in some regions, sick leave payments for 14 days for working people over 65, additional sick leave for people in self-isolation;
– additional payments to vulnerable families with children;
– no fines for utility bills arrears; and
– premium to medical workers tackling COVID-19.
For businesses (qualified as damaged from pandemic):
– lower social security payments from 30% to 15% if the salary exceeds the minimum wage;
– deferred loan payments;
– deferred tax payments and rent payments; and
– On 15th April, the president announced additional support for SMEs – minimum wage payment from the state for each worker if the business keeps 90% of the staff.
Ukraine. The country is in quarantine. Government introduced some tax alleviation measures for businesses, a ban for state inspections. Legal status of force-majeure. On March 17, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law amending certain legislation to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It provides that health care workers dealing with coronavirus outbreak will receive up to 200% allowances to their wages. Additional payments will also be made to certain categories of workers providing vital services. Lump sum of UAH 1000 (EUR30) will be paid in April to those pensioners whose pension is lower UAH 5000 (EUR160).
KVPU Newsletter: Tackling COVID-19 and protecting labour rights
The KVPU and its regional and branch organizations are continuingto monitor the situation with labour rights. KVPU started the campaign“What is your quarantine situation?’to show best practices at enterprises, highlight violations of workers’ rights and urge workers to inform about their problems.
FPU has set up a special web-page where they publish all the info on COVID covering the issue of remuneration, health and safety issues, the issue of vacations, payment of sick leave, unemployment. FPU urged the public authorities and employers to take all possible steps in order to: prevent dismissal of workers that have temporarily suspended/reduced their production activities and services in accordance with Government decisions, as well as to avoid any violation of workers’ rights guaranteed by law and collective agreements in case of suspension of work; no worker, including informal sector workers, temporary or subcontracted workers, should suffer from wage loss or deterioration working conditions during quarantine; where possible, send the workers to telework from home, keeping their wages; at the request of the worker, to agree with him short working hours or paid leave, if necessary, to provide sick leave; trade unions’ and workers’ rights should be at the heart of the COVID response, they are important to reduce the risks and built confidence; necessary preventive and protective measures must be introduced at the workplaces in order to protect of the health of workers, especially those at the forefront of the fight with the epidemic outbreak.
update:The new package includes tax benefits for business and regulates certain issues of applying procedural terms, paying social assistance to citizens, calculating interest on loans, paying rent for the quarantine period, etc.
Changes mainly reduce the pressure on the business: the moratorium on inspections is extended until June 30, and employers will be exempted from fines and penalties for non-payment of a single social contribution until 31 May. Tenants who are unable to use real estate or other property rented due to quarantine measures are exempt from paying the rent.
Changes have been made to the Labour Code.
– The concept of flexible working hours and remote (home) work have been introduced. Stoppage is paid at the rate of at least two-thirds of the tariff rate (salary). This rule should protect workers from being forced to be dismissed at their own request.
– It also provides assistance for partial unemployment. This assistance is provided to employers of SMEs for payment to their employees and is paid at the expense of the unemployment insurance fund. To receive assistance, the employer should not have arrears in the payment of wages and social contribution for five years. It cannot be higher than the minimum wage (4723 hryvnia) and is paid to employees with whom an employment relationship is formed (except for a pensioners).
– There is a premium to medical workers tackling COVID-19 of up to 300%.
The World Bank announced US$135 billion to improve healthcare and tackle COVID-19.
The International Monetary Fund is close to approving of the new cooperation program for Ukraine, and the National Bank of Ukraine predicts the receipt of the first tranche of financing in the amount of about US$2 billion in the second quarter of this year.
Changes into the budget, where COVID fund is envisaged.
Lump-sum payments for low-paid pensioners.
Beneficial loan conditions for SMEs (5-7-9%) given they keep 80% of the staff.
SEE region:
Due to the spreading of COVID-19, all the governments are adopting very strict measures and restrictions to the freedom of movement of the population. Serbia and BiH introduced curfew, other countries restricted the movement, they shut down services, and this situation automatically impacts normal functioning of individual sectors in which workers are losing their jobs; SMEs face difficulties in functioning, which resulted in a fact that a huge number of workers staying without labour contract, and massive dismissals are expected. Small economies cannot take such the blockade in the work, trade unions are sending their demands to the governments in which they list ample matters that the governments should urgently work on to find solutions (such as establishment of special funds aimed at stimulation of employers to keep their employees or certain Social agreements between governments, employers and trade unions, or adoption of decision and decrees aimed at facilitating the survival of workers and citizens; trade unions also demand equal distribution of burden incurred by the current damages, they should not only be borne by the workers). Additional mitigations are demanded including financial aid to the most vulnerable categories of population and pensioners.
Croatia: the state undertakes measures to protect its population, however the trade unions also have their demands – protection of workers. The instructions given to the UATUC trade union members are: a worker comes to his or her job, unless employer decides to allow “the work from home”, in both cases with 100% of the wage; a worker may refuse to work if the protective measures at work are not provided; if a worker is not working for his or her employer on the ground that s/he is in self quarantine or quarantine, ordered by the competent authority, whereas the type of job is such that the work from other places is not possible, such a worker is entitled to compensation from the Healthcare fond; if a worker is infected by COVID-19 (confirmed infection or developed symptoms caused by the infection), s/he is entitled to sick leave covered by 70% compensation from the wage, and is entitled to 100% compensation of the wage if infected at work, which infection will have to be proven.
If employer sends workers to annual leave, the employer has to pay the wage to the worker as agreed in the collective agreement, regulation on the labour or labour contract, however at least in the amount of the worker’s average monthly wage paid in the previous three months; extraordinary circumstance caused by COVID-19 outbreak cannot be the justified ground to terminate labour contract, including the extraordinary termination of employment. Trade unions also demanded the mitigation of economic and social consequences. Additional problems were created by the earthquake, which affected Zagreb on 22 March 2020, and resulted in one casualty, a number of injured persons, and devastation on a number of residential buildings and trade union working premises.
update:The Croatian government has adopted economic and incentive measures to protect jobs and workers. The government financially supports certain categories of businesses. However, employees are continuously dismissed, and the trade unions do not have precise data on this. Trade union centres in Croatia have sent a joint letter to the Employment Service asking them to monitor and publish data on registered workers in need of compensation for unemployment, per sector, gender, age, forms of employment, and forms of termination of labour contracts. In order to monitor the utilisation of public funds, trade unions ask for the public list of companies that use support related to COVID-19 measures. Trade unions express their suspicion that a certain number of businesses misuse support funds received directly from the Croatian government.
Serbia: Trade unions insist on getting some responses from the Government concerning the extraordinary situation on the following issues: purchase of personal protective equipment for the workers which are still at their workplaces; TUs insist for a proper transport from home to work and back; the modality of determination and payment of wages of the parents of children up to 12 years of age who were asked to stay at their homes and take care of their children; options for determining a remuneration of wage established by the general act of employers and by the labour contracts for the period of interruption of working process caused by an order of a state institution or by an order of employer related to the temporary lack of occupational safety and health and labour status of workers and the means for determination and payment of wages to the workers asked to stay in quarantine. TUs have also asked their members to activate their OSH committees in the enterprises, to organize meetings and inform the membership, and to organize solidarity actions for the members in need. They have also encouraged their members to keep insisting that their employers provide them with the personal protective equipment. TU demand to introduce a measure of moratorium to dismissals for the period of 3 months has been discussed at the ESC meeting, but unfortunately the Government has not accepted this demand, but promised to help to employers of small size enterprises.
update:The government of Serbia has adopted a series of new COVID-19 measures, namely:
1. Taxation policy measures: postponed payment of tax and contribution for workers in the private sector during the state of emergency, and these obligations will be later on paid in instalments, however not sooner than in 2021; postponed payment of advance profit tax; certain types of relief from VAT.
2. Direct assistance to the private sector: direct assistance to micro and SMEs in the form of minimum wage for workers; direct assistance to bigger companies and the private sector in the form of 50% of net wage for workers who are already dismissed. These measures apply to businesses who did not fire more than 10% of their workforce since the beginning of the state of emergency (except those whose short-term contracts expired), and the measures do not apply to employers who deregistered their business before the state of emergency (15 March 2020).
Previously, the government had made decisions and ensured funds for the following: increased wages to medical workers by 10% as of 1 April; one-off assistance to pensioners amounting to 4,000 dinars; moratorium for loan repayment; reduction of referent interest rate.
3. Measures aimed to preserve liquidity: certain programmes for micro, SMEs, farms, and cooperatives.
4. Direct assistance to all adult nationals – the amount of €100 will be paid to all adult nationals of Serbia.
Trade unions are committed to monitor implementation of these measures in practice.
Albania: TUs demands to Albanian Government are the following: For 50% increase of the salary for all health staff in the country, who will be engaged in the fight against COVID 19 during the period of crisis with COVID. The reward should be for all employees, ranging from executives, doctors, nurses, sanitation and hospital guards; to monitor pharmacies, not to abuse the price of protective equipment; Quarantine hospitals being set up in each city of the country to isolate suspected persons infected with COVID and establish an emergency headquarters; all parents who have children in kindergarten, pre-school and 9-year education, one of the parents must obtain permission to work with fair pay; to Increase security and security measures for companies and enterprises of over 500 employees working indoors as a call center or front desk. TU demand to the Labour Inspectorate and the Health Inspectorate to control the entry and exit of the employees with thermal cameras; The government should consider closing these businesses temporarily if they do not have the capacity to manage and control if these businesses with over 500 employees fail to provide Covid 19 protection and security to their employees; Public and private employers to cooperate not only with law enforcement agencies but also with all those employees who will need permission or financial or financial support to overcome this difficult situation; Municipalities should order to stop work, urban transport lines or these lines should not take more than half of their capacity. If this rule does not apply, companies will face sanctions until the license is revoked; The Municipality of Tirana should periodically disinfect all public places, urban stations, interurban stations in public transport vehicles.
update: The government of Albania has, without any social dialogue, adopted some measures aimed at protection of the population in terms of health, including strict measures of restriction of movement. It has also drafted the special law of economic measures in an emergency situation. KSSH and BSPSH were not involved in talks about these measures, for which reason they expressed their dissatisfaction. The ITUC on 22 April sent the letter to Prime Minister Rama asking for social dialogue and the involvement of the trade unions KSSH and BSPSH in decision-making processes related to jobs, rights of workers, and distribution of government support aimed at alleviation of COVID-19 consequences .
Bosnia and Herzegovina: TUs requested by the governments the following : to ensure respect for workers’ rights, including regular payment of salaries and benefits in accordance with legal requirements; To impose increased surveillance on inspection bodies to prevent malpractice employers from using the pandemic to dismiss redundant workers or to reduce their salaries and allowances; to ensure that workers who are compelled to remain in isolation on suspicion of being infected with the Corona virus or having to pay the full amount of wages and benefits for the period spent in isolation with children who are in isolation; to ensure full observance of the Labour Law, to require employers to introduce additional occupational safety measures to reduce the risk of exposure of workers, especially workers in health care, services, utilities, police and public institutions; to ensure salary increasing for healthcare professionals and workers in utility sector, who make every day a maximum effort to protect citizens and ensure a normal life. Government promised to postpone payment of VAT to companies as a kind of benefit , but final decision has not been taken yet.
update: Trade unions had their requests in the Federation of BiH, and the government of FBiH responded with a special law to regulate these measures – financial support to businesses to maintain jobs, reduce dismissals to a minimum so that the workers can survive this period. The law known as “Corona law” was adopted on 23 April – it prescribes that the government of FBiH would pay the amounts of contribution and tax on minimum wage to the employers for all their employees. The government shall pay to the accounts of all employers in the private sector that have been affected by the crisis the corresponding amount of BAM 245 per employee (calculated for the minimum wage = BAM 406.6) to pay those amounts to the public funds of the Federation of BiH. Employers should secure payment of the minimum wages themselves. If employers can pay the wages above the minimum to workers, the difference for social contributions on those higher paid wages shall be borne themselves. The cantons may also support the companies, even in form of payment of wages to workers (via employers).
Montenegro: Paid sick leave 15 days from 16 March and chances are that this deadline will be extended. This applies to one employed parent who has a child not older than 11 years. In the case of the absence of one of the parents of a child under the age of 11, this is considered as paid leave. Employees for whom the employers have organized working from home are expected to receive 100% of their earnings. In the case of companies that are prohibited from working by the Government order (catering, retail, hotel, etc.), a salary amounting to 70% of the basis for compensation shall be paid to employees (basis for compensation is average salary earned in the previous 6 months) (Article 1 of the Labour Law and General Collective Agreement on payment of salary to an employee in cases where there was a termination of work without the fault of the employee). Postponement of payment of taxes and contributions on earnings as well as obligations has been introduced as well, under the Law on Rescheduling Tax Debt. Creation of a new credit line of the Investment and Development Fund of Montenegro intended to improve the liquidity of entrepreneurs, micro, small, medium and large enterprises up to a maximum amount of EUR3 million per user, in a simplified procedure, without approval fee and with an interest rate of only 1.5%. This appropriation is intended for use by companies operating in the fields of the procurement of medicines, medical equipment and vehicles; tourism and catering; traffic; services; food production and processing. Financial assistance in the amount of 50 euro for 8,583 beneficiaries of financial support for the family. 11,957 pensioners receiving a minimum pension received a one-time allowance of 50 euro per each of them. Postponement for 90 days of credits payment at the request of citizens and companies with all banks, micro-credit institutions and IDF of Montenegro.
update: The government has made a decision to urgently increase by 15% the wages of all medical workers in the state health sector during the COVID-19 crisis in Montenegro. Trade unions notify workers on their web pages and Facebook about their rights and provide related legal advice over the phone. Based on applicable legislation, the following rights are regulated: the right to wage and paid tax and contributions; the right to paid overtime; and the right to paid annual leave, maternity leave and sick leave – and it was particularly regulated that all healthcare workers during the COVID-19 crisis have paid sick leave in the amount of 100% of the wage, as well as enhanced right to OHS.
North Macedonia:
update:The government of North Macedonia has adopted comprehensive measures aimed at protection of the population and economy and has secured funds to meet these obligations, possibly being the best example in the region. The set of the economic measures include the following:
1. Financial support for the private sector. Financial support for April and May in the amount of 14,500 MKD per employee (minimum wage). The financial support does not apply to those who received a net salary higher than 39,000 MKD. The same number of employees should be retained by September 2020. This measure also covers the media sector.
2. Help to the athletes/sport workers. The government will provide a minimum wage of MKD 14,500.
3. Minimum wage to 141 people from the art sector will be provided.
4. Monthly salary for citizens who have been unemployed in an amount of 50 percent of their monthly net salary for the last six months, and for those who have been unemployed during the crisis, for 24 months.
5. All elected and appointed officials on national and local level will receive a minimum wage of MKD 14,500.
6. Presidents, members of management and supervisory boards of the executive and local governments, and council presidents will not receive any compensation during the crisis.
7. A fee of MKD 7,000 for persons who are part of the informal economy.
8. The Enforcement Law is suspended until June 2020.
9. Delay of loans to banks within a period of six months.
10. Reduction of instalment, and reprogramming of loans to financial companies.
11. Postponed lease payments for people using social housing. For the companies, a separate decision on rent payments shall be adopted.
12. Additional interest-free loans of additional EUR 8 million for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises depending on the number of employees.
13. Loans of EUR 50 million from development banks.
14. Bankruptcy proceedings are forbidden during the crisis and six months thereafter.
15. Compulsory use of the first part of the holiday leave until May 31st.
16. Establishment of a COVID-19 Solidarity Fund.
17. Reduction of copyright agreements by state institutions.
The implementation of the measures, however, is a challenge. Unions expressed frustration at not being included in the special commission, composed of structures of employers, which will supervise practical implementation of the government measures.
Kosovo: based on the recommendations of the WHO and Ministry of Health of Kosovo regarding COVID, the BSPK has send a letter to the Government asking as follows: BSPK, requires from all relevant institutions and employers organizations to take all needed measures for occupational health and safety for all workers of Kosovo in public and private sectors. TU suggest to all workers of Kosovo to respect and support the recommendations of the Ministry of Health respectively Government of the Republic of Kosovo in order to prevent the danger of the spread of corona virus and to take all safety measures by staying at home.
update: The Kosovo government earlier decided to give some benefits for health and police workers: along with their salaries, the employees in these sectors will receive an additional amount of €300 monthly during the crisis period. The government also supports the private sector: they give a transfer to the employer of an amount of €170 for each worker (the amount of the minimum wage in Kosovo) based on the request with the total number of workers; this applies to the companies that are closed because of the restrictions in relation to the COVID-19 risk.