Minister Karakachanov: There are no results without social dialogue

By TOC

SOFIA (Bulgaria), 2017 December 22, By News Wire Team (Bm), Photo: Novinite.vom

Today the Ministry of Defense, Independent Syndicates of Defense Federation “Bulgarian Army” and National Syndicate “Defense” signed a new collective labor agreement that will enter into force on January 01, 2018.

The agreement regulates the labor and social insurance relations and the issues relevant to the living standards of civilian employees– members of the Independent Syndicates of Defense Federation “Bulgarian Army” and National Syndicate “Defense” – who work under employment contracts. Currently available benefits related to the social status of civilian employees at the Ministry of Defense remain unchanged. The new provisions of the agreement are relevant mainly to the re-appointment of civilian employees, additional remuneration for PhD and DSc/Dr. habil academic degrees, single payment of travel expenses in case of re-location of the army unit, at which the civilian employees are employed or in cases of their re-appointment in a different city upon initiative of the employer etc.

“There is no way to achieve results without normal dialogue” said the Minister of Defense Krasimir Karakachanov after the signing of the agreement. According to his statement – the ministers will change, but the dialogue shall continue in order to guarantee the interests of all people who are employed in the system of the Ministry of Defense.

“We have an opportunity jointly, under conditions of social cooperation, to work for achieving of good results in the next two years” added Todor Vodenov, Chairperson of National Syndicate “Defense”.

“At the moment we have good social dialogue at the Ministry of Defense, which is proven by the fact that we have reached an agreement on several key issues. The first one is the signing of this collective labor agreement and an agreement relevant to civil servants. Second – we support one very important position on personnel policy with regard to employment of retired people. The subject is topical and we have an agreement on it. Third – the meetings and conversations relevant to TEREM, where we expect to sign a collective labor agreement in the beginning of the next year” stated Georgi Bratovanov, chairperson of the Independent Syndicates of Defense Federation “Bulgarian Army”.