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Alliance of FreeTrade Unions of Serbia

Start a union at your company

Employees set up the union at their company or institution themselves. Three employees who sign the membership application are enough to start, you included. The Alliance explains every step.
Koštana workers gathered at the protest in Vranje
Photo: Alliance of Free Trade Unions of Serbia

Why a union at your company

On your own, it is hard to stand up for your rights. A union has rights that a single worker does not.

  • If there is no union at the company, your rights at work are set by the employment rulebook, which the employer adopts, or by your employment contract.

    Labour Act, Article 3

  • When a union brings together enough employees and meets the legal conditions, its representativeness is established. It can then take part in concluding a collective agreement with the employer, on a decision of the Alliance's Republic Board.

    Labour Act, Articles 218, 219 and 248; Statute of the Alliance, Article 52

  • The union has the right to be informed by the employer about economic, work and social issues that matter to employees.

    Labour Act, Article 209

  • If the employer warns you in writing before a dismissal, you can attach the opinion of your union to your reply. The employer must consider it.

    Labour Act, Articles 180 and 181

How a union is founded, step by step

In the Alliance, a union at a company is called a union organisation. The steps follow the Alliance's Statute and the Labour Act.

  1. 01

    Contact the Alliance

    Call 064 9930 801. We will explain the whole procedure and what your case needs.

  2. 02

    Bring your colleagues together

    You need at least three employees of the company, you included.

  3. 03

    Sign the applications and found the organisation

    Everyone who joins signs a membership application. Membership starts on the day the signed application is received, and the member gets a membership card. At least three employees decide to found the organisation, and the Alliance's Republic Board records it.

  4. 04

    Elect your bodies

    The make-up of the Board of the union organisation depends on the number of members and the rules of procedure. In a smaller organisation, you elect a president, a secretary and a treasurer, who make up the Board. In a larger one, you elect the president and the Board members, and the Board chooses the secretary and the treasurer from among its members. You also elect a Supervisory Board of three members. A member of the Supervisory Board cannot also sit on the Board.

  5. 05

    Adopt your rules of procedure

    The organisation adopts its own rules of procedure in line with the Statute and sends them to the Alliance's Statute Committee. Within 30 days, the Committee assesses whether they comply with the Statute.

  6. 06

    Entry in the register

    Your organisation can be entered in the Register of Trade Unions kept by the ministry responsible for labour, with the prior consent of the Alliance's Republic Board. The Alliance then files the application, within 15 days of the founding (Rulebook on the Registration of Trade Unions, Article 4). Registration is one of the conditions for a union to become representative (Labour Act, Article 218). We will explain on the phone what your case needs.

  7. 07

    Inform the employer

    If the organisation is registered, the union has eight days to give the employer the registration act and the decision electing its president and bodies (Labour Act, Article 208). If it is not registered, we will explain on the phone what to give the employer.

Your rights and protection

The law gives you these rights.

  • The Constitution and the Labour Act guarantee the freedom to organise in unions without approval. You do not need the employer's permission.

    Constitution of Serbia, Article 55; Labour Act, Article 206

  • The employer may not dismiss you or put you at a disadvantage in any other way because of your union membership, your part in union activities or your work as an employee representative.

    Labour Act, Article 188

  • If there is a dispute, the employer must prove that the dismissal or the disadvantage was not caused by your membership or union activities.

    Labour Act, Article 188

  • Union membership and turning to a union are not valid reasons for dismissal.

    Labour Act, Article 183

  • Discrimination because of union membership is banned. This covers hiring, working conditions, training, promotion and dismissal.

    Labour Act, Articles 18 and 20

  • The employer must deduct your union dues from your pay, based on your written statement, and pay them into the union's account.

    Labour Act, Article 207

  • The employer must give the union space and technical conditions, as far as its means allow, and access to the information needed for union work.

    Labour Act, Article 210

  • With your authorisation, a representative of the union you are a member of can take your case to court. The deadline is 60 days from receiving the decision or from learning that your right was violated.

    Labour Act, Article 195

  • A union representative has the right to paid leave while bargaining on a collective agreement and while representing an employee before an arbitrator or a court. The employer pays.

    Labour Act, Articles 212, 213 and 214

What the Alliance does for you

  • We explain every step on the phone.

  • We tell you what the Statute requires: signed membership applications, the founding decision and the rules of procedure.

  • We record your organisation with the Alliance's Republic Board.

  • When your organisation is entered in the Register of Trade Unions, the Alliance files the application with the ministry.

  • Members have the right to free legal aid and representation, on the terms set by the Republic Board.

  • The Alliance's officials, members of its bodies and staff must keep membership data confidential.

  • Your organisation elects its own representatives in the Alliance's bodies.

Frequently asked questions

At least three employees of the company, you included. That is what the Alliance's Statute requires. To elect both of the organisation's bodies, you will need more colleagues.

You can join the Alliance directly right away. You then hand your membership application to the Alliance's Republic Board. Once two more colleagues join you, you can found a union organisation at your company.

You do not need the employer's permission to found a union (Labour Act, Article 206). If the organisation is registered, the union gives the employer the registration act and the decision electing its president and bodies (Labour Act, Article 208). If it is not registered, we will explain on the phone what to give the employer. The signed application also instructs the employer to deduct your dues from your pay, so the employer knows you are a member. In the Alliance, membership data are kept confidential.

The law forbids it (Labour Act, Articles 183 and 188). The employer may not dismiss you or put you at a disadvantage because of union membership or union activities. In a dispute, the employer must prove that the union was not the reason. If anyone threatens you, call us.

Yes. The law guarantees the freedom to organise in unions (Labour Act, Article 206), and more than one union can operate at the same employer. If someone has signed applications for more than one union, the most recent one counts for representativeness (Labour Act, Article 218).

Call us and get started

Call 064 9930 801. We will explain the first step and what you need. You can also send a request on the website, and we will contact you to sign the membership application.

Every day, 9:00 to 17:00

Call 064 9930 801Fill in the application