Low wages, lack of rest, and job insecurity are the main concerns of private sector workers in Kosovo. For KosovaPress, they stressed that their daily reality remains far from minimum standards of dignity and workplace safety.
Hajriz Kadriu, a private sector worker, said his participation in the protest is aimed at protecting workers’ rights, which he says are being continuously violated. He raised concerns about mistreatment and difficult economic conditions.
“Workers are being mistreated, and also regarding the economic situation, their wages are very low. A company gets a tender for six months, meaning workers remain completely without rest for those six months. Then it is given to another company, again without rest. And the third thing, as I have followed with colleagues, we have been 18 months without a single day of rest. If someone is sick at home, you have to either ask for help or make humanitarian requests so someone can assist. This is the life of the worker today. How many workers have died at workplaces, and no one takes action. No one cares what is happening to the people, to the worker,” Kadriu stated.
He added that the lack of institutional response to workplace accidents is alarming.
Jetmir Krasniqi, head of the union at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo (QKUK), also highlighted the issue of lack of annual leave for security workers. According to him, short-term contracts with different companies are leaving workers without the right to vacation.
“From 2024 until 2026, up to now, we do not have annual leave. The reason is that one company takes us for five months, another for three months, another for five months, and we remain without leave. The companies say ‘you are not entitled to leave unless you complete six months.’ Workers are left without leave. Workers come to me as chairman asking: ‘where is the leave?’ Companies do not give it unless you complete exactly six months of effective work,” Krasniqi said.
Meanwhile, another private sector worker, Hamit Berisha, emphasized that low wages and lack of job stability remain key concerns.
“Our concerns are wages, that they should be increased. There is no stability with us. Every 5–6 or 10 months companies change. Our rights are limited, rules are not respected. Also, work experience is not paid anymore; until 2020 it was paid, in 2020 it was stopped. Low wages,” Berisha said.
Meanwhile, the Trade Union Federation of Private Sector Workers held a protest, raising concerns about harsh working conditions, low wages, and the lack of enforcement of existing laws.
Workers called for urgent intervention from institutions to guarantee their rights, improve working conditions, and ensure a dignified life.
