At a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of the Union of Employers of Montenegro (UPCG), business representatives expressed serious concerns about the proposal to reduce the standard workday to seven hours, which is being considered as part of potential amendments to the Labour Law.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Labour, Employment, and Social Dialogue, Naida Nišić, along with her expert team. Employers emphasized that while they are open to improving labor legislation, any changes must be based on sound economic indicators, sector-specific analysis, and thorough assessments of how such reforms would affect the overall business climate.
Participants from various industries agreed that a change as significant and far-reaching as reducing working hours demands a serious dialogue and careful evaluation of all potential consequences.
Employers voiced their concern that reducing the working day could result in additional costs, lower operational efficiency, and organizational challenges, particularly in sectors already experiencing high pressure.
Representatives from the tourism and hospitality sector pointed out that shortening the workday would further complicate operations in an industry already affected by seasonal labor shortages and difficulties in recruiting qualified workers.
They warned that implementing a seven-hour workday would require a complete reorganization of jobs, increased overtime, and workforce redistribution, all of which carry legal limitations and financial burdens. In many roles within this sector, shortening working hours is simply not feasible.
Tourism representatives also noted that maintaining Montenegro’s attractiveness as a tourist destination requires round-the-clock service. The sector is already struggling with poor air and road connectivity, inadequate municipal services, and other systemic issues that should be addressed before introducing major legislative changes like shorter work hours.
In the construction industry, concerns were raised over the nature of fieldwork and the importance of productivity during limited seasonal windows. Construction companies rely on long workdays to complete projects on time, and a reduction in daily hours could lead to significant delays, increased costs, and challenges in sourcing skilled labor.
They added that finding additional qualified workers would be difficult, as the sector already faces a serious shortage of skilled craftsmen. The introduction of a seven-hour workday would likely reduce efficiency and extend project timelines, increasing risks for investors.
Representatives from the energy sector explained that many jobs, particularly in maintenance and monitoring, require continuous work and shift-based scheduling. Reducing shift hours would mean hiring additional specialized staff, which is already in short supply, leading to higher costs.
Retail sector representatives highlighted that they have already been operating under a Sunday trading ban for nearly six years, which has negatively impacted small businesses and microenterprises. A further reduction in daily working hours would mean either shortening store hours or hiring more employees, both of which would increase costs and could lead to the closure of small shops, especially in rural areas.
Stakeholders from telecommunications, transport, food production, agriculture, and banking also agreed with the concerns raised. They emphasized that similar challenges would arise across all industries, to varying degrees.
The UPCG announced that further meetings with individual sectors will be held to analyze in more detail the potential impact of a seven-hour workday on labor costs and overall business operations.
