On March 3, 2021 the Republican Committee and the members of SS BOFOS took the decision that they no longer wanted to be affiliated with the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (CATUS). Ever since BOFOS was founded in 2002, that is in post-communist times, they have been a member of CATUS. The reason for becoming a member of CATUS was a practical one. CATUS is the largest trade union centre in the country with confirmed representativity. Additionally, it is a member of the European Confederation of Trade Unions (ETUC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). All this motivated BOFOS to become a member of CATUS.
The roots of the decision to leave CATUS lied in the fact that BOFOS felt that its development went beyond the framework of CATUS, which did not follow the changes and developments in modern society and in the trade union movement. Thus the membership represented a brake on the further development of BOFOS.
Ever since joining CATUS, BOFOS, as one of the 28 branch unions in CATUS, was completely autonomous in its work, independently decided on its international affiliation, cooperation and activities and, on the basis of this, regulated its relations with CATUS.
BOFOS profiles itself as a modern, well-organized union independent of employers, government and politics. On the basis of its Statutes it acts uniquely in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, respecting the values and vision of its members. Their work is based on Christian values and believes, which they nourish ever since they were founded.
Despite the readiness and long-term efforts and attempts of BOFOS to resolve the accumulated contradictions with CATUS , it proofed unsuccessful. CATUS remained in its old positions and did not transform either organizationally or functionally and even limited and obstructed BOFOS from the work of the CATUS organs and activities, asking just for membership fee without offering any assistance to the activities of BOFOS.
With the decision that BOFOS will no longer be a member of CATUS they are only formalizing the real situation that has been the case for more than a decade, and in which it had no essential relationship and connection with CATUS, nor a justified reason, interest and desire to continue to be part of it.
In parallel with the withdrawal from CATUS, BOFOS had to register under the new name Republican Trade Union of Employees in Banks, Insurance Companies and Other Financial Organizations of Serbia (RS BOFOS) for administrative and technical reasons. They had to take out the word Autonomous and changed it with the word Republic. This is only a technical change. Everything else remains the same. They have the same member-organizations, the same objectives, visions and values, and the membership supported this change unanimously.
