THE NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT OF KCM S.A. WAS SIGNED

On January 16th, in the House of the Metallurgists in the town of Assenovgrad, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement of KCM S.A. was signed in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer of KCM 2000 S.A. and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of KCM S.A., Dr. Nikola Dobrev. The two-month efforts of the members of the Committee on preparation of the CBA were crowned with the official signing of the Agreement by the Executive Director of the company, Stoyan Pehlivanov and the leaders of the two trade unions - Andrey Andreev and Ljuben Drandarov.

The Executive Director thanked to all participants in the negotiations for their responsible and very professional approach to the preparation of this so important for the company document. Once again KCM proved in practice that social partnership and active dialogue are crucial factors for the relations between employer and employee. It is not by mere chance that after the conclusion of the Branch Collective Bargaining Agreement, here, at KCM, the first company Agreement was signed. Building on the branch agreements, better conditions for employment, qualification and prequalification, rest and holiday, social gains were settled. According to the Executive Director Mr Pehlivanov, the CBA guarantees not only the employees' gains but it also creates conditions for the normal functioning and development of the company. The management body wishes to ensure fair remuneration in compliance with the fulfillment of the production plan and financial figures set in the budget. The CBA sets not only the rights of the workers but also the obligations of the employer and the trade unions being parties to this agreement.

Of behalf of both trade unions, Andrey Andreev, the Chairman of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria at KCM S.A. rendered thanks to the working teams which succeeded to reach a consensus on the main issues which define the framework of the employment, security and social relations in the company. Irrespective of the belated start of the negotiations, thanks to the demonstrated constructive thinking and willingness to reach to an agreement, the negotiating parties concluded the final variant of the CBA which will come into effect from January 1st, 2007. Anticipation was expressed that the social dialogue would continue and this was only the start for setting better occupational conditions and higher motivating remuneration that would go closer to the European standards.

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