More than 5,000 workers, trade union members, working in the Sevojno copper mill, the Froteks textile company, and the Zlatibor construction company, as well as workers employed in other companies, teachers and students protested in the center of Uzice on Feb. 10. The protest rally was organized by the Nezavisnost Trade Union. The workers requested from the Serbian government to pay outstanding salaries and social welfare by Feb. 25, and announced various forms of trade union struggle, including a general strike, unless this request was fulfilled. The protest rally participants called on the citizens of Uzice not to pay their communal service fees. The protesters were addressed by the Uzice companies' independent trade union leaders and the chairman of the Uzice Municipal assembly executive council, Aleksandar Cirovic. The opposition coalition Zajedno won at the local elections in Uzice.

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