Željeznice Republike Srpske faces critical labor shortage

Željeznice Republike Srpske (ŽRS) is facing a growing labor shortage, particularly among executive and technical staff. Acting Director Dragan Zelenković reported that the company has lost over 70 employees in less than eight months this year, primarily due to retirements and mutual contract terminations.

The workforce decreased from 1,699 employees at the start of the year to 1,628. To address the deficit, the company has attempted to fill vacancies through internal reassignments within the procurement and warehouse sectors, as well as the passenger transport operations sector.

Despite receiving government approval to hire up to 30 new employees, Zelenković noted that finding qualified candidates in technical, transport, and electrical fields remains difficult due to current labor market conditions. Additionally, the company is managing a high number of employees with reduced work capacity who can no longer perform specialized roles such as locomotive drivers or dispatchers.