Skopje, 4 February 2026 (MIA) - The Government has its own formula for calculation of wages of administration sector. Most of the union representatives have agreed to this Government position, with a few exceptions. The formula includes a gradual increase of their salaries, not just the amount of the minimum wage increase, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on Wednesday.

PM Mickoski said trade unions were offered a formula for wage calculation of administration employees, noting that if agreed, it would be used as the standard formula for administration wages.

He said the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) referred to the General Collective Agreement it has signed with the previous government, adding this leaves room for various interpretations of wage levels, eventually resulting in problems in calculation, thus leading the Government to propose a unified template.

"If we apply the current formula, then several documents defining the wage levels can be interpreted in a different way. Let's suspend one of the three articles defining wages in the General Collective Agreement and work out a new General Collective Agreement while the deal we reach now is in place. I believe three years is enough for this," said Mickoski.

Regarding the formula itself, the PM said the Government's proposal would lead to higher wages for administration employees, different from the current simple increase of the minimum wage.

"Currently, the wage in administration is increased by the amount of the minimum wage increase. If an administration employee has a wage amounting to Mden 35,000, it would rise to Mden 36,500, considering this year's Mden 1,500 increase of the minimum wage. The model we are offering is to have this amount (Mden 36,500) rise by further eight percent. The same formula would be applied in 2027 and 2028, meaning that wages would increase by a minimum of 40 percent," said Mickoski.

Unions have been urging for an increase of the minimum wage to EUR 600 and a linear increase of all other salaries by EUR 100, whereas the Government is advocating for a model of gradual increase until 2028. The unions believe such a long-term projection does not meet the workers' needs, considering the inflation repercussions, with SSM threatening to hold a general strike if an agreement is not reached within the Economic-Social Council.

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