Skopje, 1 May 2023 (MIA) — The politicians' salary increases of almost 80% and the proposed 60-hour work week for the construction of Corridors 8 and 10d were the focus of the speeches during this year's Workers' Day protest held by the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia.

Demanding better pay, decent working hours and respect for collective agreements, the protesters marched from their headquarters to the government building. 

There they addressed the authorities pointing out that "a raise of 2,000 denars per year and a raise of 2,000 denars per day is not the same" and chanting their slogan "Workers Are the State."

Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia leader Darko Dimovski said officials "raised their own salaries by 78 percent, and they are telling us that a 2,000-denar raise is enough for the Macedonian worker to survive on."

"They go [film themselves] shopping in stores and lie to us prices are dropping, but we are there every day and this is not happening," Dimovski said.

He said they would have working meetings with government representatives to voice their demands, which include an annual leave allowance as well as 78 percent raises for all workers.

Trade Union of Workers in Administration, Judicial Bodies and Citizens' Associations leader Trpe Dejanovski asked government officials what they had actually done to deserve EUR 800 raises.

"A raise of 2,000 denars per year and a raise of 2,000 denars per day is not the same. A paycheck of 2,500 euros and minimum wage are not the same," the union leader said.

Union for Construction, Industry, and Design leader Ivan Peshevski said Members of Parliament should not forget that "our sweat is what lets them eat their bread and feed their families."

Leaving a construction helmet in front of the Parliament building, he said MPs should go and work 60 hours a week themselves because "we already fought for and won our 40."

"We didn't even get an 8 percent increase. We won't forget their 60-hour work week proposal either. If they think we are slaves and will die on construction sites, I invite them to come build with us," Peshevski said.

Trade Union Industry, Energy and Mining leader Igor Gerasov added that the proposed 12-hour work day would roll back the rights won by American workers in the 19th century.

"On this day in the 19th century," Gerasov said, "our American counterparts organized themselves precisely for this, to reduce their working hours to 40 hours a week. We won't let anyone in the 21st century, after 150 years, to take Macedonian workers back to the 19th century. We will be in front of the Government and the Parliament every day, if need be." mr/