Skopje, 6 December 2024 (MIA) – Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) leader, Slobodan Trendafilov, is optimistic that an acceptable solution can be found to increase the minimum wage in the country to EUR 450, whereas Organization of Employers of Macedonia head, Vladanka Trajkoska, says a lump-sum increase cannot be acceptable, adding that there are parameters based on which the minimum wage is determined.

"At today's session of the Economic and Social Council (ESC), we said that salaries in Macedonia must rise. Fortunately for us, no one at the meeting said that this should not happen. I believe that the arguments that we presented - the low standard of living, difficult life, the increase in wages in the region, where the Macedonian workers mostly leave for, give us a position in which we believe that we can reach some kind of solution in the coming days," Trendafilov said after the ESC's second session at the Government. 

He pointed out he was encouraged by the fact that the ESC will hold another session. 

"We were promised that we would meet again and discuss salaries as well. It is encouraging that more funds have been provided in the salary section in the Budget. We expect the Government to allocate them as provided with the general collective agreement, so that all employees in the state receive pay rise next year in March by percentage and complexity coefficient by average wage," said Trendafilov. 

He added that the ESC session also discussed the question of workers who receive minimum wage, noting that it is a very important questions as close to 30,000 workers receive minimum wage.  

"We believe that with an increase in public sector wages, there will not be a single worker on minimum wage, i.e. a wage below EUR 450. Also, there will be no financial burden if the minimum wage increases to at least EUR 450 in the coming months. We suggested to the Organization of Employers, i.e. to private sector employers, to legalize what they are currently doing illegally whereby workers receive pay in an envelope. What has been confirmed as information is that 540,000 workers in Macedonia receive salary, while the statistics says 691,000 workers receive salary," said Trendafilov. 

He noted that in 2022 employers were also reluctant in terms of minimum wage increase. 

"We can no longer bear living with such miserable wages given by employers in the private sector. They can make statements whether salaries should be increased or not, but they should be careful the next time they say that there is no workforce in Macedonia. It's precisely them who are the biggest culprits for the emigration of qualified workers from Macedonia," Trendafilov said.  

Head of the Organization of Employers, Vladanka Trajkoska, said the agenda of Friday's session included the 2025 Budget, as well as a miscellaneous item. 

"The second session of the ESC included discussion in terms of the 2025 Budget, and we had several discussions on various topics. In terms of ​​the minimum wage, we had several different discussions. The biggest discussion was in terms of wage increase in public administration," said Trajkoska. 

In response to a reporter's question on whether a minimum wage of EUR 450 is acceptable for employers, she said a lump-sum increase cannot be acceptable.

"There is a law, there are parameters based on which the minimum wage is determined," Trajkoska said. 

Photo: MIA archive