Skopje, 17 February 2026 (MIA) - The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) said it will block access to Government on Tuesday, voicing workers' demands for EUR 600 minimum wage and a linear increase of EUR 100 for all other wages. The Government is the third institution that the unions block after last week's blockades of the Parliament and the Economic Chamber. 

According to the SSM, the blockade stems from the failure of the Government and employers to reach an agreement on an increase of workers' wages, as well as because last year the Government has refused to accept a proposal to subsidize part of the contributions.

In line with legal regulations, 21 representatives of the union will block access to the Government which is set to hold its Tuesday's session. 

SSM expects demands to be validated, poiting out that the Government has the opportunity at today's session to make a decision to increase workers' wages.  

"The latest blockade in front of the Government is precisely because it blocks workers' wages for a long time during which the value of the minimal consumer basket has increased by Mden 9,250, i.e. a family of four has Mden 9,250 less in disposable income. The latest argument of the Government representatives, which they constantly mention together with the bosses, has also failed, i.e. that Macedonian workers have not been productive. Macedonian workers are too productive for the wages they receive, i.e. only 17 percent of what they create as capital for employers flows into the wages of workers, or for example, Mden 24,379 is the minimum monthly wage for a worker, and Mden 290,000 is the productivity that the worker creates for the employer," SSM leader Slobodan Trendafilov said on Monday. 

SSM does not rule out the possibility of organizing a general strike. The unions' demands for an increase of the minimum and all other wages are based on the increase in the cost of living and the growth of the consumer basket.

Photo: MIA archive