As expected, employers and the League of Trade Unions of Macedonia failed to reach an agreement on the minimum wage increase before the legal harmonization in March. Also, as expected, the Government reiterated its position that it is in favor of a higher minimum wage, but only if unions and employers agree. The LSM did not like the lack of a solution and warned that if there is no agreement by the New Year, there will be protests.
"Today we presented ourselves with arguments, we refuted all the theses so far of the employers, as well as of the government representatives. However, these arguments were not enough for them, nor was the survey conducted by LSM with 1.600 respondents a representative sample. The fact that more companies are opening than closing with the increase in the minimum wage is not enough. The fact that the number of employees is increasing, while the number of unemployed is decreasing, is also not enough," said Slobodan Trendafilov - president of the League of Trade Unions of Macedonia.
Minister of Economy Besar Durmishi says that all the arguments for and against a higher minimum wage have been presented in the Economic and Social Council. LSM says that it is the lowest in the region, while Durmishi says that we are better than Bulgaria and Turkey. However, employers have presented data that the profitability of local companies ranges from 2 to 5 percent and that the minimum wage cannot be increased. According to some calculations, if companies give up profit, or rather work without profit, the wage would be something over a thousand euros.
"According to our indicators, in these economic conditions there is no justification for an interventionist increase in the minimum wage before the regular harmonization in March, which is clearly defined by Law and which will be between 1.500 and 2.000 denars. We will know more precisely after the New Year, when we will have all the data and calculations will show exactly how much the minimum wage will be, respectively from March when it will be harmonized", emphasized the Minister of Economy and Labor, Besar Durmishi.
But other ideas have also been presented, including increasing the minimum wage, but having the government pay contributions for the increase for a certain period.
"One of the proposals of the Macedonian Business Confederation within the framework of the Law on Labor Relations is to expand collective bargaining, which would include the minimum wage, especially in certain sectors. Our proposal is that by negotiating the minimum wage in certain sectors, abuses can also be reduced, so the ball is between the unions and employers," said Mile Boshkov - Macedonian Business Confederation.
LSM accused other unions of protecting the Government and employers and therefore called on all workers to support this union's next steps. /TV21/
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