Skopje, 15 January 2025 (MIA) - Any attempt by the Government or the political parties to prove that there is politics in the protest or the work of the union will be in vain, said the leaders of the Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations (UPOZ),Trpe Deanoski, at a protest Wednesday in front of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

“I would ask the current opposition not to stick itself to the protests of the workers, since they had seven years to solve this issue but instead of a solution, they did everything they could to forbid efforts for collective agreement, in fact, they were also the first government to scrap a collective agreement. And I also must correct yesterday’s statement by the Government, since they evidently mixed up UPOZ with some other union. As a reminder, UPOZ organized three strikes and at least 20 protests just in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Over 5.000 workers from the administration and judiciary showed up at the protest in December 2023 to demand a dignified living wage,” Deanoski said.

The union leader said the workers’ demands have remained unchanged for years and urged the Government and the relevant ministries to begin negotiations as soon as possible to ensure a joint solution is found.

At the protests, which are expected to take place every day from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with a protest set to be held in front of the Ministry of Finance on Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m, state administration workers are demanding the signing of collective agreements and a pay rise of 30 percent.

At a press conference on Tuesday, government spokesperson Marija Miteva said the strike staged by UPOZ does not meet legal requirements and voiced suspicions that it is politically motivated. She said the Government remains open for dialogue. 

Photo/Video: MIA