Skopje, 18 July 2023 (MIA) - Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Jovanka Trenchevska, and President of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM), Slobodan Trendafilov, signed on Tuesday a new general collective agreement for sustainable growth of wages in the public sector. 

According to the general collective agreement, as of September, 130,000 public sector employees will receive a 10 percent wage increase and annual leave allowance in the amount of Mden 10,000 by the end of the year. The general collective agreement includes a provision for the annual leave allowance as of 2024 to be at least 30 percent of the amount of the average wage. An agreement has been reached for the new methodology for calculating wages for public sector employees to begin as of March 2025.

Trenchevska expressed satisfaction that the unions, the employers and the Government, i.e. the members of the Economic and Social Council, have together brought a systemic and sustainable solution for the increase of wages for employees in the public sector.

"The Government and the competent Ministry in the field of labor, have raised the dialogue in society to a higher level because important issues should be discussed jointly and openly. The general collective agreement also regulates other issues that are aimed at the promotion and protection of labor rights, valuing the labor of the worker," said Trenchevska. 

She stressed that the Government continues jointly, through dialogue, to bring systemic solutions that are fair and give results in the long-term.

SSM President Slobodan Trendafilov said the general collective agreement ends a process that has lasted for three years, and the new one comes 15 years after the signing of the last collective agreement for the public sector, adding that this corrects an injustice against public sector employees.

"The agreement means that on September 1, employees will receive a 10 percent higher wage, and an annual leave allowance of Mden 10,000 by the end of the year, while the next one will be 30 percent of the average wage," said Trendafilov. 

He pointed out that employees in healthcare, education, the army, police and other sectors will receive annual leave allowance for the first time. The general collective agreement also provides for other benefits - it eliminates political influence when determining wages, includes rewards for 10, 20, 30, 40 years of service, additional days of paid vacation, etc. 

Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi told Tuesday's press conference at the Government that the competitive salary builds a professional public sector that will efficiently and effectively serve the citizens and will actively participate in the creation of a favorable business environment for sustainable economic growth and development.

"We managed to close the systemic loophole for politically motivated wages and instrumentalization of wages in the public sector. We have set up a systemic barrier that will protect the dignity of employees against various political calculations and abuses of their position. We provide a solid institutional foundation of predictability of employee expectations, a clear framework of what exactly they can expect in terms of pay, what maximum they can achieve if they progress in their careers," Bytyqi pointed out.

He noted that the agreement reflects the efforts of the Government, trade unions and employers through social dialogue to create conditions for the economic and social stability of North Macedonia and the realization of its fundamental value, which is to be a welfare state.

According to him, higher salaries in public administration are crucial for improving the quality of services delivered to citizens and the business sector, encouraging productivity and innovation, reducing corruption, promoting economic growth, attracting professionals and demonstrating values ​​and commitment in the protection and promotion of the public interest.

Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi said the agreement was a historic success, which establishes a healthy and solid basis for economic and social dialogue between the Government and employees in the public sector, noting that all this was achieved at a time of major crises - economic, Covid, financial, security crises.

However, some of the unions that participated in the negotiations for the general collective agreement did not sign the agreement on Tuesday. 

The Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Macedonia (KSS) said earlier on Tuesday it will not sign the general collective agreement for the public sector drafted by the Government. KSS President Blagoja Ralpovski told a press conference on Tuesday that during talks with the ministers, no agreement has been reached in terms of paragraph 2 of Article 14 of the draft general collective agreement, referring to it as a "stumbling block".

According to Ralpovski, the proposed general collective agreement is harmful for workers because it takes away many of their rights, adding that it also removes the minimum wage from the laws as of next year. 

The Independent Trade Union for Education, Science and Culture (SONK) said the signed general collective agreement did not give concrete answers to raised and open issues. The final text of the agreement is a privilege only to SSM and the government representatives, said SONK.  

Photo/video: Government