Skopje, 20 March 2023 (MIA) – Monday's seventh session of the Economic and Social Council called for a working group to be set up to work on improving the draft text of the general collective agreement, which will then be reviewed at another session of the Council. 

According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the working group will include representatives from the office of Deputy PM Bytyqi, the Labor Ministry, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Information Society and Administration, the Organization of Employers, the Business Confederation and trade unions. 

Participants in Monday's session of the Economic and Social Council opened a discussion on the neccessity to conclude a new general collective agreement and on a draft law on the wages system in the public sector. 

"Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Jovanka Trenchevska, as chair of the Economic and Social Council, opened the discussion and stressed the need for a new general collective agreement, taking into account that the last general collective agreement was signed in 2008, and in the meantime a large number of changes have been made in the legislation. Deputy PM for Economic Affairs, Fatmir Bytyqi, noted that the general collective agreement will provide a solution to the situation of public sector workers, the conditions, rights and obligations of both parties as a product of the social dialogue," reads the press release. 

Trade unions, on the other hand, believe the draft law on wages in the public sector is unacceptable. They demand a new law be drawn up, and the trade unions be included in the working groups that will prepare it.

President of the Independent Police Union, Goce Delchev Todev, said it was clear that there will be a big problem, especially in the part of the new law on wages.

Earlier, ahead of the session on Monday, Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) representative Trpe deanovski said the draft-law for public sector wages is unacceptable for all public sector unions, adding that they stand together on this issue and that they request the drafting of a new law and the inclusion of unions in the working groups drafting the law.

"All public sector unions have signed a Declaration that we will not accept this draft-law and we will request a new one to be drafted with the inclusion of the unions, and that we do not agree with the methodology for determining wages,” said Deanovski.

The wage adjustment, he said, is not sufficient enough to be considered a wage-raise.

Marjan Risteski from the Confederation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (KSOM) stressed they will request the withdrawal of the draft-law on public sector wages and announce their remarks on the collective agreement.

The President of the Assembly of the Organization of Employers, Angel Dimitrov, said that the unions and the government will have the main say today, since the issue is about wages in the public sector.

Photo: Government