Skopje, 10 October 2024 (MIA) - President of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM), Slobodan Trendafilov, told reporters that Thursday's constitutive session of the Economic and Social Council has heard the unions' main expectations and demands from the new Government. He pointed out that participants in the session have agreed on frequent meetings within the Economic and Social Council, where all important issues will be discussed.  

According to Trendafilov, the unions told representatives of the Government that workers expect expedite wage increase. In addition, unions told representatives of employers from the private sector that it is necessary to sign the General Collective Agreement for the private sector as soon as possible because dialogue has already started.

"I believe that what we discussed today at the session of the Economic and Social Council should produce results very soon, given that the budget for the coming year is also being prepared, regarding which we were assured that as soon as it passes the filters, we will sit down to look into it together and discuss the possibilities of the state. Regardless of that, the social dialogue, the sessions of the Economic and Social Council, should be the place where we will build our views together. We will state our demands and expectations, we will see what their possibilities are to eventually arrive at some solutions that will benefit the workers, support the employers and finally the country's prosperity. We, as representatives of the workers, expected this session of the Economic and Social Council to take place earlier, but I believe that the frequent sessions that have already been announced by the Government representatives will make up for the time lost," said Trendafilov.  

He believes that the arguments for wage increase are in their favour, given that the minimal consumer basket has already reached EUR 1,000, and also wages in neighbouring countries are growing at an accelerated pace. 

In response to a reporter's question whether that means that there are positive signals for some increase in the minimum wage before the legal alignment in March, Trendafilov said he expects all information to be seriously considered and measures to be taken to keep the qualified workforce in the country.

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