Skopje, 21 August 2024 (MIA) - The President of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM), Slobodan Trendafilov, told media Wednesday that he is optimistic over the issue of raising the minimum wage and expects to meet with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski to discuss the issue.

“The Government promised to sit down and talk with SSM about raising the minimum wage to at least EUR 450 in the first 100 days of its term. I am optimistic that the meeting will be held because I know how powerful the workers are. We, the workers, must be heard and we must share our needs. I expect the meeting to be held, as they promised, within the first 100 days, and we have also requested an additional meeting on September 2 alongside the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Esther Lynch, who will pay a visit to Macedonia on September 1-3 and will be SSM’s guest,” Trendafilov said in answer to a journalist’s question at a press conference Wednesday.

Trendafilov reminded that SSM has submitted a request for the reduction of the wages of officials by 78 percent, which, he said, has been ignored.

“What worries me is that we are hearing politicians say they would quit their jobs if their wages were reduced. What should worry them is that if the wages of workers aren’t raised, the workers will leave Macedonia since they will have an opportunity for work in Montenegro for EUR 600-800, in Bulgaria for EUR 500, in Serbia for EUR 500, in Bosnia and Herzegovina for EUR 500, and let’s not even talk about Croatia and Slovenia. We need to sit down and discuss how to overcome all problems and challenges. They must hear us out. That’s why we are here and why we’ve existed for 78 years,” Trendafilov said.

According to SSM’s data which Trendafilov said it has acquired from the Public Revenue Office, around 34.000 workers in the country are working for a minimum wage or close to the minimum.

“Around nine thousand workers are being paid less than Mden 23.567 (EUR 382) which in addition to being inhumane is also a crime committed by the employers. That’s why I believe that these 35.000 workers deserve to have their wages raised, as do all other workers. The fight for the minimum wage is for not a single worker to be earning a minimum wage,” Trendafilov stressed. 

Photo: MIA