Skopje, 9 April 2025 (MIA) - By mid-May, the government is ready to sign collective agreements that will enable a gradual payment of a 30% supplemental pay for employees in the state administration, excluding the judiciary. According to Trpe Deanoski, leader of the Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations (UPOZ) this was announced by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski during a meeting with union representatives at the Government on Wednesday.

The UPOZ held several protests in January, demanding a 30% increase in supplemental pay for employees in state administration bodies. After the protests were suspended, as reported by Deanoski, five meetings were held and an agreement was reached.

"We reached an agreement to receive the 30% supplemental pay in several installments over the next four years. And I want to clarify, this is a supplemental pay, not a salary increase. Additionally, all employees in the institutions that protested will get a salary adjustment every March, based on either the average salary or the minimum wage growth. Today, the Prime Minister informed us that the government is ready to sign the collective agreements by early or mid-May, which means that every ministry and state administration body that has not yet signed a collective agreement will do so, and in this way, the requested supplemental pay from the protests in January will be granted. Unfortunately, some other unions will sign as well, ones whose names no one even knows, but we are here for the workers. I am glad that the Prime Minister has heard us and that we have already agreed on a specific timeline for the process. Finally, state administration workers, or civil servants, will begin to earn above the minimum wage,” said Deanoski after the meeting.

Employees from the ministries of environment and physical planning; digital transformation; agriculture, forestry and water economy; justice; culture and tourism; economy and labour; and transport, State Statistical Office and State Archives participated in the protest held in January.

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