You can not live with a minimum wage, you can try to survive...
Interview of the President Dimovski for MIA
The Macedonian worker earns one minimum wage only for bread and water, said Darko Dimovski, President of SSM in an interview with Biljana Anastasova - Kostic from MIA.
Two minimum wages are not enough to cover the basic monthly expenses of a family of four. The latest calculations of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia show that in November the amount of the TU minimum basket was 33.742 MKD, which is 3.874 MKD more than two minimum wages.
Most of the money is spent on food and beverages. Thus, a family of four members, who lives in a house of 50 square meters and does not own a car, needs 14.149 MKD for basic needs for food and beverages, and 8.547 MKD for other utility costs. For personal hygiene and home hygiene, the minimum costs are 2.375 MKD.
Calculations show that the TU minimum basket is growing from month to month, which means that the cost of living for workers is increasing. Thus, compared to October, the TU minimum basket increased by 38 MKD, and compared to September by 121 MKD. From the beginning of the year to November, the basic monthly expenses have increased by almost 1.000 MKD, i.e. if in January a family of four needed 32.791 MKD, already in November they needed 951 MKD more to meet the basic needs.
On the other hand, the value of the TU minimum basket in November this year compared to the first calculated and published value of the minimum basket in December 2010, is higher by 4.543 MKD.
The value of the trade union minimum basket calculated by SSM shows that the minimum wage is not enough even for food and beverages, knowing that most employers who pay the minimum wage do not pay salary allowances, but the same are being calculated in the amount of the minimum wage of workers, which is illegal. However, food and drinks are not the only cost for the normal functioning of a family, and calculations show that not even two minimum wages are enough to cover the trade union minimum basket of 33.742 MKD in November 2020.
A new harmonization of the minimum wage is expected in March based on the opinion of the Economic and Social Council, which includes the representatives of the Government, trade unions and employers.
Since 2012, when the minimum wage was paid for the first time in the amount of 8.050 MKD, it has been increased by 6.884 MKD.
