- Македонски
- English
The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia recently conducted research that further confirms the position of the Federation of Trade Unions that increasing wages and increasing the minimum wage does not contribute to the closure of companies and does not destroy the economy, but rather creates conditions for the development and opening of new companies, contrary to the thesis and manipulations by bosses that wage growth causes the collapse of companies and job losses.
The bosses are lying to the Government and the public when they claim that companies will close if wages are increased, and because they did not believe the SSM when it said it clearly and loudly, the data and facts from the Central Registry clearly confirm this and show that:
• In 2022, when we increased the minimum wage (as a reminder, through protests and strikes) from 15,194 to 18,000 denars, there were 7,062 newly established companies, and 5,694 were deleted or closed.
• In 2023, with the increase in the minimum wage from 18,000 to 20,175 denars, the number of newly established companies remained 7,062, and the deleted ones decreased to 3,372.
• In 2024, with the increase in the minimum wage from 20,175 to 22,567 denars, there were 6,627 new companies, and only 2,891 closed.
These figures clearly prove that any increase in the minimum wage is a benefit, not a threat to the economy, and refute the views of bosses and certain experts who have been quite vocal in this field to prevent wage growth.
This is a reason not to stop the process of increasing wages, including increasing the minimum wage. This is another strong argument for continued growth – not only of the minimum wage, but also of all other wages!
Workers must not live on minimum incomes and have the lowest wages in the region, and the Government is obliged to support the need for wage growth, the fair distribution of profits, and to stand on the side of the dignified labour of workers.
Through the language of arguments that they need to finally hear, we send messages to both the bosses and the Government:
To the bosses – enough with lies and manipulation, it is time to stop refusing to increase the minimum wage and start paying decent wages to workers.
To the Government – not to succumb to the pressures, lies and manipulations of capital and these bosses, but to finally stand behind the workers and ensure an increase in the minimum wage and a systemic increase in wages for all.
