- Македонски
- English
The first session of the new composition of the Economic and Social Council (ESC) was held today.
As opening to this first session, the President of The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM), Mr. Slobodan Trendafilov together with the Minister of Economy and Labor, Mr. Besar Durmishi and the President of The Organization of Employers of Macedonia, Ms. Vladanka Trajkoska signed the Agreement on the constitution of the new composition of the Economic-Social Council (ESC).
During the today's first and constitutive session, SSM’s representatives, members of the Economic and Social Council not only highlighted their main expectations and demands from their social partners, the new Government of our country and The Organization of Employers of Macedonia, but also managed to agree with them as equal partners that the need for frequent joint meetings and with that the need for frequent sessions of the Economic and Social Council that will follow in the future, where they will able to discuss all important issues, is something of great importance for all.
The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) in front of the present ESC members, presented the following views and requests as their priority such as:
-The need for wage growth, including the growth in the minimum wage;
-The signing of the Agreements and Annexes to the Collective Agreements by the end of December in the public sector, for determining the complexity coefficients for jobs, calculated by the average salary
-Signing of the General Collective Agreement for the private sector, with a special emphasis on regulating the right to annual leave over 20 working days for workers in the private sector and regulating the criteria for the same, as well as deleting the Provision by which workers in the private sector who are not unionized receive annual leave allowance below 40%, which will, among other things, correct a great injustice.
“I believe that what we managed to discuss today at this first session of the Economic and Social Council should and will produce results very quickly, of course always keeping in mind that the budget for the coming year is also being prepared as we speak, for which we were assured that as soon as it passes the necessary filters, we all will as social partners sit jointly to have a closer look at it, to share opinions, to discuss and at the end to see the real possibilities of the state. Regardless of the above, we strongly believe that the social dialogue achieved through the sessions of the Economic and Social Council must improve and that the ESC must be a place where we will build our views together. We will state our demands and expectations from our social partners there, but we will also see their real possibilities and finally we will be able to come to some solutions that will mean not just good for the workers, but will mean help for the employers and will result with prosperity of our country.
To be honest we as representatives of the workers, expected this session of the Economic and Social Council to take place earlier, but I truly believe that the frequent future sessions that have already been announced as something planned by the Government representatives will make up for the time we lost. We also believe that this opportunity to have meetings more often will allow us as the only representative trade union in the country, to not just share our views, but to also try to bring them closer to the ones of The Organization of Employers of Macedonia as the only representative organization and representative of employers and also closer to the Government as well, as something of great importance. Our expectations are in the direction that we should really sit down and seriously consider all the information that we as trade unions managed to collect in this period, but to also listen to the information, expertise and reports that the Government and employers’ have as well as the only way this social dialogue can truly work and give results. We are all aware that workers’ from our country are moving out at a rapid pace, and we all agreed that they rarely return back. Because of all said above we must emphasize again that it is really important that we all make an effort together and by making a serious step forward to enable the qualified workforce to remain in the Republic of Macedonia, but to also fight for the return of those people who left the country, especially due to low salaries. This all can be possible only through joint efforts and strategies, but especially if we manage to fulfil the growth of the salaries and with that the improvement of the living standards will follow as well”- said the President of SSM Trendafilov in his statement to the media.
The President of the Government, Mr. Hristijan Mickoski, was also present at the session of the Economic and Social Council where he emphasized that in order to have a stable economy, the rule of law must exists and be respected in every country.
“Exactly here, among other important things, stands the dialogue between the trade unions and employers’ in terms of creating conditions so that we can as country function properly and I think that with today's constitutive session we will start such a process, a process that will lead us exactly in that direction, to become a country that will have a sustainable economy, the rule of law will be always respected and will have a quality social dialogue between these three parties present here today, the trade unions, the employers’ and the Government. The Government is and will be a partner in which trade unions and employers’ will have confidence and good cooperation in the future”- noted the President of the Government, Mr. Mickoski.
The Minister of Economy and Labor, Mr. Besar Durmishi from his part emphasized that transparent social dialogue is of crucial importance for the Government.
“The Economic and Social Council (ESC) is a tripartite body at the national level through which we will lead the social dialogue in the coming period, we will listen to the demands of both employers’ and trade unions, and we will make joint decisions and measures that will have the main goal of improving the living standards of all citizens. I want to repeat once again that in the coming period, all decisions, measures, laws will be made transparently within the framework of the Economic and Social Council and we will as Ministry of Economy and Labor do our best to listen to and consider all requests – said Minister Durmishi at the end.
