It's time for a pay raise – now!

Prices are rising, wages are stagnant. Is it time for a real wage increase?

Annual inflation is 4.5 percent, and food and basic products continue to hit citizens' pockets.

Compared to the month of October last year, the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages have increased by 7 percent. The biggest difference is in the prices of fruit with a jump of 21%, meat and oil are more expensive by almost 10%, bread and cereals by 5.5%, and coffee, tea and cocoa – by as much as 26%.

The trade union minimum basket for the month of October, 2025 is 65,544 denars, which clearly shows an increase of 7% compared to last year's same month of October when it was 61,249.00 denars, therefore we can see an increase of 4,295.00 denars, but without a real and significant increase in wages, the numbers and the comparison is just another proof that citizens are sinking into poverty.

The representatives from SSM reacts sharply:

– It is finally the time that the authorities realize that it has become very difficult to live with such high prices! The workers’ are exhausted, the salaries are not even enough for basic needs. Instead of being an example in the region, we remain at the bottom!

- I think that we could have been leaders in the region when it comes to rise of the salaries, we will unfortunately probably be at the bottom, because every country from our region except ours has announced a drastic increase in both the minimum and all other salaries, said the president of SSM, Slobodan Trendafilov.

The Vice President of SSM, Ivan Pesevski, adds:

– The government must fast face reality and force the business community to increase the wages. All this both in the public and private sectors! Our demand for an amount of 500 euro minimum wage is already outdated – that’s why we will come up with a new, higher demand that will correspond to the real costs of living.

The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) clearly says that:

“Workers no longer can bear the burden of the crisis. It is time for a wage increase – now!”