- Македонски
- English
The problem of labor shortage poses a serious threat to the Macedonian economy. Some companies have been looking for workers for months and cannot find them.
The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia says that the problem lies in the attitude of the bosses towards the workers and the low wages. – The time has come when if you want to keep an employee, you will have to offer them real conditions, a high salary, and not just empty promises. Retaining an employee is not a luxury, but a necessity. The time has come when employers thought that their workers were free and easily replaceable – Slobodan Trendafilov, president of the CSM, told the newspaper VEČER
The labor shortage has long been one of the main problems in the Macedonian economy. This problem is especially pronounced in the summer months, when a large part of Macedonian workers go to seasonal work abroad. Because of this, a large part of companies in the country have been looking for workers for months and cannot find them. The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia says that in order to solve this problem, it is necessary to increase salaries and improve working conditions. Hence, they ask the question: where are those bosses who used to say: “If you don’t feel like working, there’s someone to replace you” now?
The President of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia, Slobodan Trendafilov, tells the newspaper VEČER that in order to be productive, the worker must be motivated, and for that he needs a good salary, better working conditions and the opportunity for advancement.
– We often hear employers whining, how it was difficult for them, how they didn’t have qualified staff, and they don’t have staff because they refused to pay the worker well, who now, instead of in Macedonia, works for a higher salary in a neighbouring country or further away. And what happened to those same bosses who, until yesterday, waved at us and told us: “If you feel like working, work, if not, there’s someone else who will replace you”? Where are they now? They are not there, because in many sectors, and we see this every day, we have a serious shortage of qualified labour, young people are leaving, and older people are retiring. Bosses are looking for productivity, and productivity is not there, not only because of the lack of workers but also because of the lack of investments and new technologies, says Trendafilov.
Some companies have been looking for workers for months and cannot find them, because only in Macedonia there are people who want to be bosses, but do not want to pay their workers.
– No one is willing to work for the minimum wage, which is the lowest in the region and which bosses refuse to increase. Workers are looking for dignity, they are looking for respect, they are looking for balance. And when they do not get it, they simply leave; they do not even come to work for such bosses. The time has come when if you want to keep a worker, you will have to offer him real conditions, a high salary, and not just empty promises. Retaining a worker is not a luxury, but a necessity. The time has come when employers thought that their workers were free and easily replaceable – adds the president of the SSM.
Despite the shortage of workers, the shadow economy is flourishing, fiscal receipts are still not issued, workers are given salaries in envelopes, they are kept undeclared without health and pension insurance…
– Laws must be respected, period. We are here to protect workers’ rights and remind employers that laws are not just “dead words” on paper. Unfortunately, employers are trying to pay workers in various ways, while cheating the state. According to some studies, more than 250 million euros annually are not paid into the state treasury due to unpaid contributions or salaries in envelopes – adds Trendafilov.
The SSM says they will continue with their demands for an increase in the minimum and all other wages, which they believe will contribute to the preservation of qualified workers, the payment of taxes and the eradication of the shadow economy through the payment of mandatory social insurance contributions.
