The Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) is waiting to be called to the first hearing after it filed a complaint with the Basic Civil Court on September 1 with a request to initiate proceedings against the Government due to non-compliance with the Law on Minimum Wage, which provides for the harmonization of salaries of all other employees in the public sector where the state is the employer.

The President of SSM Darko Dimovski said at a press conference today that they will present their evidence in court that the workers are harmed by not increasing their wages by 18,4 percent in accordance with the Minimum Wage Law.

At the end of the legal period of six months for harmonizing all salaries with the increase in the minimum, which was increased to 18.000 denars in March, Dimovski, answering journalist's questions, said that they achieved an increase in salaries by signing collective agreements in public utility companies in some municipalities , but they failed, he said, in the institutions that are under the umbrella of the state and the government.

He said that they have not been informed about the new methodology that has been mentioned in the past months, and he also believes that the methodology already exists in the Law on the Minimum Wage. SSM has not had meetings with representatives of the Government since May 1, when they spoke with Vice Prime Minister Fatmir Bitiqi and Minister Jovanka Trenchevska about a linear solidarity salary increase of 2.806 denars.

- At that time, no methodology was mentioned so that since August, when the social dialogue also disappeared and since there are no more meetings, there is an excuse that a methodology should be made. The methodology is clearly written in the Minimum Wage Law and I will repeat once again that with the increase in the minimum wage, the rest of the wages should be adjusted as it has grown. We have a legal solution, we have a methodology, let them implement it, and if they think that it is not applicable, we are open to discuss a new methodology. So far, no one has called us to make a new methodology, nor have we been consulted if a methodology is made, which is famous for us and has been talked about since the summer, said the president of SSM.

He added that SSM is still on strike in the public sector and is on strike wherever there is no increase based on the Collective Agreement and the Law. The only solution for the worker, said Dimovski, is to become aware and ask for what is due to him by law and collective agreement.

- The government is not there to raise salaries, the courts have their procedures, and there is a shortage of judges, so this battle will not end for sure in less than a year. I appeal to those where the workers are unionized to stand with us because the legal obligation to harmonize all salaries, both in the public and private sectors, must be fulfilled, said Dimovski.

Bitici said: Aligning salaries with a linear increase is not a solution

-Adherence to a certain linear increase is not a solution. We want to define a methodology for increasing wages in the public sector that will be based on productivity and efficiency, as we require in the private sector, and of course with a new law on wages in the public sector, said the Vice Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Fatmir Bitici.

To a journalist's question whether, according to the Law on Minimum Wage, salaries will be adjusted to the increase of the minimum within the legal period of six months that is expiring, Bitici answered that the adjustment process was interrupted by the decision of the SSM to strike.

- We have started the process of harmonizing and the process of discussing the new General Collective Agreement with the Union of Trade Unions. Unfortunately, it was interrupted because SSM went on strike. These days we will call them to return so that by the end of the year we can sign a General Collective Agreement because we believe in a sustainable and not an ad hoc solution, said Bitici.

The Vice Prime Minister pointed out that both the law on wages and the methodology for increasing wages is already in the procedure by the ministries, and in addition, preparations for the budget are already starting, he said, "let's see the real possibilities to what level we can go with the new methodology for wages" .

- We need to sit down with the Union of Trade Unions to talk about a sustainable solution and a sustainable mechanism, Bitici added in a statement to the media after the conference at which the OECD report "Human capital, migration and how to shape the future together" was promoted.