Social Services, Transparency & Corruption, Low pay/minimum wages, Serbia, Moldova, Armenia

The minimum wage is to be increased by 11.1% taking it to around 30 000 Serbian dinars a month (EUR 255). The unions had called for an increase of 24.5% to bring it in line with trends in the cost of living while the employers were looking at only 6%-10%. A deal couldn't be reached in tripartite dialogue and so the government acted unilaterally, while also lowering certain taxes on wages and benefits that employers have to pay. The minister of finance also announced a planned 5% increase for all public companies from 1 January 2020.

EPSU has written to the Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Public Administration raising concerns about a proposed new public sector pay system. The letter was sent in support of the Trade Union of Health and Social Care that has raised concerns about the system and planned classification of jobs. These have been developed without the involvement of the trade unions and involve negative changes to the current salary structure and job classification system.