North Macedonia

The SSESM energy union has signed a new collective agreement with the energy employer's association. The sector agreement will apply international labour standards, harmonise employment conditions across the sector and establish a framework of rights for the employees. This is with a view to maintain fair competition between employers at a time when there is an urgent need to provide job security, promote social rights and a healthy working environment. The employers expressed their commitment to social dialogue. [Read more at > Denar news website (MK)->http://denar.mk/64637/ekonomija/potpisan

The Independent Union of Energy Workers has signed the first ever collective agreement covering companies in the private sector. The union and employers agreed that the purpose of the agreement was to apply international labour standards, to equalize working conditions at sector level and to establish a framework of rights that the employees should be entitled to, which will maintain fair competition between employers.

Governments, employers and trade unions have agreed on the introduction of a national minimum wage. The minimum rate will initially be set at €130 a month and will come into force next year. An estimated 65,000 workers will benefit from an increase in pay as a result. Eurostat provides a briefing on the extent and level of minimum wages across Europe. [Read more at > SETimes news website (EN)->http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/roundup/2011/10/05/roundup-bs-03] [And at > Eurostat (EN)-> http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Minimum_wage

The SSM trade union federation has successfully negotiated a reversal of government plans to suspend the payment of allowances to public service workers during April and May. The plan was part of COVID-19 emergency measures and would have applied to a wide range of payments related to length of service, night work, annual and other leave, retirement and severance. The federation welcomed the change, underlining how social dialogue can work even in emergency situations.

The SSM trade union federation has secured key changes to pension provision in draft legislation. The changes affect the number of years of contributions to get a pension, different retirement rules depending on the nature of work in different sectors, the possibility of early retirement from 60, the possibility for workers to make additional payments to improve their entitlement and extra years credited for workers in arduous occupations like construction.

In contrast to the continuing challenge to get the central government to award a general pay rise to public service workers and sign a collective agreement, the SSM confederation reports that unions are having considerable success at local level. The UPOZ and SUTKOZ trade unions are negotiating collective agreements with municipalities and local utilities companies, securing the targeted pay increase of 2806 denari (€45) and even setting up new trade union organisations. Recent deals have been negotiated in Stip, Prilep and Struga.