Employees in the Customs of North Macedonia, the Public Revenue Office, and the judiciary started protests on Friday demanding salary increases. Some of them are demanding wage increases of up to 30 percent, while others are demanding up to 78 percent, which is the same increase given to appointed and elected officials.
Protests at customs points began with a 30-minute work stoppage at noon, but union leaders do not exclude the possibility of extending the protest until a complete blockade of customs services is achieved.
Meanwhile, employees at the Public Revenue Office suspended work for two hours in dissatisfaction with a previous decision by the Ministry of Economy, which had increased salaries by 30 percent only for employees in the ministry, including several other directorates, including the Public Revenue Office.
If the strike escalates, then all employees receiving salaries from the state budget may be left without pay, as it is precisely the employees of this directorate who process salary payments and other services.
“Our demand for wage increases is based on the legal solution, which is currently in force. Just as they increased the salaries of ministry employees by 30 percent, the same should be done for the other directorates under the competence of this ministry,” said Vase Nedanoski, the union leader at the Public Revenue Office.
The government stated that the demands cannot be automatically fulfilled but they are in contact with union leaders to find a solution, which they see in the signing of a collective agreement for all sectors of the administration.
“Efforts are being made to sign a general collective agreement that will apply equally to all employees in the public sector. We have outlined the process there, and negotiations are ongoing, and we expect to agree on positions,” said Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi.
Protests were organized following a decision to increase salaries for officials in April by 78 percent, which is the largest increase ever recorded in North Macedonia.
The salary of the President of North Macedonia has been increased from 1,500 euros to 2,750 euros per month, which is an additional 1,250 euros. The salary of the Prime Minister has increased from 1,300 euros to 2,450 euros per month.
Deputy Prime Ministers and ministers now receive a salary ranging from 2,000 to 2,500 euros, compared to the previous around 1,200 euros per month. Meanwhile, the salary of MPs has increased by nearly 900 euros, bringing it to around 1,800 euros, excluding allowances for meals, travel, and other payments for trips abroad.
Meanwhile, the minimum wage in North Macedonia is around 320 euros, while the average wage is around 550 euros.
Data from the Ministry of Public Administration and Information Society show that around 3,500 administration employees have left their jobs in the past three years to move to the private sector or leave the country, mainly due to low income.
