Agreement on MINIMUM WAGE is not yet achieved, only 7 days remain
Employers, trade unions and the Serbian government of Serbia once again could not agree on the percentage of increase of the minimum wage for 2021, as they all remained firm to their original positions, said the economic advisor of the United Branch Trade Unions „Nezavisnost“, Zoran Ristic.
After the meeting during which the three members of the Socio-Economic Council (SEC) tried to find a compromising solution, he stated with the Beta agency that representatives of the Government from the Ministry of Finance remained with their earlier proposal to increase the minimum wage from four to six percent.
„Employers have agreed to increase the minimum wage by ten percent, provided that the non-taxable part of the salary is increased from RSD 16,000 to RSD 19,000,“ said Ristic.
He added that trade unions also maintained the position that the minimum monthly wage must be sufficient for a minimum basket of groceries that costs RSD 37,500, which is an increase of around 25 percent, as the minimum wage is now around RSD 30,000.
„The unions believe that such a firm position of representatives of the Serbian government, despite the agreement from two years ago that next year’s minimum wage, which is now being determined, will be equal to the value of the minimum consumer basket, will increase the outflow of quality labour force,“ Ristic said.
He pointed out that the unions, i.e. the United Branch Trade Unions „Nezavisnost“ and the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Serbia believe that „Serbian government has remained committed to a path where Serbia remains a country of cheap labour force.“
Ristic said that the session of the SEC council was scheduled for September 14th, and a compromising solution for the increase of minimum wage would most likely not be adopted at it, since positions firmly oppose one another.
According to the Labour Law, if employers, trade unions and the Serbian government do not reach an agreement for the next year by September 15th, the decision on the minimum wage is being made by the Government.
Izvor: Beta
Foto: BIZlife
