- Македонски
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At the call of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia, on May 1st, the protest under the motto WE PROTEST FOR WAGES was joined by between 6,000 and 7,000 workers, trade unionists, unions, activists and fighters for workers' rights, citizens, pensioners, students, all who think well of the worker.
The protest began in front of the Workers' House in Skopje, continued in front of the Parliament, the Chamber of Commerce and ended in front of the Government of Macedonia.
The President of the SSM, Slobodan Trendafilov, was the first to address the participants of the protest.
"Today, workers have many reasons to protest, but few to celebrate," said President Slobodan Trendafilov in front of the Workers' House of the CSM, and thus opened the May Day protest organised by the Confederation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (CSM). A minimum wage of 500 euros, higher wages by 100 euros for all workers, but also respect for collective agreements and workers' rights, were demanded by the gathered trade unionists, workers, citizens, and workers' rights activists who attended the protest led by the leadership of the SSM.
"Today, in front of the Workers' House, I emphasize that we are protesting for wages, today we are going to the Parliament, the Chamber of Commerce and the Government to say that we are demanding a minimum wage of 500 euros, that we are demanding a 100 euro increase in all other wages, that we are demanding respect for collective agreements and that we are demanding a decent wage for every job," Trendafilov noted, thanking the large number of workers, trade unionists, activists, citizens, as well as all those who think well of the worker, asking the crowd to head to the Parliament.
From there, with banners in their hands, the union protest continued in front of the Parliament, where the President of the SSM Slobodan Trendafilov repeated the request for amendments to the Law on Minimum Wage and asked the workers present to turn their backs on the Parliament so that the MPs could feel what it feels like when a worker turns his back on you, in the same way that they have been turning their backs on the workers all these months, ignoring their demands.
"Today, on this side of the barricades are we who demand a decent wage for a decent job, on the other side of the barricades are those who enjoy privileges". Your luxury is our labour. I ask you, even if symbolically, to turn your back on them all the way I turn my back on them, so that they can feel what it is like when a worker turns his back on you. We promised them that we would come in larger numbers, and we will come much more than today, if they do not bring amendments to the Law on Minimum Wage and do not increase all other salaries, otherwise we propose that both workers and MPS be paid a minimum wage,” Trendafilov said.
As he said, it is regrettable that on May 1, when the workers' struggle for an eight-hour working day is commemorated, some MPs participated in passing a law that made it possible in Macedonia today to have the opportunity for a 12-hour working day, something that has not been seen in the world since 1886.
“It is regrettable that MPs enjoy the privileges, 79 percent increased salaries, percentages for transportation higher than the minimum wage, a parliamentary buffet cheaper than a workers' canteen, and refuse to bring amendments and supplements to the Law on Minimum Wage that would enable its increase to 500 euros, as well as an increase of 100 euros in the salaries of all other workers, as well as the necessary changes to "It is possible for workers, just like MPs, to have the right to transportation costs and food costs. We demand that MPS commit to our demands as soon as possible and thus show that they are for the workers and that they are with the workers," Trendafilov said.
The protest continued towards the Chamber of Commerce where those present sent the following message to the employers:
“These people behind are not employers, these are spineless bosses, who have been sucking our blood with cotton swabs for 30 years and to whom a minimum wage of 500 euros is a lot for us workers, and now in Greece they will spend 5000 euros on an extended weekend and that is not enough for them. This is not only for “UA”, but we should be here on the street every day until our salaries are raised. This “UA” is for all the families who have moved away from us to seek bread abroad and we emphasize that Macedonia was and will be fruitful only with you and only with the worker can capital be created, so the workers have a share and right from that capital” – emphasized Ivan Peshevski – President of the Trade Union for Construction, Industry and Design of Macedonia (SGIP).
“They hold press conferences with ministers, with government officials, they sign some non-existent declarations, but believe me, in the coming period we will be even louder, we will demand our rights, we will call on the employers not to hide here, and for them to come out because we, the workers, work and earn their bread, and for us there are only crumbs left,” said Igor Djerasov, President of the Trade Union for Industry, Energy and Mining (SIER).
Having stayed for almost an hour, the trade union leaders, together with the present workers, citizens and activists for workers’ rights, sent the most important messages precisely to the policy makers, that is, to the Government.
The president of the UPOZ union, Trpe Deanoski, stressed that the workers are here not only to celebrate the holiday, but also to send a message to government officials and all employers who have forgotten that without workers there is no economy, without workers there is no development, without workers there is no future.
"They promised that there would be higher salaries, there would be social rights, there would be safe jobs, and what did we get? Unpaid salaries, reduced salary supplements in the prosecution and judiciary, 200 people in the judiciary are without an employment contract, we got increased prices, evicted young people, and even an attempted murder in the workplace, something that has never happened in Macedonia before," said Deanoski, adding that this government promised to be on the side of the worker, and today it is not only silent, but also attacks workers who are demanding higher salaries.
"But let them be clear, we are not afraid of their attacks, we are not afraid of their lies and press conferences full of manipulations. Nothing they do will stop us, and we will continue because we demand decent wages for a decent life," said Deanoski.
Kristina Ampeva from "Glasen Tekstilec" said that although several unions participating in the protest have different views, they are still united today with the same goal, which is the fight for higher wages:
"Today there are no divisions between us, and that is the fight for higher wages," she said, adding that today they want to tell officials from all political parties who are receiving a 79 percent increase in wages, travel expenses, various allowances, etc., that the wages for workers cannot be enough with a 1,800 denar increase, and that they are obliged to respect the Collective Agreements. We have become a country with the highest inflation, we have become a country with the lowest economic growth rate, and we have become a country with the lowest wages,” added Ampeva.
She also indicated that she is ashamed of the fact that some unions celebrated May 1st yesterday in a luxury hotel.
“I would also like to congratulate those unions that celebrated May 1st yesterday on April 30th in luxury hotels on May 1st, if I may...they obviously thought that if they came today and were together with their colleagues, with their brothers and sisters, with the workers from whom they receive membership fees, they would make a mistake in appeasing the government,” emphasized Kristina Ampeva from “Glasen Tekstilec”.
In continuation, Tomislav Gievski, president of the Independent Trade Union of Education (NSON), asked politicians to respect collective agreements and what they promised:
"An unfulfilled promise is a lie, and a lie must be punished. Lying to workers is the greatest sin that can be attributed to a political elite. We demand travel expenses just like theirs, food expenses just like theirs, the same benefits, because we deserve it. What makes you more important than us and why don't we deserve it? There will be no peace until the demands of the workers are met," said Gievski.
Representatives of the branch unions of the SSM said that they demand that the authorities keep their word and fulfill what they promised one, two or three years ago, because an unfulfilled promise is a lie, and a lie must be punished.
“Lying to workers is a sin. There will be no peace until the demands of the workers are met,” the union members said.
Finally, the President of the SSM, Slobodan Trendafilov, addressed the audience, emphasizing:
“Last May 1st, we demanded the same thing, and this May 1st, we demand the same thing. We will demand the same thing next time,” the first union member, Slobodan Trendafilov, emphasized to the Government, adding that unlike last year when another government was leaving and a new one was coming, the current one, when it came to power, only cares about business, only about the bosses and only about the oligarchs, to the detriment of the workers.
“For the first time since 2011, contrary to the law, the Government has set a minimum wage unilaterally and to the detriment of the workers. Today we are here because we demand that the Government be on the side of the workers, on the side of the citizens, on the side of its voters, and not on the side of the bosses, the oligarchs and the employers,” Trendafilov said.
“Today we are here to demand that the Government propose amendments to the Law on Minimum Wage that would increase the minimum wage to at least 30 thousand denars or 500 euros, as dignified as the governments have done everywhere in the region, in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia,” Trendafilov said, adding: “Otherwise, we will consider that the Government wants to have the poorest workers to offer to foreign investors, as cheap labor, as slaves,” he emphasized.
“We are gathered here to fight for a minimum wage of 500 euros, multiplied by a coefficient for complexity because a 500 euro salary is not enough,” emphasised Slobodan Trendafilov, president of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (CSM). "It is more than clear that two minimum wages do not cover the basic living expenses of a four-member family household. We are not asking for anything more than a decent wage for a decent job, a wage with which we can feed our families. We will come much further if they do not increase wages, because with a salary of 160 thousand denars, it is easy to say that with a salary of 24 thousand, one can live decently. Government representatives have been fighting against the unions and against all of us for four months just to not an increase in wages. So that they can enjoy and we can survive. They are attacking us to dissuade employers from negotiating with us and thus enable higher wages for all Macedonian workers," said the head of the SSM, asking those present, just as before the Parliament, to turn their backs on the Government, sending a message to the government to fulfill the promises it made for a dignified standard of living for workers and citizens.
Trendafilov also warned the Government that if the union's demands for a wage increase are not met, protests will become more frequent, and a general strike is not ruled out.
"We will meet more often, we will be more numerous and we will take other measures. SSM has been on strike for 365 days to get a wage increase and the right to annual leave for 120 thousand workers. We may strike throughout the country, even for one day," Trendafilov said, calling on those present to send "UA for the Government" and "UA for the Bosses" emphasizing that they are not deviating from the demands for a minimum wage of 500 euros.
President Trendafilov said that today the representatives of the SSM and the workers are present with their families, and some, as he called them, "quasi-unionists" are at home, and thus publicly and loudly criticizes the absence of the KSS, after they said in their statements that they would not organize a protest, because according to them there was no problem with the social dialogue and wages in the country.
"This government does not have a problem with such unionists, but we workers do, in the past period, the government representatives put pressure on the workers to join such quasi-unions because they do not demand a wage increase and are not ready to protest" - he emphasised.
Finally, the President of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (CSM) Slobodan Trendafilov thanked all the workers and all those who think well of the worker for their support and presence, assuring all those present that the union will continue the fight as well as that it will continue to be the defender of workers' rights. He also thanked the journalists and cameramen who covered the CSM protest and who tirelessly and objectively follow and report on the activities undertaken by the Confederation of Trade Unions of Macedonia. He also warned employers that media workers, like all other workers who work on a holiday today, should receive 250% of the holiday wage.
