- Македонски
- English
Dear sisters and brothers,
January 28 is the day when all workers’ will speak on the streets!
This protest is not about "you will come if you have time", it is not about "wait now, where did they find this time at 5 pm and where did they find this place to protest, it will be dark and cold, it also may rain", or for "let’s see maybe someone else will protest and they will finish the job, so I don’t need to come out to protest".
This protest is about your salary, because it is not enough from month to month, and who needs to come out and protest for your salary if not you first, and then all of us who will join you to protest together.
This protest is because you are underestimated and humiliated by both the bosses and the Government authorities, because for the bosses it is important that you, workers’ with low wages create capital for them, and to the others or to the Government authorities it is important that you, workers’ with again having low wages only vote for them, so that they can rule you, so they can rule poor, but obedient people, because if you have a decent wage and a decent job you will not think about what is important for either one of the above.
This protest is for all of you, for your children, for your grandchildren because with miserable wages someone is consciously chasing you and chasing your family out of the country.
This protest is against the injustice, against the injustice of them having everything and you having nothing, against the injustice that means 250 euros increase in the wages for them from March and 78% increased salaries for them (the elected and appointed officials), 250 euros increase in the wages of the same ones to whom You (the workers’ and citizens) give power and You give them their salaries, and they do not take care of you and your families.
This protest is because they want to replace you with cheap labor from abroad, and you vote for them.
This protest is against the bosses, against the same ones who refuse to increase your salary so they don’t have to give up on the profit and luxury that you provide them with your labor and sweat, this protest is against the bosses who not only drove qualified workers’ out of Macedonia, but also separated and drove entire families out.
This protest is because they refuse to increase the minimum wage, and thus force you to live in poverty, because more than 200.000 workers’ have a salary below 31,200 denars, or below the poverty line in Macedonia.
This protest is because the Government this year is not planning to increase the salaries in the public sector, the military, the police, the administration and judiciary, culture, etc., and in healthcare and education the Government is planning to only minimally adjust the salaries….when on other hand they plan to increase the wages of the officials or their own wages by 10% or from 200 to 300 euros.
This protest is also because they do not respect the existing collective agreements and do not pay wages according to them, so that the workers' wages do not increase too much, so at the end you are being forced to sue them.
This protest is because they believe that you do not need an increase in your salary, because you do not ask for it, because if you do not ask, they think that you have enough and that you don’t need more.
This protest is for all those who are afraid, threatened and belittled because they cannot fight against their employers for an increase in their salary themselves.
This protest is even for those who attack us, and are not Government officials, because with our fight they will also receive increased salaries and increased pensions.
This protest is because the gentlemen (the Government and the Bosses) seem very big to you, and they seem big to you because you kneel to them, stand with us and you will see how petty and small they actually are.
There is no one to fear, on January 28 at 5 p.m., join us, dress warmly, wear a hat, a scarf and stand with the workers’ in the dark.
This is not an invitation to protest, everyone should invite themselves, everyone should invite their family, their colleagues, because by not joining us and by sitting at home you are giving arguments and strength to those who refuse to increase your salary.
I and the people I know will be there, if you and the people you know come then we can do something, you should know that we may not be able to change much alone, but together we can change everything!
And this protest, this protest is and will be just the beginning if they still do not increase your salaries and if they continue to trample on your dignity.
Therefore and because of all the above, the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) is organizing a Protest with the main goal:
-Increasing workers' salaries by at least 6,000 denars by increasing the minimum wage to 600 euros.
The protest begins on January 28, 2026 at 5:00 PM in front of the Workers' Home (SSM building on st. Mirce Acev no. 6) in Skopje, after which it continues in front of the National Parliament, the Chamber of Commerce and the Macedonian Government.
We have protested on Sundays, we have protested on holidays, we have protested during working hours, now we are protesting when most of the workers’ are finished with their work duties… that’s why after your working hours we are asking and waiting for You to join us to protest together for higher salaries.
While the protest is going on, maybe someone will have an urgent need (for medical care or urgent family needs) to move along the same streets where the protest will be held, for which I apologize in advance, but regardless of the protest, I want you to know that a corridor will be provided.
Finally, only the bosses and the elected and appointed officials can have an excuse not to protest for higher salaries.
It's time!
Slobodan Trendafilov, one of you, the workers’
