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SSM ACTIVITIES IN 2022

When we talk about the events that are the most significant for SSM in this year 2022, the need to emphasize that with hard work and continuous activities SSM has maintained its position as a representative union and national social partner inevitably arises.

The activities of the SSM carried out in the past year led to an increased visibility of the trade unions and we restored the trust of the workers and citizens, which is also confirmed by the latest independent surveys according to which the trade unions are the most recognized, so almost a quarter of the respondents believe that they give the greatest support to them as well personally and for the community.

SSM is the oldest and most numerous union, representative at the national level and the only representative union in both the public and private sectors. All these features increase the responsibilities and significance of the SSM as an active participant and creator of national policies and strategies.

As a constructive social partner in the state, SSM advocates and proposes activities and measures that are primarily in the direction of the revival and development of the economy as a basis for the overall progress of society, especially in this year when we were faced with the challenges of the economic, health, energy and the military crisis felt by the countries of the world including ours. Our goal and our priority in the past year was to protect the rights, interests, and needs of workers and citizens. The overall activities undertaken by SSM in the past year 2022 were aimed at ensuring that the consequences of the crisis, primarily economic, are not felt and borne only by the workers, but that the burden of the crisis is borne equally by all stakeholders of society. In that direction, the SSM gave its proposals during the creation of the anti-crisis measures of the state in order to help the most vulnerable workers and citizens.

The most significant benefits and activities of SSM for the current year 2022, which are recognized and respected by the membership and workers, are:

MINIMUM SALARY IN THE AMOUNT OF 18,000 DENARS AND NOT LESS THAN 57% OF THE AVERAGE SALARY

On the initiative of the SSM, through social dialogue, the Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Minimum Wage in the Republic of North Macedonia was adopted, Sl. Journal no. 41 /22

With the amendments to the law, the minimum wage is MKD 18,000, and the criteria for annual adjustment of the minimum wage with 50% of the annual growth of the average wage and 50% of the growth of the cost of living, according to the data from the State Statistics Office, are also changed.

As a result of the legal amendments, about 80,000 workers and citizens received a salary increase from 15,194 to 18,000 denars.

In order to systematically solve the issue of the minimum wage, the legal amendments stipulate that the amount of the minimum wage cannot be lower than 57% of the average wage published by the State Statistics Office for the previous year.

SUNDAY DAY FOR WEEKLY REST

The Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia was the initiator and the biggest supporter of the legal changes that make Sunday a non-working day for the largest number of employees in the country. The workers are already feeling the benefit of this right, which is regulated in the Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on labor relations Official Gazette No. 288 of December 21, 2021 and the Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Trade Official Gazette No. 295 of December 27, 2021 which is fully in accordance with the above and Article 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia that every employee has the right to a paid weekly holiday and that workers may not waive this right, and employers may not limit it.

LABOR PROTESTS

This year 2022 is the year of labor protests that were initiated, led or supported by SSM and the unions in its composition.

SSM is a serious trade union that monitors the social-economic conditions in the country, but also European and world trends and relations when it comes to the economic-social position of workers and citizens.

Aware of the economic, health and energy crisis that are present everywhere in the world, including in our country, we proposed measures to solve the problems of low wages, the reduction of the standard of living and the increase in poverty, we demanded social dialogue and the promotion of collective bargaining.

We responsibly claim that the current government did not adequately respond to our requests and initiatives, and the ignorant attitude of the government towards us workers was the reason why the SSM and the unions in its composition, at the request and initiative of the membership, carried out several protests to express justified dissatisfaction with the imposed reduction procedures of labor rights.

On 04.02.2022, all the strike boards and the Presidency and Council of SSM, together with the members of the bodies and bodies of the trade unions united in SSM, came out for a protest (STAND UP FOR YOUR SALARY TOO) in front of the headquarters of the Organization of Employers of Macedonia and the Chamber of Commerce supported by the workers.

On April 7 and 8, a work stoppage was organized by the UPOZ Union at the SSM with full support from the SSM, where the members of the UPOZ Union expressed their dissatisfaction by stopping the work process, and demanding decent living wages.

On April 14, SSM, the Trade Union of Macedonian Post, and the Trade Union Organization of AD Post together with the workers organized a strike in Macedonian Post.

On May 1, the SSM with the unions united in the SSM organized a May Day protest for a decent wage, more than 7,500 workers came out to the protest marching side by side from in front of the SSM building through the Parliament, the headquarters of the Employers' Organization and the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce to the Government of Macedonia making it clear that there is a huge revolt among workers due to low wages.

On July 28 and 29, SSM together with SRSVM and the Union at the Kolska railway vehicle factory from Veles organized a blockade of rail transport at the railway station in Veles and a strike on the streets of Veles with a blockade of the city center and the offices of the Public Revenue Administration.

GENERAL STRIKE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

According to the Decision to call and initiate a strike adopted by the SSM Council, on 6/22/2022. The public sector employees went on strike. The strike is organized to protect economic and social rights, more specifically to fulfill the following demands from employment:

- conclusion of a General Collective Agreement for the public sector with a determined increase in the wages of employees in the public sector by MKD 2,806 in net amount in accordance with the increase in the minimum wage published in Sl. Journal of RSM no. 41 of February 24, 2022 and established the right to annual leave in the amount of 30% to 100% of the base.

Although the general strike was successful in the largest number of sectors where the workers already receive the increased salary, it is still ongoing where the demands for salary adjustment have not been met.

October 13, 2022 protest of the employees of the factory for rail vehicles Kolska from Veles with the support of SSM, in front of the Government.

October 19 and 20, 2022 warning strike and protest of Macedonian Post employees organized by the General Assembly of AD Post of North Macedonia and the Union of Macedonian Post with the support of SSM.

On October 20, 2022, from 4:30 a.m., the SRSVM union and the JSP union started a protest, the employees of the public company JSP Skopje did not drive the buses, and thus the city of Skopje for the first time since its existence was left without city transportation. The protest was organized because of unpaid wages. Characteristically, all the drivers stopped and refused to drive without being paid and showed solidarity. The protest was supported by SSM.

FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE

During the first six months of 2022, the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia recorded a total of 34,674 appeals for workers on various grounds for the protection of employment rights, of which the Department for Labor Relations and Legal Protection, RSP and SC, 22,052 appeals for workers. , and through the SSM mobile application - my labor rights, 12,622 addresses for workers. For all these addresses, the services of the SSM took the necessary measures and activities in accordance with the law on the protection of workers' rights.

INITIATIVES AND PROCEDURES OF THE SSM AND THE ASSOCIATED UNIONS BEFORE THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

1. Based on the initiative submitted on 28.12.2021 by the Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia and the Union for Construction, Industry and Design, which functions as part of the SSM, the Constitutional Court repealed Article 12 of the Law on Determining a Strategic Partner for the Implementation of the Construction Project of the infrastructural Corridor 8 (section: Tetovo - Gostivar - Bukojčani and the project for the highway Trebenishta - Struga - Kfasan) and Corridor 10 d (section of the highway Prilep - Bitola) in the Republic of North Macedonia, which, among other things, provided that the working hours of each worker during the entire cycle of the Project can be an average of 60 hours per week during the year. SSM reacted quickly and efficiently by submitting an initiative that was accepted and the controversial article of the law was repealed by the Constitutional Court, thus correcting the injustice against the workers .

2. The Constitutional Court stood on the side of truth and justice and did not accept the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce to reduce and limit the right to make Sunday a non-working day for the largest number of workers in the country. The Constitutional Court rejected the request of the Chamber of Commerce, i.e. confirmed the position of the Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia and left in force the provisions of the legal decisions with which Sunday is a non-working day for the largest number of workers and thus contributed to strengthening the legal order and the legal security of workers and citizens in the country.

The purpose of the SSM as an advocate and representative of the workers is for the workers to use the non-working week for rest and renewal of their workforce in the interest of improving their productivity, which will benefit the entire state. In democratic states, where our state claims to be included, the non-working week is a creative time dedicated to family, and care for children, but also the time needed to raise the cultural, sports, and educational level of workers and citizens who are the most important resource of every state.

ACTIVITIES OF SSM IN AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTATION OF THE LABOR-LEGAL LEGISLATION ZRO

The activities started in 2018 for the adoption of a new ZRO continued this year 2022. Representatives of SSM participate in discussions with other social partners, at the same time SSM also submitted written comments on the latest version of the new ZRO to the Ministry of Education and Culture. With its proposals, SSM strives to improve working women follow the example of the European and world legislations.

PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK OF THE NATIONAL COORDINATING BODY FOR THE PREVENTION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND FAMILY VIOLENCE

As part of this National Coordinating Body, SSM is an active participant in the procedures for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention for the Prevention of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, ratified by our country. By promoting gender equality in all fields, including in labor relations, we believe that it will contribute to the eradication of gender-based violence, which particularly negatively reflects and ruins family relations, but also social relations in general.

TRAINING, INFORMATION AND TRAINING

The strength of the union is also in its expertise, training and awareness. Trainings for raising the capacities of trade union membership and trade union leadership for full trade union activity and involvement are the most significant part of SSM's activities. They enable the union core to be informed and trained to recognize all forms of violation of labor rights and the methods for their prevention and protection. That is our goal and task because only an empowered membership can be a respected social partner in the country.

The activities of SSM carried out in this direction are:

1. Within the framework of the Twinning project "Strengthening the protection of employees in case of insolvency of their employer", an Information Day was held in SSM, for union members and union-management regarding the protection of the rights of employees in case of bankruptcy of their employer.

The project is aimed at creating conditions for the implementation of Directive 2008/94/EC. The purpose of the information day was to acquaint the participants with the content and focus of Directive 2008/94/EC, its social scope, the wording of its individual articles, and the obligations of member states arising from this Directive.

Directive 2008/94/E protects the legitimate claims of employees in the event of bankruptcy (insolvency) of their employer. Its implementation should be the subject of negotiations in the socio-economic council, and for this purpose, through this information day organized in SSM, the present representatives of the trade unions could receive information and training. In this way, it was possible for trade unions to gain knowledge to inform their members (as well as other employees) about their rights and about the possibility of workers receiving adequate compensation in case of bankruptcy (insolvency) of their employer.

2. In the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia, a two-day training on personal data protection was held for members of trade union organizations with the support of the Metamorphosis Foundation and the Connect Association as part of the project "Technical and integrated protection of personal data - building an inclusive digital ecosystem". supported by the European Union.

The participants of the training had the opportunity to be informed and familiarized with the rights regarding the protection of personal data at the workplace and outside it; the obligations of employees when processing personal data; personal data security measures and many other topics in the field of personal data protection.

3. The Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia, within the framework of the need to promote and strengthen the capacities for collective bargaining with the support of ITUC-PERK, UNION TO UNION, held two workshops in Ohrid and Kratovo that were dedicated to determining the priorities and proposals of the unions and SSM for determining and supplementing the text of the proposals for a new General Collective Agreement for both the private and public sectors.

4. In Ohrid, the digital tools of SSM for the protection of labor rights were presented -30.05.2022-01.06.2022

The Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia as the only representative trade union in the State and as a full member of the European Confederation of Trade Unions - ETUC and part of the Regional Trade Union Council solidarity behind the European Confederation of Trade Unions - ETUC within the project "Trade Unions for Fair Recovery: Strengthening the Role of trade unions in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis" funded by the European Commission, Directorate general for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion conducts a three-day training for trainers to use the new digital tools of SSM for legal representatives and trade union leaders and to increase media coverage the visibility of SSM and strengthening cooperation with the MEDIA through the process of digitization of trade unionism in order to prevent the violation of labor and social rights of workers and presenting the new digital tool SSM - my labor rights, SINDI - is an advisor for labor rights.

At the training, the attendees had the opportunity to learn about the possibility of free legal protection, the legal protection provided by the Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia in the past period.

SSM also organized a one-day meeting and training, where the attendees had the opportunity to learn about the possibility of free legal protection, the legal protection provided by the Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia in the past period.

Together with representatives of the media, legal representatives and trade union leaders from SSM and unions, representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and the State Labor Inspectorate, workers and citizens shared information about the way the digital tools of SSM - my labor rights and SINDI function. - is an adviser on labor rights, the confidentiality of reports, and ways of protecting workers who report violations of labor rights, and a press conference was held.

5. Training on the subject of discrimination in employment and in the workplace

The Center for Solidarity from Washington, Office for Southeast Europe, in the period March 23-25, 2022 in Skopje is organizing an event on the subject of discrimination in employment and in the workplace.

The event is attended by representatives from SSM and trade unions from the region, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

Some of the activities of the trade unions carried out in the past period are:

THE JUST TRANSITION IN THE FOCUS OF THE UNION FOR INDUSTRY, ENERGY AND MINING OF R. MACEDONIA

The Union of Industry, Energy and Mining of Macedonia-SIER within the Project with Olof Palme from Sweden, entitled More activities = Stronger union, in the period from 14-16.11.2022. held a seminar on the topic of Just Transition in Hotel Laki in Ohrid.

Lecturers at the seminar were: Corinna Zierol, representative from Industriall-EU, Ivana Vuchkova, FES Macedonia and Mare Ancheva SIER.

UNION ACADEMY OF SGIP REPRESENTATIVES

From 09/02-04/2022, a Trade Union Academy for SGIP representatives was held at Hotel Metropol - Ohrid, attended by over 50 participants. At this trade union academy, the trainer was Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Ristovski from the Faculty of Law "Justinian the First" in Skopje. The participants had the opportunity to become better acquainted with their rights from employment, the rights arising from the Collective Agreements, as well as to socialize through a knowledge quiz from the field in which they worked.

DIGITAL SERVICES OF SSM PRESENTED TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS

On World Health Day, April 7, by the SSM team of employees and medical staff at the Special Hospital for Surgical Diseases "St. Naum Ohridski" in Skopje (former City Hospital), a presentation of SSM's digital services (the mobile application SSM - my worker's rights), the use of social media of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia on FB and Instagram, the new chatbox on the SSM website was carried out www.ssm.org.mk etc.

WINTER SCHOOL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN CONSTRUCTION AND FORESTRY

The construction trade union - SGIP held its 7th winter school for young people on the topic "Salaries and inflation in the state versus the union minimum basket".

The winter school was attended by 30 young trade unionists from companies that are members of the Trade Union for Construction, Industry and Design of the Republic of Macedonia, who had the opportunity to get acquainted with the method of calculating the trade union minimum wage and the way the minimum wage will be increased in March next year. year.

The participants were also introduced to SSM's digital tools that they can use as young trade unionists.

MPS-Tribune on "Multisectoral approach for effective protection of women and girls exposed to violence"

On 28.11.2022 in the conference hall of the municipality of Prilep, a forum was held on the topic "Multisectoral approach for effective protection of women and girls exposed to violence" on the occasion of 16 days of activism in the fight to protect women from violence. The Macedonian police union once again confirmed that it has the capacity to deal with the challenges of modern times by targeting violence as a global problem. The forum aimed to point out the multi-sector approach to this problem and finding appropriate answers in the fight to sanction and eliminate it.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Oliver Spasovski, the Dean of the Faculty of Security, Mr. Prof. Dr. Nikola Dujovski and the President of the Macedonian Police Union, Dr. Marjan Kitsev. Mrs. Prof. Ph.D. In this way, the Macedonian police union made its contribution to the celebration of the international day for the fight against violence against women.

MPS-THREE DAY WORKSHOP OF OSCE AND MPS

In the period from October 26-28, 2022, a three-day workshop was held in the Hotel Romantik-Veles as part of the Alumni program for gender mentoring, organized by the OSCE and the Women's Section of the Macedonian Police Union.

The topic of the workshop was Academic writing and public speaking. Participants in the workshop were 25 mentor members of MPS from the two cycles, generation 2018 and 2019.

UPOZ-NEW POWER OF THE YOUTH SOCIETY

From October 26 to 28, in Ohrid, the Youth Section of the UPOZ Trade Union held a workshop entitled "New strength of the youth society".

This workshop was attended by 25 young members of the UPOZ Union, who, through group work and informal education, exchanged ideas for the further activities of this section. The purpose of this workshop was to train as many young members as possible, how to approach young people in their working environments, and to pass on their experience of membership in the Union.

UPOZ- 32nd UNION SCHOOL OF THE UNION OF UPOZ

From October 28 to 30, in Ohrid, the 32nd Trade Union School of the UPOZ Trade Union was held, the topic of which was "News in the Proposal - the Law for Public Sector Employees, Proposal - the Law for Administrative Officers as well as their reflection on the rights of employment in the administration, local self-governments and judicial authorities".

More than 100 participants were part of the first working day of the 32nd Trade Union School of the UPOZ Trade Union.

24 UNION SCHOOL OF THE INDEPENDENT UNION FOR HEALTH, PHARMACY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

The trade union school was attended by 200 trade unionists members of the Independent Trade Union for Health, Pharmacy and Social Protection of the Republic of Macedonia

INFORMING

The Union of Trade Unions of Macedonia informs its membership through its website, through the use of social media (the FB page, the Instagram page, the Twitter page; the mobile application SSM - my labor rights and SINDI - is an adviser on labor rights, as well as through maintaining at press conferences, participation in debate shows, news statements, media announcements, etc.

Within the scope of increasing the visibility of trade unions at the regional level, the first edition of the regional e-newsletter GLASOT NA RABOTNICITE, published by RSS SOLIDARNOST, was released, and the first topic covered is "Salary that does not ensure a dignified life, the lowest salary in the region" and in where you can find information about the situation with the minimum wage in the member states of RSS Solidarity (Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina).
The e-bulletin will help workers and unions to be informed in a timely manner about the situation related to labor rights from the region, especially from the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

The e-bulletin is in electronic form and it can be read in the languages of the countries where the trade unions come from.

Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia

 

 

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