THE TRIPARTITE partners were unable to agree on a new minimum wage for 2014 at their September 23 meeting.
The Labour Ministry proposed the minimum wage at €352 per month, an increase by €14.30 or 4.2 percent, but all social partners, including the Federation of Employers’ Associations (AZZZ), the National Union of Employers (RÚZ), the Confederation of Trade Unions (KOZ) as well as the Association of Towns and Villages (ZMOS), rejected the proposal, Labour Minister Ján Richter told the TASR newswire.
“Employers find the minimum wage level too high, whereas the representatives of employees too low,” said Richter, as quoted by TASR.
“We don’t think that the administrative boost of the minimum wage, particularly at a time of great economic uncertainty, is the way to go,” RÚZ president Marián Jusko told TASR.
The AZZZ believes the proposal to increase the minimum wage is purely politically motivated and senseless in terms of macroeconomic development.
“To worsen the situation for employees is undesirable,” AZZZ head Rastislav Machunka told TASR. “It’s better to work for a lower salary and stay competitive, than be jobless and dependent on welfare.“
On the other hand, KOZ vice-president Slavomír Manga called on the social partners not to be afraid of the minimum wage. He noted that the government proposed to raise the minimum wage by 70 cents per day and asked which entrepreneur would have a problem with such a sum.
“Do we want to be in China, or in Europe?” Manga said, as quoted by the SITA newswire, adding that the government should have yielded to the KOZ, who proposed an 8-percent increase.
