THE MINISTRY of Social Affairs and Family will submit its proposal to the government to increase minimum wage from Sk6,080 (€150) to Sk6,500 (€161), an increase of 6.9 percent, effective October 1. The Council of Economic and Social Agreement has not agreed to that amount, the Hospodárske noviny daily wrote.
Year-on-year inflation reached 8.5 percent last year, but Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš thinks that the proposed increase is sufficient.
Mikloš believes that a higher minimum wage could become a barrier for the further employment of low-skilled workers. The Association of Employers also agreed with the proposed level of the minimum wage.
However, the unions suggested Sk7,190 (€178), although they would be willing to compromise between Sk6,750 and Sk6,800 (€167 - €168).
The above-mentioned level of Sk6,500 is about 45 percent of the averag wage in Slovakia, and the unions want it closer to 50 percent.
