The Slovak Trade Unions Confederation (KOZ) requests that the minimum wage in Slovakia be increased from the current Sk8,100 to Sk8,900 from the beginning of next year, KOZ vice-president Vladimír Mojš told a news conference on July 8.
But they have not yet agreed on the minimum wage with representatives of employers, the SITA wrote. Regardless, a new law requires that the minimum wage will be increased 7.2 percent to Sk8,690 from January 2009.
Mojš stated that trade unions have already negotiated minimum wage growth with employers twice.
"In the first round, employers stated that they wanted to agree on a lower level than set by the valorization mechanism, stipulated by law," he said. KOZ found this offer unacceptable, Mojš said. In the second round of negotiations, employers said they could imagine minimum wage growth in line with the mechanism, set by the law, namely at Sk8,690.
"We agreed to hold the next bargaining round after July 8," said Mojš. If unions fail to agree on the minimum wage with employers by July 15, the Labour Ministry will submit its own proposal by the end of July.” SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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