The government will press on for an increase in the minimum wage to at least Sk8,900 (€295), Prime Minister Robert Fico pledged at a meeting of the Confederation of Trade Unions (KOZ) after the government, employers and unions failed to agree on the issue on August 12.
Employers agreed to put up the wage only to Sk8.863 (€288.87) According to Fico, the government will now have to issue directives to force an increase in the minimum wage, which is governed by law. Under the law, the wage can only be increased to Sk8,690 (€288.46) which is opposed by both the government and unions.
"If the analysis shows that it would be unlawful for the government to circumvent the law, it will leave us with no choice but to amend the relevant legislation," Fico said.
"Despite our efforts, we didn't make much progress," said Emilia Kršíková, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and the Family, who led the negotiations.
The government representatives went to the Economic and Social Council (HSR) negotiations in hopes of seeing the minimum wage increase from its current Sk8,100 (€268.87) to Sk9,000 (€298.75). Unionists, demanding €300 (Sk9,037), were not willing to reduce their requirements significantly. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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