The Slovak Trade and Industry Chamber (SOPK) is against increasing the minimum wage during the economic crisis because it could lead to the closure of factories, SOPK chairman Peter Mihók said at a press conference in Košice on Tuesday, August 18, as reported by TASR.
"As for the minimum wage, I unequivocally support the stance of employer organisations representing the business sector in the tripartite dialogue, and we think that a time of crisis isn't a period in which wages should be raised," Mihók told TASR.
In this context, he noted that prices are falling on the domestic market, while human resources along with energy are among the biggest costs. He observed that during the introduction of the euro, the unions said that they wouldn't put pressure on wages. He stressed that even though legislation clearly provides for the minimum wage to be valorised in line with GDP growth, the economic conditions have changed since last year due to the crisis.
Increasing the minimum wage would not pose a problem, said the general director of Labour, Social Affairs and Family Centre, Ján Sihelský, said on August 17.
The newly appointed president of the Slovak Tradesmen Association (SZZ), Stanislav Čižmárik, said on August 18 that he does not agree ministry's proposal. He said that in this period of economic crisis the representatives of trade unions should think about these problems and wait for at least for one year. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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