The minimum wage is projected to go up by 3.2 percent - that is to €337.70 per month - as of next year, with Labour Minister Ján Richter saying on Monday, September 24, that he is certain the government will accept his proposal to this effect.
Richter was speaking after a session of the tripartite, which brings together employers, trade unions and the cabinet. "In terms of procedures, there was no need to submit the proposal, but I wanted to keep them [the tripartite parties] informed," said the minister, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
Not all parties at the meeting backed the minister's idea, however. "We view this as a very bad measure," said head of the Association of Employers Unions (AZZZ) Rastislav Machunka. Machunka went on to caution that such a rise in the minimum wage will contribute to the deterioration of the business environment, on top of the government's consolidation package and the Cabinet-sponsored amendment to the Labour Code. "The unemployment rate among the long-term jobless will rise," he said.
"It's a social commitment of this political party, so it's only natural," said Economy Minister Tomáš Malatinský who has been an AZZZ head in the past.
(Source: TASR)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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