“Textile workers and workers in the leather industry in Macedonia are maximally exploited by employers. They work overtime, but do not receive any money for that, they are entitled to only four days of vacation, which they receive in August in order to connect the days with the holidays”, pointed out Goran Trajkov from the Association of Textile and Leather Industry Workers “Silent Majority – Loud”, from Stip, at the conference “Society Without Borders” , which organized by CIVIL – Center for Freedom, was held on Tuesday at Hotel City Park in Skopje.

“Workers do not have the opportunity to access the institutions because they are usually at work until 5pm. I welcome the measure of introducing a second shift, so that these workers do not have to leave work and be punished for that. Because their daily wages range from 270 to 400 denars, and the penalty for not coming to work or for leaving the workplace is 1.500 denars”, says Trajkov.

On the other hand, Trajkov again identified these difficult working conditions as the cause for the mass emigration of young people.

“Nothing will be solved on its own, unless we do not all sit down together to talk and offer a solution”, urged Trajkov.

“Loud” is the initiator – for the minimum wage in the textile and leather industry to be evened out with the minimum wage in other economic branches.

Camera: Dehran Muratov and Atanas Petrovski

Editing:  Еrmin Klimenta

The statement/address is part of the project “Society Without Borders”, which CIVIL – Center for Freedom is implementing with the support of the German Heinrich Bὅll Foundation. The goal of the project is to promote and educate the citizens of Macedonia about the Citizen’s Charter, a global document for promoting civil rights and active participation of citizens in decision-making processes.