The working group on a new general collective agreement for the public sector held its inaugural meeting on Thursday, transmits MIA.

The Government and the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) have agreed over the maximum involvement of the unions in the process of reforms in the public sector that encompass its optimization and rationalization, as well as joint efforts in drafting a new law on public sector salaries, set to be applied as of 1 January 2023.

The framework of the negotiations was agreed at the meeting with SSM president Darko Dimovski, including the alignment of the salaries and linear net increase of Mden 2,806 (EUR 46) for all public sector employees. The second item is the reinstatement of the annual vacation allowance, the so-called K-15, for the entire public sector in 2023.

Partners within the social dialogue have also agreed that the new general collective agreement should also involve a new salary calculation methodology that would ensure regular adjustment of wages using criteria that are yet to be defined, the Government said in a press release.

Earlier in the week, the Government set up the working group comprised of Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi, Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi, Minister of Education and Science Jeton Shaqiri, Minister of Labor and Social Policy Jovana Trenchevska and Minister of Information Society and Administration Admirim Aliti.

Deputy PM Bytyqi said the Government aim is to find an institutional way for regular alignment of public sector salaries through a social dialogue, which has already produced a higher minimum wage and pensions, reads the press release.