PRESS CONFERENCE ON AMENDING THE LAW ON PENSION AND DISABILITY INSURANCE

07/23/2014

Caption 1: President Mitrevski on the press conference

Today in the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia a press conference was held regarding the given supported to the proposed amendments to several laws, the Labor Law, the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance, the Health Insurance Law, the Law on Contributions for Mandatory Social Insurance, the Law on employment and insurance in case of unemployment.

The implementation and adoption of the draft amendments to the Labor Law, by which the workers are given the right to choose whether to retire or to prolong the life of one, two or three years means confirmation of the standpoints and demands of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia since 2010 and the same have been submitted to the Government of RM in addition to the implementation of the anti-crisis measures.

The President of CCM, PhD Zivko Mitrevski on the press conference estimated that benefits of the proposed amendments to the Labor Law would have workers, employers and the state.

• There will be a multifaceted benefit for all, for the workers, employers and the state, since it would eliminate more gaps such as lack of highly qualified workers which was one of the issues employers have faced, while for the workers these changes would allow further extension of life in those categories of workers who deem that this would provide additional social and material existence, noted Mitrevski.

This solution is extremely beneficial for all and allows each worker to assess when to retire.

• We expect in branches such as textile and construction sector workers to exercise their right, to be early retired while in certain industries where there is a deficit, workers to resume the working life, added Mitrevski.

The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia is satisfied with the solution which is proposed to workers who work with copyright contracts or contracts per services rendered the contributions for health and pension insurance to be also paid.

With the new changes men can decide if they would retire at 64, 65, 66 or 67 years of age, while women can choose whether to retire at 62, 63, 64 or 65 years of age. Employees will have to declare in writing whether they continue their working life for the next year until August 31 of the current year.

With these solutions the labor rights are being dramatically increased. By the decision regarding the voluntarily shift of the pension limit as a legal solution, the Republic of Macedonia is the leading country in the region in terms of conceptual improvement of workers' rights.

The adoption of these laws is extremely important and acknowledges the strategy of the social partners, of the joint agreement that the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia, the Government and the Organization of Employers of Macedonia had, in direction of solving the most difficult issues in terms of complex social-economic and financial crisis.

With these legal provisions the promises made by the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia are being realized. In that direction are the legal solutions for shift of the pension limit on a voluntary base and thus all those who thought that CCM does not fulfill its promises and commitments are disproved.