GENERAL SECRETARY OF BWI IN SSM AND AT THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR
04/23/2012
In Macedonia the social dialogue is extremely important to grow further... it is stated in today's message from the meeting between the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia and the Secretary General of the World Federation of Trade Unions in forestry and construction industry (Building and Wood International - BWI).
For us of particular importance is the implementation of ILO Convention 94, which provides social clauses in public procurement. The Convention is being ratified, but it should be implemented in the laws. We have discussed about the process of so-called "green job", i.e. creating new sustainable jobs, the Law on minimum wage and Occupational Safety and Health at work, said the president of SSM, Zivko Mitrevski.
We are glad to have a visit by BWI, which confirms the progress of the social dialogue in Macedonia, stated the Minister Spiro Ristovski. We have informed about the process of decentralization of the social dialogue, i.e. the opening of local economic - social councils. This may be the first meeting with a Trade union of this rank, from which we can expect more support of Macedonia's EU contacts with the EBRD, the World Bank and other institutions.
The General Secretary of BWI, Ambert Juson expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the social dialogue in Macedonia, especially the work of the Economic - Social Council and the local economic - social councils. Juson said that the confirmation of the importance of the social dialogue is the trend in Latin America, where wages of workers increased from 10 to 20 percent. Latin America is in a situation of economic expansion, but prosperity must be followed by the standard of the workers. The General Secretary stressed the possibility of contacts with the EBRD, the main financier of Corridors 8 and 10.
The Trade Union of the workers in forestry, wood industry and Energy and the Trade Union of Construction, Industry and Civil Engineering (SGIP) are full members of BWI.
The representatives of BWI, Ambert Juson and Jasmin Redzhepovik will attend the Second Congress of the Trade Union of the workers in forestry, wood industry and energy, which will be held on April 24 in Ohrid. Within today's visit the President Mitrevski and his guests from BWI had also a meeting with the General Director of PE "Makedonski Sumi" Zarko Karadzoski.