CAMPAIGN PROMOTED TO ESTABLISH LOCAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILS

1.05.2013

Today's news: SSM has built a clear strategy which way to go

Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia celebrated May Day working, by promoting the campaign to establish local economic and social councils.

On this occasion, at 12 o'clock was held a press conference, attended by members of the Presidency of SSM, members of the Council of SSM, members of trade unions affiliated to SSM and other trade union activists and representatives of the social partners.

At the same time, press conferences were held in 9 cities in Macedonia - Bitola, Prilep, Veles, Ohrid, Struga, Kicevo, Delčevo, Probishtip and Gostivar.

Local economic and social councils have been established in 5 municipalities -  Strumica, Kavadarci, Kumanovo, Stip and Tetovo. In all these councils SSM has its representatives. For the next period it is announced the establishment of economic and social councils in Bitola, Veles and Skopje - Centar.

Since 2010 SSM celebrates May Day working, starting 4 projects. In 2010 SSM held a campaign under the motto: "Join and Meet your Trade Union." In 2011, SSM launched a campaign under the motto: "Minimum wage - need and obligation for financial and social security of employees," while in 2012 was promoted the initiative for making special law on mobbing and conference under the motto: "To protect human dignity of a law for the protection of mobbing" was held. This initiative of SSM was accepted by the Economic and Social Council and the Government, while SSM offered draft text of the Law on mobbing.

May Day is not only one day, but every day of the year

At the press conference, Dr. Zivko Mitrevski said:

SSM campaign will run throughout the year and will be aimed at achieving social dialogue and promote economic and social rights of workers. European practice of establishing economic and social councils at the local level will be implemented in a number of municipalities in the country.

Explaining the platform of SSM and answering the questions of journalists, president Mitrevski said that Macedonia does not allow such drastic deterioration as in other developed countries, where the level of layoffs amounted to 30 % of employees. Statistics show that employment growth in the country's 6%, while the reduction is 2%.

Another phenomenon characteristic of our country is that, according to data from 26.000 companies, over 10.000 employees with fixed-term employment transformed the working agreements and in that manner they received greater security.