Labor relations

Ljubljana – Trade union confederations decided on Thursday to leave the Economic and Social Council (ESS), the country’s main industrial relations forum. The main reason is the “government’s systematic violation of rules on the functioning of the ESS”. More detail is to be presented at a press conference on Friday.

Prime Minister Florin Citu stated on Tuesday that a decision regarding an eventual increase of the minimum wage may be taken only following discussions with entrepreneurs and unions, remarking at the same time that in the past years, in Romania, there has been a "larger dynamic" of growth. "It's a three-part discussion and we will see what the evolution of the minimum wage is.

Ljubljana – President Borut Pahor hosted a Labour Day reception on Saturday at which the head of the ZSSS trade union association Lidija Jerkič said the holiday should be an opportunity to reflect on workers’ rights, and assessed that the government was ignoring social dialogue with trade unions. Many officials also marked the holiday with their messages.

Ljubljana – The International Workers’ Day, 1 May, will this year again be marked by epidemic-related restrictions. Trade unions call for job security, decent pensions, social security but also for safety at work, so that workers are not exposed to infection. Traditional celebrations with big bonfires on the eve of the holiday will not take place.

Ljubljana – The Constitutional Court has stayed the implementation of provisions of the seventh economic stimulus law under which employers may unilaterally and without grounds terminate the employment contract when a worker meets old-age retirement criteria. The constitutional review was initiated by trade unions.

By the end of the new government's tenure in 2025, we believe that we should and can reach GDP of 67%. In 2019 it was about 54%, now maybe we have about 55% on average, which means that incomes grow with similar dynamics, said for "The Day Begins" talk show Plamen Dimitrov,President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB).

Ljubljana – Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj said on Thursday the minimum hourly pay for student work would be raised to EUR 5.89 gross this week. Thus he responded to criticism from the opposition Left and the Student Organisation that student pay had not been adjusted to the minimum wage raise.

In 2020 the minimum wage in Bulgaria stood at 1.87 euro an hour - the lowest in the EU. 

Ljubljana – Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj said on Thursday that helping employers cover part of the minimum wage raise would cost the state some EUR 47 million.

The proposal to that effect will be included in the eighth economic stimulus bill, which could be in parliament in the middle of next week, he told the press.

Brdo pri Kranju/Ljubljana – Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj has announced after meeting social partners on Tuesday that he will set the minimum wage for 2021 at EUR 1,024 gross. This is 120% of the minimum cost of living and the lowest possible rise under minimum wage legislation. Last year, the minimum wage stood at EUR 941 gross.