Labour law

Salaried employment in the private sector slowed down in November, data released by the Labor Ministry's Ergani system showed on Monday.

The system showed that 157,385 people were hired in November and those who left their jobs came to 195,052 people, out of whom 66,978 people left their positions voluntarily, while 128,074 were laid off or did not renew their contracts.

While experts praise Macedonian parties for promising an increase in the minimum monthly wages as a social step in the right direction, they warn that promises of major hikes in average pay rates depend more on economic factors than on politicians' election-time promises.

Bulgarian MPs have approved the a new minimum wage that will be introduced on January 01, 2017.

Starting from that day, its value will be BGN 460 (EUR 230), up from the current value of BGN 420.

Consumers entitled to a heating oil allowance will have to wait until February before they receive it, the Finance Ministry has said.

Officials have decided to change the eligibility criteria causing delays in benefit distribution.

The document handed to the Greek government by its creditors, after negotiations between the two sides were suspended due to the divergence of views on a number of issues, included the thorny matter of a series of reforms in the labour market.

Civil servants will be walking off the job and holding a protest rally in downtown Athens on Thursday, after their union, ADEDY, on Monday called for a general strike.

The union is mainly protesting planned reforms to labor laws and the operation of the civil service.

Brussels are intensifying pressure on the Greek government for immediate reforms on labour-related issues.

Bulgaria ranks last in terms of income not only among EU member-states but also in the region, showed a survey of the Confederation of Independent Syndicates in Bulgaria (KNSB).

The nominal amount of the average monthly wage in Bulgaria of EUR 420 is about 5.5 times lower than the average levels for the EU, where it is EUR 2,293.

The first meeting between the institutions and Greek Labour Minister George Katrougalos ended on Sunday, and despite its exploratory nature it became apparent that the two sides remain entrenched in their positions on the issues of mass layoffs and minimum wage.

The civil servants' umbrella union ADEDY on Thursday called a nationwide strike for November 24 to highlight its objections to planned changes to labor laws that the government is set to start discussing with representatives of the country's international creditors on Friday.