No agreement on 2016 minimum wage yet

Social partners have failed to arrive at an agreement on next year's minimum wage level. The Republican Union of Employers (RUZ) and Association of Employers Unions (AZZZ) advised against any hikes, while the Trade Union Confederation (KOZ) proposed an increase to €410 per month. "According to the law, the ball is now in the Government's court. We agreed that if the next session of the Economic and Social Council (HSR) is slated for September, I'll table a proposal - which will be greenlighted by the Government", said Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Ján Richter.
Employers aren't happy to see the minimum wage become part of the Government's social package. "I talked openly about this, conveying the message that employers don't like to see the minimum wage become part of the social package, particularly when its figure is discussed before the social partners have a chance to meet and talk. We don't take kindly to this and believe that it poses a significant obstacle to a dialogue between employers and trade unions", said vice-president of the Republican Union of Employers Ľuboš Sirota. The unionists, on the other hand, insisted that the minimum wage should increase from the current €380 to €410 per month. "For us unionists, every single hike in the minimum wage is welcome. We want a wage that will allow people to lead dignified lives, and €410 is not an astronomical sum that could cause mass lay-offs and the bolstering of unemployment", claims Trade Union Confederation president Jozef Kollár. Labour Minister Richter notes that in the wake of a series of minimum wage hikes the number of registered unemployed has dropped and new jobs have been created. "The minimum wage is an extremely motivating factor for people to start working. Slovakia boasts an environment advantageous for businesses and, in light of increasing productivity, there's a need for the minimum wage to go up", added Minister Richter.