Kosovo minimum wage could be even lower than 130 euros

Research conducted by some of the economic organisations in Kosovo and complaints filed at the United Trade Union for Education, Science and Culture has identified employers as paying workers at even lower pay than what is defined as minimum wage in the labour market.

Currently, the minimum wage in Kosovo is 130 euros for employees under the age of 35, and 170 euros for employed people over 35, which has suffered no changes since 2011.

Avni Aydin, chairman of the United Trade Union for Education, Science and Culture, tells Radio Free Europe that workers in Kosovo, in particular in the private sector, are being violated their rights by employers.

“in the private sector works 12 hours and the worker is paid in 8 hours, and the number of hours he works is paid less than minimum wage. The minimum wage may be even lower than 130 euros, and this usually happens in the cleaning sector”.

“Aptitudes of workers have but they're more in the form of discussion, but not in written form because they're afraid of writing to give up because of problems they might then have with employer”, says Aydin.

Arben, who works in a private company in the maintenance sector, says he pays no more than 100 euros a month.

I work in the private sector as a maintenance manager on objects. My wife doesn't work. We live at very low standards. My salary is not enough to cover all monthly food expenses and municipal utility bills that weigh the budget too much. With this 100-euro salary, it's hard to afford without debt”, he says.

Representatives who advocate workers' rights in Kosovo say there are ongoing complaints coming from workers who receive less than minimum wages.

Aydin stresses that the minimum wage, which is now in Kosovo, is low and that this should mark growth.

“The BSPK has approved on the Social Economic Council a minimum wage of 250 euros, but the government, which has promised us this will be realised from January until now, has not enacted that decision. We are for the minimum wage to be 250 euros and do not withdraw from this decision”, Aydin says.

The Kosovo government at the end of each calendar year, according to the law, would have to set the minimum wage, according to the Economic-Social Council proposal.

Under the Labour Law, minimum wage should be determined by taking into account the cost of living expenses, the percentage of unemployment rates, as well as the overall situation in the labour market, and determined for the period of 57 years.

Lumniye Aydin of the Kosovo Business Alliance tells Radio Free Europe that as members of the Social Economic Council, it has demanded that the minimum wage be 200 euros and that workers not be paid under this minimum wage.

“We as the UN have demanded that the minimum wage be 200 euros since we have taken into account the other effects that can affect the like is employment then the effects business and investors can have. The current minimum wage of up to 170 is not enough to cover the expenses of a family”, Aydin says.

Despite the economic trends Kosovo has spent during these years, the minimum wage has remained unchanged since 2011.

The overall harmonised consumer price index, according to Kosovo Statistics Agency data of July month, is higher for 1.2 per cent compared to July 2017. This is largely explained with the rise in consumer prices