At minimum wages, security and maintenance workers are violated in institutions

While the parties involved -- the Kosovo government, municipalities and contracted companies -- hunt responsibility to each other, cleaning and insurance workers in many state institutions continue to be paid illegally under the minimum wage.

Since July 15th 2008, Hakif Sylejmani has passed from at least eight hours a day, and often longer, preserving at various objects of the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo (QKUK).

In the first month, he was employed as a physical security worker by QKUK, and later he was employed through private companies.

For Sylejman, the father of four, the first month was the best financially.

In 2008, I received my salary of 121 euros. I've got 40 euros per street, 40 euros per daily. And what I got for custody... came my salary bigger in 2008 than today. I would then receive over 300 euros”, says Sylejmani for Radio Free Europe.

Currently contracted by the Security Company Code, Sylejmani is paid 277 euros a month. To raise his four children from 6 to 14 years of age, he says this salary, which is below the minimum wage, is insufficient.

With such a salary, a worker is unable to support four children. I'm just talking about sending people to school, not buying books, notebooks and clothing. This is a disaster”, Sylejmani adds.

Chosen by other physical security workers at QKUK as their representative, he shows that all workers hope that their pay issue will be settled this month.

His company did not respond to REL's request for comments.

But, in the same situation with Sylejman, physical security and maintenance workers in many public institutions are also found after receiving wages under the new minimum wage in Kosovo. Its value, set on August 28th last year, is 350 euros.

All these workers have been employed by companies contracted by state institutions to perform these services.

In open tenders, companies tend to apply at lower prices so as to be selected to carry out the service.

The companies are not able to raise wages now, because they have done the calculations they have in the contract for so many tools”, says Yusuf Azemi, chairman of the Kosovo Private Sector Technical Union Federation for Radio Free Europe.

And once companies signed contracts with state institutions, the Kosovo government came up with the decision to significantly raise the minimum wage.

The decision prompted the minimum wage to rise to 350 euros from 130 euros as it was for workers under 35 and 170 euros for workers up to 65 years.

The “is said to have increased wages to 264 euros in 2022, but it was a proposal of the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers (MFPT) and, under no circumstances,”, explains Naim Jakaj, of the Kosovo Institute for Justice (IKD), for REL.

But even now that wage growth has been concreteised by the decision proposal, it still does not fully apply.

Radio Free Europe has contacted some of the companies that still pay workers under 350 euros, but only the Double I&I company, contracted for cleaning at the Family Medicine Centre in Malisheva, has been ready to propose.

She explains that she has applied in the Malisheva municipality to increase the value of the contract worth another year and a half after the minimum wage increase, but that this has not happened.

The manager of this company, Ardian Aliu, says other institutions where this company offers services, such as the Kosovo Energy Corporation, have taken into account the demand and have increased the value of the contract.

We've sent email every month for “asking for an increase in contract value. We're not about to violate workers' rights. With the workers we have reached agreement that, as long as they don't respond to us from the municipality, we don't have the means to cover these expenses”, Aliu tells REL.

Even for union employees, the blame lies, not with company owners, but with the Government of Kosovo.

That is also highlighted in the denouncing done by the Kosovo Private Sector Technical Union Workers Federation in Kosovo Labour Inspectors and Tax Administration (ATK).

These are companies that perform services for state institutions, and in this case the blame is not on companies, but on the institutions for which these companies perform” services, the denouncing is said.

The Labour Inspectorate has not answered REL questions, while ATK has estimated the issue belongs to the Labour Inspectorate.

Union Chief Azem believes the Government should subsidise contracted companies so that they can have financial opportunities to pay their workers according to the minimum wage decision.

He believes MPT has had to know that such a problem would emerge and that he has not taken any measures to subsidise companies contracted by state institutions, “is ridiculous”.

“is the duty of the Government of Kosovo, it is not the duty of companies”, Azemi says.

But, the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers (MFPT) disagrees.

In a response to the REL, this minister says that, initially, no company has asked for such subvention and that it “is not responsible for accepting requests from businesses”.

We expect companies to implement this change and not pay under this threshold. This obligation is clear and mandatory for all employers”, the MPPT response reported.

The decision to raise the minimum wage has entered into force on 1 October.

The Technical Workers' Union demands that the loss of workers in wages during the months of October, November, December and the coming months, until a solution is found, they are compensated financially.

Otherwise, Azem warns they will file charges against the Kosovo government itself.

No law can be perfect, but the key to us is that the law that we have in power, to respect those who have issued it. Kosovo's government is violating the decisions it has made” itself, Azem says.

Jakaj from the IKD explains that the entire process related to the minimum wage has been forwarded with irregularities. The legal procedure envisions the government, at the end of each calendar year, proposing minimum wage on the basis of a proposal by the Economic and Social Council (KES).

But the KESI, consisting of five representatives of the workers (sindicates), five representatives of employers (economic methods), and five officials appointed by the government, has not been operational since 2023.

On April 18th of that year, members have expired with four-year terms, and the MFPT has not yet committed to refunctioning it.

“In the absence of consultations with trade unions, with economic and public Comedies, and also in the absence of necessary preparations, problematic situations have already emerged, with many of the companies signing contracts with public institutions, given the previous 170 euro minimum wage”, says Jakaj for REL.

With minimum wage growth, these contracts have become difficult to implement, as operational costs have increased significantly”, he adds.

Jakaj proposes that the value of contracts be updated now so that neither companies nor workers are financially damaged.

The government must take steps to review existing contracts between private companies and public institutions, including clauses reflecting the growth of the minimum wage, as this requirement is in accordance with the Public Procuration Law”, he says.

For Sylejman, employed as a physical guard at KKUK, it is of little importance who is to blame. He only hopes that he and his colleagues will be respected rights.

We're looking for what belongs to us. For what we meet, we're asking no one to give us”, he says. /Radio Europe Free