Moldovan trade unions confederation demands that parliament provides for resources to increase minimum salary in 2017 state budget law
15:22 | 14.12.2016 Category: Social
Chisinau, 14 December /MOLDPRES/ – The National Trade Unions Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) requires Parliament to provide the draft Law on State Budget for 2017 the financial resources necessary to ensure the minimum salary increase to subsistence level and a further establishing its report 50 per cent of the average wage.
The minimum wage has not been changed since October 2014 when it was established in the amount of 1,000 lei, although according to the law, the Government, together with employers and unions, should examine at least once a year, an increase of the minimum wage, tells CNSM’s statement sent to parliament.
According to trade unions, it is imperative to increase the minimum salary as far as since 2014 consumer price index rose by about 19.0 per cent and subsistence by 8.8 per cent, following the minimum wage covers only 55.0 per cent of it.
At the same time, in 2016 it was not reduced tax burden on personal income, personal exemptions size remained at the level of previous years.
As such, in 2016 there was an increase in the minimum guaranteed wage in the real sector up to 2100 lei and thus was created a gap more than doubled between minimum guarantees in the real sector and the budget, also note the unions.
The minimum wage in the country "would increase the motivation of work of over 107 thousand employees in the public sector, salaried under unique tariff Network, most of which, over three years, did not receive salary increases, salaries depending on the amount being from 1,000 lei to 1,500 lei." Trade Unions consider it unacceptable that the current level of the minimum wage remains close to the minimum old age pension which, starting from 1 April 2016 is 948.84 lei.
The minimum wage in Moldova, in comparison to the countries in the region, is the smallest – only about 46 euros. For example, in Romania, the gross minimum wage is 277 euros, in Russia – 117 euro, in Ukraine – 58 euros and will be doubled from the beginning of 2017, reads the statement. CNSM refers to EU recommendations, addressed to all countries facing rising unemployment and poverty, to increase the minimum wage to the level of 60 per cent of the average wage.
(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)