Macedonia Seeks To Boost Social Dialogue

The move is the first time in Macedonian democratic history that such a body has been established.

Vice Prime Minister Vladimir Pesevski said after signing an agreement between the three: “The Economic and Social Council will follow, study and assess the effect of economic policies on Macedonia's social stability and development and relevant regulations.

He expressed hope the partnership would boost workers' rights.
 
The Federation of Macedonia's Trade Unions, SSM, and Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Macedonia KSS, signed the deal on behalf of their members.
 
The leaders welcomed the establishment of the council, calling it "a historic act in applying social dialogue in Macedonia".

Feeling the effects of the global economic crisis, many Macedonian companies have already decreased production and export and sacked workers.

Many others, especially in the flagship metal and construction industries, say they are still under serious pressure to carry out more firings.

Commenting on the latest Eurostat report on the mounting unemployment rate in Macedonia, Pesevski said that measures were being taken for the economy to move in the right direction.

He said: “Unemployment dropped before the crisis, there was a period of stagnation during the crisis.

"As we are exiting the crisis, unemployment will start dropping. That is the goal of all our economic measures.”
 
Macedonia’s unemployment rate over the last two decades has stood at a record 33 per cent, with only slight variations over the period.
 
Since the country declared independence in the early 1990s, workers have been constantly complaining about the erosion of their rights.