”Although the economy in Republika Srpska (RS) recorded good business results last year and this year, the rise in inflation that followed caused huge problems for everyone, both employers and workers, ” said Sasa Trivic, a President of the Union of Employers of RS.
He emphasized that during the past two years, there was an increase in exports, growth in wages, growth in budget revenues, etc., but that then there was an increase in prices of 5, 10, 20, 30 percent, etc.
“The situation with rising prices, not only of electricity but also of gas and oil, is causing us great problems. Employers find it very difficult to determine prices and the problem is how to overcome it all,” Trivic noted, adding that he hoped at least some of these problems will be reduced in the first half of 2022.
Trivic also spoke about the negotiations with the Federation of Trade Unions of RS on the minimum salary of 750 BAM, which have not been successful so far.
“What we are asking from both the Government and the Trade Union is that the lowest salary is linked to the growth of the average salary, so our economists have calculated that the salary should be 585 BAM,” said Trivic, adding that the lowest salary is not a real salary which one should receive, rather than a legal category.
He reminded that the lowest salary in the RS is currently 540 BAM, and stressed that it should be increased next year.
“It is known that in the last three years the salary in RS has been growing from 5 to 7 percent and we have projections that the average salary in RS next year should be from 1.020 to 1.050 BAM, which means that the lowest salary should be around 640-650 BAM, which I think is a satisfactory possibility, “ he told.
According to him, more and more people are leaving BiH, which could lead to the import of labor.
“The departure of the labor force will lead to the hiring of another labor force, and that is why we have been trying to send a message to employers for the last couple of years that we must technologically develop and provide conditions for higher salaries to stop the departure of the labor force,” Trivic explained, and added that the domestic labor force is always better than the imported one.
E.Dz.
Source: BHRT
