Philenews

Trade Unions Urge for Changes to Minimum Wage - Disappointed with Government and Seek Meeting with President

Published January 3, 2026, 05:06
Trade Unions Urge for Changes to Minimum Wage - Disappointed with Government and Seek Meeting with President

The trade unions SEK, PEO, and DEOK express strong dissatisfaction with the government's recent decisions regarding the minimum wage and are requesting an immediate meeting with the President of the Republic. They believe that the minimum wage decree does not meet the needs of workers and seek to discuss its amendment immediately. The trade unions point out that the government did not respond to their request for a meeting before the issuance of the decree, which intensified their disappointment. The memorandum they will submit to the President will include four key labor issues: the amount of the minimum wage, hourly compensation, the wage upon hiring, and the protection of workers' rights. In addition to the minimum wage, the trade unions will raise the issues of foreign workers, the extension of collective agreements, and the linking of public works to the implementation of collective agreements. They believe that the employer side is not implementing the agreements for foreign workers, leading to deregulation of the labor market. The trade unions do not want to wait until 2028, when the next review of the decree is scheduled, and are seeking immediate changes to improve working conditions and ensure workers' rights.