Macedonia: heaven for investors - hell for workers

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  • DraganOfStip
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2011
    • 1253

    Macedonia: heaven for investors - hell for workers

    A story by Deutsche Welle (wasn't available in english so sorry for the bad Google Translate):
    Macedonia - a haven for investors, a nightmare for the workers!
    How to survive with a salary of 200 euros? Macedonians it can be achieved, but at what cost? Country where the economy is growing, unemployment decreases, wages are stagnating and workers mizeruvaat, is the story of Ripley.

    Thirty-year-old Goran since early dawn hurry to catch a bus factory daily travel to work. Velez lives in and runs about 60 miles away, near Kavadarci, where the plants are located in German "Draxlmaier." His skilled hands take care of the integrity of electronics "Mercedes". It assembles the parts for the luxury German brand which he said can only dream about. In reality barely makes ends meet.
    "Its hard, but you have to survive. I have no other choice. All day I am on foot in barely 180 euros. With weekends and holidays shrink more, but minimal. Physical subsist, but to tell you, mentally already ruined. Kills me that we are constantly under pressure to meet a certain standard, "says Goran.
    Goran is one of the few to testify about conditions in the factories of foreign investors in Macedonia and therefore his true identity reveal. The fear of losing their job is stronger than the need to publicly speak out about what is happening inside the production plants:
    "The conditions are pretty good, do not ask Germany, but at least something about. Here we began another summer and again in the plants do not have refrigeration. Air conditioners work only until 14 pm and then off. God forbid to be like last year when we worked in limbo and our people collapsed. To that saving really is a disaster, "says Goran DW, describing working conditions in the German factory in Macedonia.

    "Resist Psychic"
    Судбината на нашиот соговорник ја делат уште неколку илјади негови колеги. Не само во оваа фабрика, туку и во останатите раководени од странски, но и домашни инвеститори:
    "I am a single mother and I have to stay here, I have no choice but mentally already ruined. Consistently above my head stands controller and me pushed me and threatens me rip bonus for quality if not fulfill the norm, and believe me, few can fulfill, "witnesses told Deutsche Welle worker of" Johnson Controls ", a US firm which produces spare parts for cars.
    Unemployment in Macedonia last year declined, but still amounting to 25%, of which half are young people under 29 years of age. But because the cost of labor not only grew, but began to decline. Although according to the official statistics the average salary in the country is around 350 euros, 70% of employees are far below the average. In cities such as Stip and Kavadarci, employees working for foreign companies as "Draxlmaier" or "Johnson Controls" on average earn less than 250 euros a month, while often work extended hours, including Saturdays.
    As of 2015, killed at least five workers in German factory "Draxlmaier" said Macedonian NGO Civil. In the last reported case in June 2015, 50-year-old woman died at the plant while working in the night shift.
    "Draxlmaier" has maintained that as an international company has the same working standards throughout the world, which are defined in the "global social policy" of the company. "Draxlmaier Macedonia" function according to the same international standards, according to a written statement of the enterprise DW. In it adds that "for all employees organized free transportation, free hot meal and paid additional cash bonuses. In terms of standards for safety and health at work, the competent department in the company ensures the implementation of international standards in this area, and the application of domestic regulations. Clinic within the plant is available to employees 24/7, and every employee has provided special training for safety and health at work. " According to "Draxlmaier", "it is an important voice of the employee" who "represented by the Board of employees."

    Who is to blame?
    Survival in Macedonia is not simple. Employees can barely spend the month with a salary almost equal to the per diem that earns colleague of the stronger European economies.
    "There is no recipe. Simply how much to eat and pay utility bills. And not reach any of that, "said one middle-aged resident of Skopje.
    Macedonian government for years to promote the country as a haven for foreign investors, and as an asset directly cite low wages. Experts warn that the "success" of the story for foreign investment has crude price, which becomes a nightmare for workers:
    "As long as we have high unemployment we can not expect that we will have high salaries. It is the key problem of the Macedonian economy. And further that the unions are passive, "says Professor of Southeast European University in Tetovo, Zoran Ivanovski.
    Trade unions, most of which are under the direct control of the government, say they are not the only culprits in poor condition.
    "The very strategy of the government and promoters around the world is: go ahead in Macedonia will use cheap labor. It almost all foreign investors apply, and some even pay less than domestic firms, "said Pece Ristevski of the Union of Industry, Energy and Mining.

    Union pressure, according to him, dulls because of bad laws that protect employers, but also because of the pressure on workers carried out by foreign companies, which, it seems, do not apply Western standards when operating in countries outside the EU:
    "In many large companies can not trade union to join, here as in Draxlmaier found hundreds of workers, but faced with the fact they are giving up," warns Ristevski, alluding to the pressure made on the workers not to become members of the trade union.
    With an average GDP growth of almost 3%, the Macedonian economy is considered one of the fastest growing in the region. But according to European statistics, the citizens are the poorest in the standard which is only one third compared to the European average. According to the analysis by the World Bank of Macedonia will take at least three decades of continuous growth rate of 4.5% to reach the European average. Of course, provided that growth in the EU in the same period to nearly stagnate.
    The article in Macedonian: http://www.dw.com/mk/%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0...-4727-xml-mrss
    ”A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims... but accomplices”
    ― George Orwell
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