Protests blocked Sofia today. Three of them were organized by the "Podkrepa" trade union as part of the ongoing demonstrations demanding a salary increase and better working conditions for administrative employees, Nova TV reported.
The National Federation "Agriculture and Forestry" of the trade union gathered for a protest rally in front of the Council of Ministers.
Regardless of the length of service – around and over 30 years, the salary of a chief specialist is 1,169 leva, which increases to around 1,500. This is a pure remuneration, but all – junior, senior and chief experts – do not exceed these remunerations.
Kamelia Petkova from the Regional Directorate „Agriculture“ – Kyustendil said that their salaries are scheduled to increase by 5% from January 1 next year. "This is the measure for the entire state administration. I work in the Municipal Service "Agriculture" – Kyustendil as an expert and I can say that our salaries since 2009 have been increased by minimal percentages, planned for the state administration in general", the woman explained.
And she added: "We are the lowest-paid administration. Until now, we have also been the most invisible, the quietest. And in fact, no matter how much society thinks that the administration is not working, we are one of the busiest. Our work is year-round, campaigning, intensive, often conflicting and associated with many restrictions on free time for family and even for using vacation".
The protesters emphasized that the increase in their salaries "should be many times". "But for now, we want at least the agreement of the structure with the Minister of Agriculture and Food for a 20% increase in salaries from July 1st and then - another 20% from January 1st to be implemented. So that our salaries can more or less come closer and become comparable to those in other administrations", Petkova pointed out.
„There is a huge imbalance between the different administrations. For some, there cannot be more than 20% double-digit numbers, and for others this year there was not even 5%. At 1,500 leva, 5 per cent is how much”, said the chairwoman of the National Committee "Agriculture and Forestry" at the "Podkrepa" CT, Anelia Ivanova.
„I wonder how to earn extra money. I am looking for a job in another field. I want to develop in this, but if they don't increase our salaries, I will have to look for other livelihoods”, emphasized Anton Nakev from the Regional Directorate “Agriculture“- Kyustendil.
Around 12 o'clock, the Medical Federation “Podkrepa” also protested against the lack of an adequate policy on the incomes of those employed in the “Healthcare” sector. It is being held in front of the National Assembly. The union insists on measures to overcome the personnel crisis in all units of the national health system and for a mechanism that would guarantee a real, effective, long-term and consistent increase in salaries.
Their request is that medical specialists from schools and kindergartens should not be left out of the mechanism according to which the salaries of medical specialists reach 1,550 euros. According to them, about 7,000 people are outside this mechanism.
The Employment Agency, the Executive Agency "General Labor Inspectorate" and the Social Assistance Agency, held a joint protest at 12:30 p.m. on "Knyaz Alexander Dondukov" 3 Blvd. It was organized by the Administrative Employees' Union "Podkrepa".
At the same time, protests were also held throughout the country in front of the territorial structures of the agencies.
In Burgas, demonstrations organized by the "Podkrepa" union were held in front of two state institutions — the Labor Bureau and the Labor Inspectorate. Employees of both structures are demanding an increase in salaries so that they are in line with their growing commitments and inflation, as well as to guarantee better working conditions. they demanded a 20 percent increase in their salaries.
Both protests coincided with lunch breaks so as not to interfere with serving citizens.
"We are extremely dissatisfied with the monthly salaries we receive. Our qualifications and the work required of us do not correspond in any way to our monthly salaries", says Violeta Zheleva from the Executive Agency for Environment and Water in Burgas.
"Junior experts only receive 1,600 leva, senior experts 1,800 leva, and senior experts 1,700 leva. This is extremely low, well below the average salary in Bulgaria," explained Valentina Mihaleva, who is from the same agency.
"The turnover is high. "We have cases where an employee starts working and within 2 months no longer wants to work for us because the work is too much and the remuneration he receives is not worthy of him," commented Leda Khvoineva from the Burgas Labor Office.