Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania (KSSH) promote the World Day for Decent Work, 2017

As every year, in the framework of promoting the 7 October, the World Day of Work, the Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania (KSSH) in cooperation and co-financing with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the three Swedish Trade Unions Confederation: LO, SACO and TCO, (within the Union to Union campaign) organized a National Conference under the slogan " Decent wages, decent pensions" at 10:00 am at the National Museum Hall in Tirana.

The President of KSSH, Mr. Kol Nikollaj, emphasized that while the main emphasis of this international day is work, in Albania the work for some years has been a wound of society, which has forced Albanians to leave their country with the lost hope of having or find a job. It is therefore necessary for the Albanian political class not to play with empty promises for jobs, but to work for attracting foreign investment seriously as the only way to generate new jobs, calculating and declaring the living minimum, decent wages and pensions, a minimum wage increase of up to 30%, which if they are achieved will make possible the economy’s orientation towards poverty reduction and growth of prosperity.

In this context, President Nikollaj, on behalf of the KSSH leadership and membership has made a strong criticism of the entire Albanian political class, in the position and the opposition, demanding to be serious and to be more committed with the real problems of the people, to improve, grow economically and become with hight standarts for become part of the European Union, Albania and the Albanian Workers.

Taking into account the most urgent needs of the Albanian employees, KSSH has decided to undertake a one-year campaign not only for increasing the awarness, but also activein taking action, which will be in three pillars:
- decent wages and real collective agreements
- increase the minimum wage to 28 000 lekë within the year
- approval of the status of miners and metallurgists

To promote this campaign, KSSH stretches out its hand and seeks the co-operation of the whole society, especially the sister trade unions, employers organizations, civil society, political parties and especially the media as the fourth and irreplaceable power to promote such campaigns.

Speakers at the panel, but also participants in this conference were Mr. Arlind Qori, as a representative of the University of Tirana, Imelda Kulari, as a representative of the Women’s Network of KSSH, Mr. Taf Koleci, as representative of the Federation of Industry of Albania and requests of Albanian miners and metallurgists, Mr. Zhulieta Harasani, as representative of the ILO office in Tirana, Mr. Genci Lamllari, as representative of FES office in Tirana, as well as representatives from employers’ organizations.