Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery Convention, 1928 (No. 26) - Slovakia (Ratification: 1993)

Article 3(2)(2) of the Convention. Consultations with the social partners. The Committee notes the adoption of the new Minimum Wage Act No. 663/2007 Coll. which provides for the annual revision of the national minimum wage taking into consideration the country’s overall social and economic situation in the preceding two calendar years, including the following factors: consumer prices, employment, average monthly wage and subsistence minimum. The Minimum Wage Act also modifies the minimum wage fixing process and now provides for direct negotiations of employers’ and workers’ representatives to start no later than 1 April each year for the amount of the minimum wage for the following calendar year. In case of agreement, the Minister of Labour submits the proposed amount in the form of a draft government regulation to the Economic and Social Council for its consideration. If the social partners fail to agree on the amount of the minimum wage, the Minister presents his own proposals to the Council. If the Minister’s proposals are not approved by the Council, the minimum wage for the next calendar year will be fixed at a level not lower than the amount of the current minimum wage multiplied by the annual growth index of the average monthly wage published by the Statistical Office. Moreover, the Committee understands that new legislation on tripartism was adopted in November 2006 replacing Act No. 106/1999 on Economic and Social Partnership and establishing the Economic and Social Council. The Committee requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the composition, powers and functions of the Economic and Social Council in matters related to minimum wage fixing. It would also appreciate receiving a copy of the 2006 legislation on tripartism and the rules of procedure of the Economic and Social Council.

Article 3(2)(3). Lower minimum wages on the basis of age or disability. The Committee notes with interest that the new Minimum Wage Act no longer provides for lower pay rates for young workers and workers with disabilities. The Government indicates that the elimination of differentiated minimum wage rates based on age or disability was decided in accordance with Act No. 365/2004 Coll. on equal treatment and protection against discrimination.

Article 5 and Part V of the report form. Application in practice. The Committee notes that according to the information provided by the Government, the national minimum wage is currently set at €327.20 per month and the number of employees remunerated at the minimum rate is estimated at approximately 1.5 per cent of the total number of employees. The Committee understands that despite annual increases since 2002, the minimum wage rate remains one of the lowest in the European Union and it represents approximately 40 per cent of the gross average monthly wage. The Committee requests the Government to continue supplying up-to-date information on the practical application of the Convention, including labour inspection results, statistics on the approximate number of workers remunerated at the minimum wage rate, as well as copies of official documents, such as activity reports of the Economic and Social Council and studies on the subsistence minimum or other relevant indicators.