Bulgarian employers in Geneva: We support key priorities for us, aimed at sustainable employment and decent work

From 3 to 14 June 2024, the 112th regular session of the The International Labor Conference /ICT/ .

The conference is attended by tripartite delegations from the 187 member states of the Organization, including Bulgaria. The Association of Bulgarian Employers' Organizations /AOBR/ is represented by Evgeni Ivanov, executive director and member of the Board of KRIB, in his capacity as a delegate. The 112th session of the ICC focused on 3 important areas: fundamental principles and rights at work, biological hazards and decent work in the care sector. 

In his address to the participants in the session, made on June 5, the delegate of the Bulgarian employers Evgeniy Ivanov indicated: "The topics of the conference on the principles and rights in the workplace, decent work and the economy of care, as well as the definition of standards for protection against biological hazards , are important and relevant to us. Productivity and competitiveness of companies, digitalization and skills development, promotion of gender equality, non-discrimination, diversity and inclusion in the workplace are key priorities for employers aimed at creating sustainable employment and decent work".

The representative of the AOBR emphasized in his speech: "After the unprecedented crises of the last three years, the Bulgarian business, united in the Association of Bulgarian employers' organizations, proved that it can work well, continue to fulfill its mission and defend its positions in taking decisions stimulating the development of free entrepreneurship, business initiative and the market economy".

"In the past year, Bulgarian employers were faced with a serious challenge", pointed out Evgeniy Ivanov. "Although Bulgaria has ratified Convention 131 of the ILO, a mechanism for determining the minimum wage in accordance with the principles and criteria laid down in the convention has not yet been adopted. With the introduction of new rules for determining the minimum wage, in our opinion as employers, the procedure laid down in Directive (EU) 2022/2041 of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 19, 2022 regarding adequate minimum wages in the European Union has not been followed. As representatives of the business, we believe that the adopted model for determining the MRL replaces the goals and spirit of the directive and international standards, renders the social dialogue meaningless in the area of ​​MRL negotiation and erodes the role of the social partners on a key issue for them. True to our essence, we believe that in the upcoming consultations on a bipartisan basis, in a constructive dialogue with the representatives of the trade unions, we will achieve the necessary level of consensus in the correct transposition of the directive".