Serbia’s labour costs lowest in Europe, much below the EU average

The average labour cost in Serbia is about €5 per hour per person, which is almost five times less than in EU member states, where the average cost is about €30.5 – putting Serbia at the very bottom of the European list, according to calculations from the trade union Sloga.

Gross employee wages, hot meals, daily allowances and holiday allowances, costs of going to and from work, paid days for public holidays, taxes and social contributions paid by the employer to the state, as well as its expenses for professional training and education of workers and other expenses were all taken into account when calculating average labour costs in Serbia.

Labour costs in Serbia were, on average, the lowest among European countries, with workers “trapped in the clutches of poverty, low hourly wages and injustice”, the union added.

Given the alarming data, Sloga points out the urgent need for Serbia to join the European Union as fast as possible, as faster integration would enable access to funds and policies that would support economic growth and development while promoting social cohesion and better working conditions for all citizen – conditions that would stop so many people from the leading the country.

Investment in education, professional development of workers and social benefits are key for growth and economic stability to ensure better working conditions, fair wages, and respect for workers’ rights, emphasised Sloga.

Otherwise, Serbia will remain an “Eldorado” for bad employers and import cheap labour with elements of trafficking, and the population will continue to leave the country due to growing poverty, the union also said.

(Tamara Milošević Grbić / EURACTIV.rs)