Bajrami criticizes treatment of private-sector workers: Public sector receives a 13th-month salary, while private-sector workers lack even the minimum wage

LDK MP Hykmete Bajrami has reacted to the strike by school technical staff, criticizing the failure to implement the minimum wage for private-sector employees.

In a Facebook post, she said that school technical staff employed by private companies under contracts with municipalities are still paid 390 euros a month. This is despite the gross minimum wage of 500 euros taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Bajrami called on the Central Labor Inspectorate to intervene against companies that are not implementing the minimum-wage decision.

“If companies cannot afford the additional costs resulting from the government’s decision, they should contact their contracting authority and request changes to their contracts. But contractual difficulties must never be resolved at workers’ expense, and the Inspectorate should not allow this situation,” Bajrami said.

She also criticized the disparity in the treatment of public- and private-sector employees, noting that around 130 million euros had been allocated for the 13th-month salary for public-sector employees.

“Through the budget review, the government allocated around 130 million euros for the 13th-month salary in the public sector, while the workers who clean our children’s schools do not even receive the minimum wage. The government must ensure its decisions are implemented, municipalities must be held accountable for the contracts they have signed, and private companies must respect workers’ rights. The minimum wage is not a privilege or a choice: it is a legal obligation and must be implemented by everyone,” Bajrami wrote.