site.btaCITUB Publishes Demands to Government for Urgent Action on Key Policies

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB) published on its website Friday its priorities in five areas and its demands to the new Government for urgent action on key policies. The position has been sent to the Council of Ministers and other institutions.

Their main demands in the area of economic and income policy are accelerated steps to join the euro area and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with the aim of reaching a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of at least 70% and compensation per employee at purchasing power parity (PPP) of at least 67% of the European average by 2027.

The Confederation also calls for the development of a methodology to formally measure a living wage along the lines of the International Labour Organization (ILO) definition adopted in 2024, to serve as a benchmark for annual income policy, etc.

Regarding the social security sector, CITUB believes that, according to the analyses of the pension system prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Economic and Social Council (ESC) respectively, legislative solutions should be discussed and identified with the social partners to increase its revenues, to remove the distortions of the contribution-entitlement principle and to increase the adequacy of pensions according to sustainable and fair criteria and rules.

Part of the demands of the trade unions are also to introduce specific measures to gradually close the gap between men's and women's pensions. In this regard, the findings for Bulgaria in the Pensions Adequacy Report of the Social Protection Committee and the European Commission and the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), above all on the imperative financial stabilization of the pension system, should be taken into account.

Part of the demands of the CITUB with regard to the green and digital transition are the updating of the national priorities and targets for energy transition and climate policies with the participation of the social partners - drafting of a position and active participation of the State in the processes of renegotiation of the European Green Deal that have been initiated, as well as active participation in the preparation of the new draft of the European Commission's Clean Industrial Deal, in coordination with the social partners; revision of the draft Energy Strategy 2030 with a vision to 2050 in line with the objectives of the updated Integrated National Climate and Energy Plan (INECP), identification of national priorities for low-carbon investments that can be funded under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Territorial Just Transition Plans, and preparation of a National Action Plan for a Just Transition to a Low Carbon Economy, developed on the basis of an in-depth socio-economic analysis of the implementation of the European Green Pact in Bulgaria.

On social dialogue, collective bargaining and the protection of fundamental rights, CITUB believes that there is a need to protect and strengthen trade union and workers' rights.

The Confederation believes that the following EU directives must be fully and effectively implemented: a directive on adequate minimum wages and the promotion of collective bargaining in the EU; urgent measures to increase the coverage of collective bargaining, including pay, for employees in all economic activities; the regulation in the Civil Servants Act of the right to collective bargaining for civil servants; the right to information and counselling of public servants; the right to representative clothing of employees working under employment contracts in public administrations.

With regard to the labour market, CITUB believes that the scope of work-based learning (the dual education and training system) should be expanded by supplementing quality vocational training places in line with the technological process, and high-tech centres for practical training, apprenticeships and traineeships should be set up on a regional basis with the involvement of the social partners. Expanding information, vocational and career guidance measures for in-demand occupations and for identifying individuals' talents, etc.