Bulgaria - Social workers secure wage increases after months of protests - October 31, 2024

Following months of protest actions and strikes by social workers and the union of administrative workers Podkrepa, the Social Assistance Agency has implemented a significant wage increase for its workers. The increase follows a two-stage methodology, where wages were first adjusted to meet average rates by position, followed by an additional fixed-amount raise. As a result, the average salary for social workers now exceeds BGN 2,100 (€ 1,074), marking an increase of over 20%. Importantly, the wage adjustment is retroactive, with new rates effective from 1 July 2024. Newly appointed social workers will start at no less than BGN 1,400 (€ 716), a rise of BGN 400 (almost € 204) compared to previous levels.

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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.