The Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU) announced it is going to launch study on the wage matrix of private workers and press the government to legislate a minimum wage for private company employees.

CETU and Wage Indicator Foundation, an organization established in 2001 to contribute to transparent labor market for workers and employers jointly undertake the study.

The study will examine the wages of workers who are employed in various sectors. The study was initiated by private company employees who are displeased with some private companies who exploit their workers and pay unfair salary. They frequently posed request to the government to set a minimum wage limit.

There is a minimum wage rule for civil workers, which is currently 615 Birr.

Zerihun Alemu, Vice President of CETU told Capital the study will commend an appropriate wage for errands by classifying them by sectors and levels.

“A wage must be proportionate with the work done by the employee and it is important to keep in mind that all effort is required to build and improve our country’s economy. Investors need to understand that they can’t make profits without the workers. And workers can’t get salary without an employer.”

Around 90 percent of countries in the world have legislations that proclaim a minimum wage payment, International Labor Office states. Ethiopia comprises the rest 10 percent of nations that do not have such laws.

Source: Capital