Fico: People's Unwillingness to Work Biggest Problem of Poor Regions
Lipany, June 9 (TASR) – The biggest problem of districts with high unemployment is people’s unwillingness to work, but it also needs to be considered that such low motivation may be due to low salaries, said Prime Minister Robert Fico on day two of his working visit to Presov region on Friday.
According to Fico, growth in the minimum wage should partly resolve the situation, apart from dual education and the retraining of people whose education makes it difficult for them to find jobs.
Fico was speaking at a press briefing following a tour of Lipany-based textile company Odeva, which produces uniforms, for example. Earlier in the day, he visited furniture producer Sanas in the town of Sabinov.
“We shouldn’t consider the problem of a lack of skilled labour force only through the lens of large companies. We must also take small firms into account. I’d be pleased not to go only via dual education, let’s also walk the path of other tools … We were told here [at Odeva] clearly that they wouldn’t even need dual education so much as a centre to retrain people. They told us the same at Sanas. This was a new experience for me. There’s a rule that when it comes to men, everyone who wants to find a job, will find one. I’m sorry to keep hearing ever more frequently that employers face many cases of people simply not wanting to work, however,” said Fico, adding that another problem for employers is low labour productivity among some people whose actual performance isn’t even worth the minimum wage.
