Employees of the National Social Security Institute (NSI) in Burgas went on strike demanding that the state budget for 2026 provide for a salary increase of at least 20%.
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Against the backdrop of the situation in the country, this may seem like a lot, but the workload and the volume of work we perform - during working hours and overtime - require it, commented Spaska Dimitrova, chair of the trade union organization of employees in NSI - Burgas to the Confederation of Labor "Support", reported BTA correspondent in Burgas Stanimir Dimitrov.
According to her, the negative public image of the employees in the institution is unfair. Dimitrova also rejected the claims of a "bloated administration" in the institute.
"We don't have enough staff. Turnover is huge. Colleagues are constantly leaving, sometimes two or three at once," she said, specifying that there are no vacant positions in the local structure of the Social Security Institute in Burgas. Dimitrova added that it is precisely the lack of staff that leads to the need to work overtime, which is almost never paid.
157 employees work in NSI - Burgas. The net monthly salaries of the experts are between 1600 and 1800 leva. Senior experts receive about 1890-1900 leva. "The bonuses are about 200 leva per month, far from the claims of thousands," Dimitrova also said.
The trade unions insist on linking the pay to the workload and the real volumes of work, as well as on taking measures to retain staff in the system. The protest also emphasized that employees of the Social Security Institute do not receive a salary supplement in the form of a percentage for acquired work experience and professional experience.