Alla impact stories
Improved conditions for Albanian sanitary workers
Throughout 2025, sanitary workers in Elbasan, Albania, have made meaningful progress in improving their working conditions. Supported by civil society organisations and trade union actors such as the Palme Center’s partner YREM, they have increased wages – through dialogue between workers, companies and local authorities – in an otherwise undervalued sector despite its essential role in society.Sanitary workers in Elbasan have long worked under poor conditions, with low wages and limited influence over their working conditions. Many of them belong to Roma and Egyptian minorities – and work in a sector that is often undervalued despite its crucial role in society.
Through organising and dialogue, workers, civil society organisations and trade union actors succeeded in improving conditions during 2025.
Mobilised workers improved conditions
The organisation Youth Roma and Egyptian Movement (YREM) brought workers together to document the problems and formulate joint demands for fair wages and better compensation for night work. Ahead of May Day, YREM brought together Elbasan municipality, sanitary companies and trade unions to discuss the situation.
The dialogue led to concrete results – waste transport workers’ pay rose of 12.5 percent, along with a pledge of a 37.5 percent increase for day work and 50 percent for night work for street cleaners.
The agreement means better incomes for sanitary workers and marks an important step towards stronger social dialogue between workers, companies and local authorities.
