Government increases the base salary and the salary of journalists

Rafael Correa informs increase of salary

Since January 2013, the basic salary will be of $ 318 for all sectors, except for qualified journalists, which was set at $ 800, said the Ecuadorian President, Rafael Correa during his Saturday broadcast.

The president added that to raise $ 26 the salaries, it was taken into account the inflation of 5.05% and the productivity of the private sector reaching 3.76%. During 2012, the salary was $ 292. The President’s goal is to achieve a “living wage” of $ 368.37 for private workers, this would equate the cost of the basic food basket.

Industry representatives said they hope to bear the cost of the increase, although they believe that small and medium industries and businesses would suffer an impact. The concern of the business is because the wages are not set technically, according to the country’s productivity, workers will be hurt by lower profits, loss of their jobs and consumers with higher prices.

There is no relationship between the average wages of the average working class with the basic salary, for example a department head earns $ 800 and $ 318 a maid. So it will be impossible to hire the service.

Correa explained that the salary increase for the private sector was a measure taken unilaterally, for employers and employees did not reach an agreement.

The benefit will not be positive for anyone argued the businessman because “while wages go up the stairs, prices go up by an elevator.” It must be noted that over 50% of the economically active population is sub employed, they do not have a steady job with labor dependency and a large percentage of Ecuadorians are unemployed, so all this conglomerate, which receives no basic salary, will receive the impact of rising the cost of living.