Government will define salary increase

Yesterday, the second and final meeting of the National Wages Council (Conades for its Spanish acronym) was held with the objective of increasing the 2013 Unified Basic Salary (SBU for its Spanish acronym).

From left to right: Xavier Estupiñan and Ximena Cobos from the Ministry of Employment Relations, representative of employers Luis Poveda and representative of workers Pablo Serrano.

Pablo Serrano, representative of the unions in the Conades, explained that their proposal of increasing 20% of the SBU, has been rejected for the second time.

On his behalf, Luis Poveda, representative of the employers in the Conades, proposed an increase of 5.05%, which equals $ 14.75, based on the projected inflation rate and factors such as the third and fourth tenths salaries and reserve funds.

Serrano said in response that the basic salary and the compensations are different things. “The first is what is perceived over a well done job. The salary is part of the remuneration and includes benefits entitled to the worker by law, “he said.

After an hour and a half of talks, the meeting achieved no consensus between workers and employers, therefore, it was decided that the Minister for Employment Relations, Francisco Vacas, must set up an increase of the SBU (currently $ 292) before December 31.