New minimum wage agreement reached - 6% rise
NSCAG News |
on: Friday, 31 August 2012
Origional source: nicanet.org
On Aug. 23, representatives from labour, private business and the government agreed to a 6% rise in the minimum wage for ten sectors of the Nicaraguan economy to take effect on Sept. 1. For small handicraft and tourism businesses, the increase will be 4%. Salaries in free trade zone factories are agreed to in separate negotiations. Union leader Roberto Gonzalez of the Sandinista Worlers Central (CST) said that the salaries of agricultural workers were still much too low. “We have to make better adjustments when we meet again in January,” he said. Jose Adan Aguerri, however, insisted that job stability required that salaries not increase excessively. He was open to a review of the costs of the basket of basic goods as labor leaders have demanded. The unions asked Labour Minister Jeannette Chavez to convene the National Minimum Wage Commission to seek ways to prevent an increase in the prices of basic goods which often occurs after wages go up.
Even after the 6% increase, the minimun wage for farm workers will only be US$96 per month plus food. Workers in the country’s fisheries must be paid at least US$148 per month; mine workers US$174; commerce, restaurants, and hotel workers US$178; workers in construction US$217; and those employed by the national government or local governments must be paid at least US$121 per month.
