Ministry of Labor opens a debate for salary increase
The Minister of Labor will open a debate to deal with the voluntary salary adjustment recently suggested by the National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep).
Luis Miguel De Camps García reported that he sent letters to the Conep and to the different union centrals, through which he salutes their willingness to promote a wage adjustment for workers, while summoning them to a work meeting starting at 9 in the morning of the aforementioned date.
Through a letter addressed to Pedro Brache, president of Conep, the Minister of Labor said that, as the business body’s statement points out, post-pandemic global inflation has reduced the purchasing power of workers around the world.
The president of the National Central of Dominican Workers (CNTD), Jacobo Ramos, agrees with other of his colleagues that this meeting should be held within the National Salary Committee to give it legal status.
He advocated that this increase be between 20 and 25% and that it be possible in a general way, understanding that this has not happened for 20 years, including pensions.
“Hopefully the businessmen go with a flexible attitude and that it is not just a political will,” Ramos said.
In this sense, the president of the National Confederation of Trade Union Unity (CNUS), Rafael (Pepe) Abreu, suggests the signing of a wage agreement that goes beyond minimum wages. “The business community finally understands that, when it comes to inflation, it doesn’t matter what salary the worker earns, everyone is affected,” said the trade unionist.
On the international scene and its impact on the country, the head of the Ministry of Labor indicated that the government of Luis Abinader has taken “important” measures to reverse this impact of the global crisis, such as the adjustment of monetary policy, the approval of incentives to the productive sectors and the expansion of social programs, among others.
“However, and despite these measures, we understand that the best tool to guarantee the quality of life of workers is a fair real salary that allows them to face their needs with dignity,” added De Camps.
Related – Dominican business leadership suggests a wage adjustment
The minister of Labor pointed out that “we still have an important way to go to ensure that the real wages of Dominican workers reach levels of purchasing power that allow the consumption of all necessary goods and services, and that our land produces.”
With the aim of opening a space for discussion on the progressive increase in real wages, he reiterated the call for the convened meeting.
The industrial sector of the Dominican Republic agreed with what was proposed by Conep, which suggested that the employer sector carry out a voluntary wage adjustment.
Both the Association of Non-Alcoholic Beverage Industries of the Dominican Republic (Asibenas) and the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) approved Conep’s suggestion.
We welcome the call. We really see that it is very positive, taking into account that less than a year ago one of the largest salary increases in recent years was made in the National Salary Committee,” said Celso Juan Marranzini, president of the AIRD.
In July 2021, President Luis Abinader announced an average increase of 24.2% in the minimum wage for private sector workers.
On his side, Juan Roberto Amell, president of Asibenas, said that the sector he represents adheres to Conep’s suggestion. “Our partners have been proactively making (salary) adjustments to try to mitigate the impact that inflation has had on our employees directly,” he said.