With the argument that formal wages have not lost purchasing power despite the escalation of inflation in recent months, the government rejected again the alternative of having lump sum contain the impact of price addition, despite strong pressure from Kirchnerism for this measure and the demand launched by the CGT leadership for a improvement of the income of municipal workerswhich are below the minimum wage of $80,342.
the minister of labour, Kelly Olmoshas again been instructed to close the door on the K increase so that a flat-rate wage increase is available by decree for all workers.
Administration official Alberto Fernández justified this determination with the income of regular workers in the public and private sectors it has not lagged behind in the face of accelerating inflation. And he underlined that, in the case of provincial or municipal workers, the decision of any recomposition rests with governors and mayors.
“It is not with greater nominality that we will solve this problem. And to assume that with a single measure the situation can be resolved is wrong.“Olmos assured in radio statements.
In this sense, the minister differentiated the reality of regular workers who negotiate their increases in mixed companies, a universe of about 6.5 million, from the panorama faced by those who work in the informal sector or in the municipal public sector .
“In the formal sector we are following it month by month. According to the agreements signed on March 31st it has not lost against inflation. On average, we’re in the same situation as December, and that’s been achieved with deals that have fixed percentages or amounts, like Commerce, which has included a fixed amount to offset that,” he said.
And he underlined that in the case of the municipals “they depend on local governments to fix the problem because the nation has no competition“.
“Here there is not only the desire that wages not be the adjustment variable, it cannot be resolved with decrees,” Olmos insisted. And while underlining that “many mayors have reacted” and granted increases to their staff, he warned that in municipalities where there have been no improvements “it should be resolved politically by the votersin the next elections.
In addition to rejecting the proposals of Kirchnerism for the general flat rate, on this last point the position of the Executive also clashes with the requests of the CGT.
He union board of directors will meet this Thursday for the first time this year to support the preparations for the event to be held on May 1st with the aim of asking the Government for urgent measures to contain the impact of inflation and the economic and social crisis on workers and on the most vulnerable sectors.
In that program, the requirement of some redeployment scheme for municipal workers forms a central point. The leader Héctor Daer, one of the members of the triumvirate of the CGTE leadership, transmitted it in recent days when he stressed that “some instrument must be generated that establishes a minimum value of workers’ income, but it cannot be done in the Salary Council because one ends up arguing against the State itself the resources of the State».
The trade unionist indicated that from the plant “we are discussing” this problem with the government because, according to what he said, there are municipal workers who receive salaries of 60,000 dollars, i.e. below the minimum, decent and mobile wage.
“They are workers who carry out tasks, keep schedules. You have to try to establish a minimum value and especially in a situation where inflation, the product of speculation on the problems we have in the macroeconomy, has the values it does, ” remarked the trade unionist .
Source: Clarin
