Private Sector Unions
Looking For A 10%
Minimum Wage Hike
The process of
negotiating private
sector employee minimum
salary for the second
half of 2008 will begin
June 16, with the
petition by the private
sector employees unions
who will be looking for
a 10% salary hike for
their members.
The government will then
make its proposal known
after employers have
laid out their proposal.
Pablo Carvajal,
secretary of the Consejo
Nacional de Salarios,
said he expects the
government's call to the
negotiation table next
week so that
negotiations can begin
the following week.
Although the negotiation
talks have not yet
begun, union leaders
assure that the minimum
salary wage increase
should be at least 10%
to offset the
unstoppable increasing
costs of goods and
services.
Albino Varagas,
secretary general of the
Asociación Nacional de
Empleados Públicos y
Privados (ANEP) said
that the 10% is to keep
pace with inflation,
supported by the
comments of Costa Rican
president, Oscar Arias,
during his May 1 speech.
Vargas said that this
will be an opportunity
to test the government's
support of the workers.
"The presentation of the
government's position
will test the
seriousness of the
government towards
workers, because we
already know that the
employers proposal will
be be rickety", said
Vargas.
The minimum wage
increase will take
effect on July 1. |
