Raise to $ 425 the unified basic salary was ratified after a meeting of the Labor and Wages Council

A few minutes ago the last meeting of the National Council of Work and Wages ended, which had been called for this Monday at noon. In this meeting between the representatives of the workers and employers only The decision made by the President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, to increase the basic unified salary (SBU) from $ 400 to $ 425 was ratified, as the president himself had announced last week.

The Minister of Labor, Patricio Donoso, explained that the meeting was held to inform workers and employers of the provision issued by President Lasso in Decree 286 of December 13. And it also indicates that when it is known that there is no agreement between the parties, then a ministerial agreement will be signed to ratify the increase.

The minister Donoso said that this will be issued until tomorrow. When asked about the discomfort of the employer sector due to the increase considered anti-technical, I confirm that this increase will not generate job losses and rather workers with greater liquidity will buy goods and services from those who produce them.

In accordance with Rodrigo Gómez de la Torre, representative of the employers, the president’s decision that has been a political and not a technical fact, and that was already announced last week, left no room for any further dialogue. For this reason, at this meeting the parties considered themselves informed of said decision.

Meanwhile, Édgar Sarango, representative of the workers, explained that what happened this afternoon was the ratification of the Government’s decision that had the support of his sector, because somehow this goes on the route of improving the salary until it reaches the salary of dignity.

Both Gómez de la Torre and Sarango explained that the issue of the sector tables was not discussed and that at the moment there would no longer be time for it. In this sense, it was indicated that the most probable thing will be that the ministry establishes the increases for the various sectors, based on a percentage increase.

The minister Donoso clarified that until Wednesday the decisions inherent to the sectoral commissions or tables will be made. He said that they will be in accordance with the decision of the new salary and the ministerial agreement that is about to be issued. That is, the 21 commissions will have a salary increase of 6.25%.

In any case, Gómez de la Torre said that at this Council meeting it has also been clear that this Tripartite entity is in charge and supported by international organizations to deal with labor policy issues. In this topic, one of the most important aspects has to do with how to generate more jobs and a possible labor reform.

The government has said that a possible labor reform would be presented in 120 days, after extensive social dialogue. (I)