“We have not yet emerged from the recession, we must continue to grow for 6 months,” said Alfonso Bustamante, president of Confiep

—Will private unions return to the CNT?

—We are members of the CNT, which was deactivated almost two years ago due to a measure that the coup leader Castillo and his Minister of Labor pushed through without the tripartism that is required. There have been attempts to reactivate it and one of the agreements was to call ordinary sessions, now we have been summoned in an extraordinary manner. [12 de agosto]. Well, we are fully willing to go, but we maintain that DS 001 and 014 must return to the debate, otherwise it makes no sense.

—The increase in the RMV has been put on the agenda for this year. What do you think?

—The discussion on the RMV is technical because it can affect competitiveness if it is done at a high rate. In the case of formal private sector companies, medium and large companies are far above. However, for small and micro companies, which fight against bureaucracy in labor matters, an anti-technical decision that does not correspond with the productivity of the worker and with political slogans like this will surely take them out of the formal market.

—But President Dina Boluarte has already promised an increase for this year. Is this a good time?

—It is too important an issue to make light announcements about the increase. For a country to come out of recession it needs to have at least 6 months of economic growth, something we have not yet had. Technically, we are still in recession.

—So, what should be discussed on this subject within the CNT?

—The objective of a possible discussion of the RMV in the CNT, beyond saying whether it will be raised by S/100 or S/200 (either of those is a ‘Turkish auction’) is to generate the criteria so that the employer, worker or State sector will never have to consult again on the increase, and that a formula will be followed so that it will be adjusted over time. There will be no one who can complain, nor will the State be able to use it as a populist tool to the detriment of the economy and small businesses.

—Will you try to resume the debate on these decrees before reviewing the RMV formula?

—These decrees are being tried in court. Even the ILO had to intervene because tripartism was broken. What we asked from the beginning was that these decrees be repealed, then we were more flexible and proposed that they be discussed. So, when the CNT is reinstated, it will be the first thing we have to do, we have to follow an order and it is on the agenda request. It will not be possible to see the minimum wage before, but I trust that we will review everything.

—What role does the MTPE play in this case?

—The fundamental role of the MTPE must be fulfilled, which is not to legislate for the 25% of workers [formales]but for 100%. But the Government has not said that it will resume the debate on the formula, but that it will raise the minimum wage before the end of the year. I think that the president has not measured the consequences of her words, so we will present the impact that an anti-technical measure will generate on small businesses. The role should be that of a ministry of employment, not of unemployment.