Honduras in Protests for
Higher Wages
TEGUCIGALPA - Honduran Labor unions will
call for demonstrations and road blockades
if this week the government does not set a
minimum wage in line with the high cost of
living.
Secretary General of the Confederation of
Workers Jose Luis Baquedano criticized the
unwillingness of President Porfirio Lobo to
make a decision according to law.
"We will just wait this week for him to
decide once and for all, otherwise there is
no other alternative but to take to the
streets", declared Baquedano.
According to the legislation, it falls to
the government to fix the minimum wage when
negotiations on the issue fail between
unions and employers.
Although the three major labor unions eased
their position lowering the demand for
salary increase from 30 to 15 percent, the
private sector proposed only 3.7 percent.
Currently the minimum wage is 5.500 Lempiras
(US$ 291) for urban workers and 4.055 ($
214) for rural areas.
Figures are well below the indispensable to
pay the basic food basket, considered the
most expensive in the region, amounting to
US $324, according to a study by the
Consumer Network in Central America.
The trade unions plan to sue the State of
Honduras to the International Labor
Organization, if it does not enact the new
minimum wage. |
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