Minimum wage up by 15%

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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The unions and private sector have grudgingly agreed on a 15% salary increase for workers earning the minimum wage. I say 'grudgingly' because the unions wanted more, the employers less, and the unions also wanted a salary increase to extend to all workers earning under RS$30,000 per month. The National Salaries Commission only has the authority to rule on the minimum wage, however.

One union leader, Rafael Abreu, did not agree with the decision and left the meeting.

Diario Libre Online
http://dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=23659

Although officially this only applies to minimum wage earners - DR1ers resident in the DR - do you plan to increase your employees' wages as a result? Gardeners, maids, drivers, "guachiman" and other low wage earners?

On February 26 2007, DR1 news reported:
Basic foods up 10.8%
The cost of the basic family food basket has climbed by 10.8% over the last two years, and is currently pegged at RD$18,189.43, Even with the last offer of a 9.30% increase in the minimum wage, the most a minimum wage earner can make in the private sector would be RD$6,996.20 per month. Since 2000, the cost of basic foodstuffs has gone up from RD$7,540 to RD$18,021 in December 2006. According to Central Bank indicators, even with the 30% increase in the minimum wage that workers' unions are requesting, the highest paid minimum wage job holder would only bring home RD$8,320.

Today's Diario Libre says:
A partir de ahora, el salario m?nimo de RD$3,900 pasar? a RD$4,485; el de RD$4,400 ser? de RD$5,060, y el de RD$6,400 subi? a RD$7,360 mensuales.

Mods - as this could turn into a heated debate about the rights and wrongs of paying local rates, or a contest about who treats their workers better, may I ask that we avoid this by keeping to percentages rather than pesos?
 

Malibook

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Jan 23, 2002
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www.yourtraveltickets.com
They should apply this to all restaurant workers and get rid of that confusing and irritating 10% service tax.
Higher base prices would be better than this tax which is often mistakenly treated as a tip.
 
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Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Chiri, the article says there was an agreement to increase salaries above the minimum by 5%

"Para los dem?s niveles salariales por encima del m?nimo, los sindicalistas y empresarios firmaron un segundo acuerdo que compromete a los patronos a realizar a partir de este mes ajustes utilizando como indicador de referencia un 5 por ciento. "

I know the Commission is supposed to be for only minimum salary, but this seems to have been part of the package.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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According to the Listin Diario, other salary levels up to RD$30,000 get a 5% increase.

El CNS aprueba alza de 15 por ciento al salario m?nimo y 5% hasta $30,000
9:45 PM SANTO DOMINGO.- La presidenta del Comit? Nacional de Salarios (CNS), Gloria Henr?quez, dej? abierta la sesi?n para anunciar que ?lleg? a feliz t?rmino? el proceso de discusi?n en torno a un aumento: 15% para el salario m?nimo y 5% hasta los $30,000. La cr?nica sobre lo que suceder?a estaba escrita y la representaci?n del Consejo de la Unidad Sindical (CNUS) opt? por abandonar el sal?n, porque, seg?n ellos, ?no ser?an parte del acto donde se anunciar?a lo pactado con los empresarios?.
 

lexi

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Jan 23, 2007
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What does the "Basic family food basket" mean? Is that average groceries for a month?

Sorry, I haven't heard this used before.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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Consumer basket - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The basket of consumer goods or consumer basket is the market basket intended for tracking the prices of consumer goods and services, i.e., it is a sample of goods and services, offered at the consumer market. The consumer basket is the base for the definition of the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The list used for such an analysis would contain a number of the most commonly bought food and household items. The variations in the prices of the items on the list from month to month give an indication of the overall development of price trends.

The market basket may be further classified into Household Items, Personal Goods and Services, Tobacco, Leisure Goods, Households Services, Housing, Alcoholic Drinks and other categories, depending on the country's survey.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
Although officially this only applies to minimum wage earners - DR1ers resident in the DR - do you plan to increase your employees' wages as a result? Gardeners, maids, drivers, "guachiman" and other low wage earners?

If our cleaning lady were dependent on the DR Govt. getting its act together or the various bodies arriving at consensus, her position would not be a good one. :ermm:

I increase wages by 10% annually, have done each year for the past 12 years. I choose to do so each January since people always seem to have a bit of a shortfall after Xmas. So no, this agreement reached will have no bearing on what I do at all.