He Minister of Labor and Social Security, Pablo Mieres, ruled out the possibility of a differential pattern for the coast when dealing with salary negotiations, considering that it is a mechanism “very difficult to establish”.
In any case, Mieres admitted in a dialogue with Channel 5 News that the reality of some sectors in the border with Argentina due to the exchange difference, which produces an important price gap.
The minister admitted that “The situation of the coast is very delicate” and stressed that “in the guideline presented the Executive Power establishes an exhortation”. However, he clarified that “there is no differential guideline because it is very difficult to determine who and how” will be included.
When delving into what the exhortation represents, he specified that it aims to “take into account the circumstances that the entire coast is experiencing, particularly the commercial for the problems of competitiveness with Argentina”. Along the same lines, she asked to “take into account that the unemployment rates in the coastal departments they are the highest”.
Regarding the exchange difference, the chief assured that “the magnitude of the difference in competitiveness is so great that it is no longer an issue that impacts only on the coast, but indirectly impacts other areas of Uruguay”.
And he considered that the Executive took several measures “but it is not enough, because the difference in competitiveness is enormous”. “It is a totally abnormal, distorted situation. It is enough to look at what is happening in the other countries bordering Argentina as Chile or Paraguay”, compared.
For Mieres, the Sunca agreement does not open the door to similar increases
On the other hand, Mieres referred to the salary increase for Sunca, above inflation. “He has a very important moment of growth, is a sector that had no loss in these moments that we live ”, he analyzed in principle.
For the minister, “It is a good signal that there is an agreement and that it be positive for both parties”. However, he made it clear that it does not mean that a door is opened for further negotiations. I don’t think it’s a reference for the rest of the activity group”, he stated.
“I believe that the guideline of the Executive Power is sensible and complies with the commitment assumed when we had to face a drop in the actual salary. It fulfills that commitment that we had assumed, which is to recover the purchasing power of wages to pre-pandemic levels”, stressed.
Source: Ambito
