Labor rights going out the window in Venezuela. Minimum wages for everyone... except military!

[GatoGordo]

Trade unions denounce that salary will end with collective agreement
Include in the minimum salary of 1,800 sovereign bolivars the bonuses earned by public employees since February is a setback for labor rights, leaders warned



By ANA DÍAZ | [e-mail]
SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 07:05 AM | UPDATED ON SEPTEMBER 06, 2018 07:22 AM

The 345 collective agreements of the public sector are in danger of disappearing as a result of the government's policy of imposing the same salary on all workers in the country, union leaders said in connection with the statements of the Minister of Communication, Jorge Rodríguez. On Tuesday, after the meeting of the council of ministers, said: "Even the highest salary of the most favorable collective contract, will never get to exceed the minimum wage in this new table." He said that a single table will govern the entire public administration.

"The government gives a blow to collective bargaining and the salary table of the public administration," said Marlene Sifontes, coordinator of the Defense of Employment, Salary and Trade Union Front.

He added that the instructions of human resources of the public agencies came with instructions on salary scales that significantly detract from the benefits achieved in years of struggle for workers. According to the document, the bonuses that civil servants had earned since February were included in the salary, while the salary scale that prevails since September 1 of this year was flattened, which cancels the important 50% increases between each level and from the second section in force since July.

Sifontes indicated that the salary differences between each level of the table are very small. High school graduates or administrative personnel I, II and III will earn between 1,800 and 1,908 sovereign bolivars per month and senior university technicians I, II and III from 2,178 to 2,412 bolivars, and for university professionals I, II and III scales of 2,430 to 2,790 sovereign bolivars.

In the case of the workers it is established that the supervisors, the highest level, will earn a maximum of 2,313 bolivars and, at the lowest level of the scale, the unskilled will receive between 1,800 and 1,827 sovereign bolivars.

The trade unionist warned that the government intends to impose in all state agencies the conditions of the collective contract framework of the public sector, whose benefits are far below the collective agreements and sectoral agreements.

Union leaders of the basic companies of Guayana, who asked not to mention their names, stressed that the workers are outraged by the announcement made by government representatives in a meeting with the staff of Aluminios del Caroní, Alcasa, about the intention to pay a salary egalitarian.

"In the gates of the basic industries, assemblies are held to reject the egalitarian salary that the government intends to impose and ignore the rights of the Constitution and the Organic Labor Law. We will not tolerate this new outrage, "said one of the sources.

"We are not going to allow the new minimum wage of 1,800 bolivares to be governed by the collective contracts of state entities, especially the electric sector whose discussion was suspended by the employers 24 days ago," said Reinaldo Díaz, union leader. of workers of the Greater Caracas.

Employees of the National Electric Corporation protested in the Ministry of Labor to demand the resumption of negotiations of the 2018-2019 contract, of which economic clauses that exceed the new minimum wage have already been approved, since the 12-level tabulator ranges from 1,800 to 5,135 , 61 sovereign bolivars.

On the food ticket indicated that what was agreed with Corpoelec is above the 180 bolivares per month set by the Executive. "That amount does not even cover 3 meals in a month," said Díaz.

http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/economia/sindicatos-denuncian-que-salario-acabara-con-convencion-colectiva_250679

Another win for Bolivarian Socialism?

Maduro has insulated his military from such egalitarian cuts, mostly because he gave them PdVSA, the state oil company. Though that may not last the month, with the shutdown of Amuay, their biggest refinery.