CARACAS.- It was announced in Venezuela an increase in the minimum income of public administration workers by adjusting the Economic War Bonus from $30 to $60an amount that, together with the $40 that the Maduro regime currently pays for basketticket, totals an amount of $100 per month.
“We created a mechanism that has proven to be successful, relevant and sustainable over time: the indexed comprehensive minimum income. The $100 of the minimum income will be $60 of the economic war bonus and $40 of the basket ticket,” said Nicolás Maduro in his annual message to the National Assembly.
At first there was a lot of confusion because it was thought that the amount of the non-salary figure of the basketticket had been increased, however very quickly in the media and on the networks the point was clarified. Only the Economic War bonus was increased, which does not benefit everyone equally and, for example, the amount of this additional remuneration for pensioners was not specified either.
Once again, the adjustment is made without even taking into account the minimum wage and only modifying the bonuses that do not generate an impact on labor liabilities. In fact, the amount of Bs 130 ($3.2) that continues to constitute the legal minimum wage was not even mentioned, through which the salary tables, bonuses and other benefits enshrined in the law and collective contracts are defined.
As if that were not enough, the basket ticket that private companies are obliged to pay did not experience any change, so the “increase” will only have an impact on public sector workers, who will see their income grow by $70 per month ($30 Economic War and $40 basket ticket) to $100 ($60 Economic War and $40 basket ticket) an increase in income of 42.8%, reported the newspaper Tal Cual.
The Maduro regime announced that a “major plan” is being prepared to improve social benefits, vacation packages and support for workers’ children, but did not offer further details about these mechanisms.
What happened to the salary in Venezuela?
The Chavismo narrative seems to have chosen to stop using the concept “salary”, since Maduro emphasized that this adjustment had an impact on the comprehensive minimum income. The legal minimum wage is not indexed to the dollar and the amount of Bs 130 has not been modified since March 2022, that is, 22 months ago. Since that moment, labor rights have been subject to calculations with a ridiculous base that is equivalent to little more than $3.
In this way, now the economic war bonus represents 58% of the total income of Venezuelans, the baskettickets (food tickets) 39% and the salary only 3%. Where there is cohesion of the “benefit” it is the latter: the minimum wage that everyone receives equally.
This distribution is one of the bases of the protests of thousands of workers who have accumulated months of pressure in the streets demanding respect for their labor rights, demonstrating against the “bonus” of the minimum wage.
One of the most active sectors has been the Venezuelan teaching profession, especially affected by the salary tables determined with those Bs 130. This Monday, while Maduro prepared the ground to present his 2023 Report and Account, hundreds of teachers commemorated Teacher’s Day with a protest that was completely ignored.
Forgotten pensions
The new salary structure determined by Chavismo since last year contemplates different amounts depending on the beneficiaries. Active workers, pensioners and retirees receive different amounts in the Economic War bonus.
When the adjustment was announced for the first time, on May 1, 2023, the economic war bonus went to $30 for active workers, $20 for pensioners of the Venezuelan Social Security Institute (IVSS) and $49 for retirees. of public administration. Now the asset price goes from $30 to $60 and we wait for the definition of the other scales.
In Venezuela, for several years there has been no talk of minimum wage but of “minimum income” which is given through bonuses without this benefiting all workers and Social Security pensioners.
Pensioners receive 130 bolivars or the equivalent of 3.2 dollars in their bank accounts, which is the amount of the minimum wage in Venezuela. In the case of the Economic War bonus, only those who are registered on the official platform receive it, therefore it is not a measure that benefits everyone equally.
Source: AS IS / RADIO FE Y ALEGRÍA / COUNTERPUNTO / EDITORIAL DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS
