If the increase of 3% to retirees and 2% to public employees from next July announced this Monday by the government is about an additional to the next adjustment either an adjustment to accountwas what the Minister of Labor, Pablo Mieres, was in charge of explaining this Wednesday, given the doubts that remained in public opinion, but mainly to unions and analysts.
For example, for the Confederation of State Workers and Employees (COFE), the measure announced at a press conference by President Luis Lacalle Pou have two possible readings, as stated in a statement on Tuesday. And he explained it like this: “One, if this percentage is part of the recovery of the lost salary. And another, if in fact this consists of an advance on account of the corrective salary adjustment of 2023 ”.
First of all, COFE indicated that it would value it “positively because it is in line” with the claims; however, that it be an advance on account, “it would not impact in the same way on the recovery of the purchasing power of public salaries, and it would become an absolutely insufficient and late measure”, considered the union.
Mieres was consulted about it and confirmed in meeting point (universal radius) what for public workers it is an adjustment “on account of salary recovery”. And he said: “We grant it as Executive Power. (It is) the increase of 2%, plus the 7% that was granted in January. So in 2022 they will increase 9% for August”.
On the other hand, inflation from January to March was 4.4%, and the Executive Branch plans to close 2022 with 8% or 9% inflation, Lacalle Pou said and Mieres recalled in the radio interview. The minister assured that “if there is higher inflation, the difference will be paid”.
In summary, it is not an additional to the next adjustment, but an adjustment on account. “1.2% has already been given and now an additional 2%. I do not understand why Joselo López (Vice President of the PIT-CNT and General Secretary of COFE) or the PIT-CNT should be concerned that we are speeding up the recovery. We are advancing the recovery “Mieres pointed out.
