The state will only pay the salary increase of 3 percent to the basic salary to the areas of health and educationaccording to the Minister of Economy and Public Finance, Marcelo Montenegro.
Yesterday, President Luis Arce announced the agreement reached with the leadership of the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB)to raise the national minimum by 4 percent for May 1, Labor Day.
“The 3 percent increase in basic credit applies only to the public sector of health and education, only these sectors will receive these increases and not the other sectors of the central government”, the authority told Bolivia Tv.
He also indicated that the governorates, municipalities and universities “also (they will apply the increase) according to their possibilities”, indicating that the two benefited sectors constitute the bulk of public sector workers and that they are key to economic recovery.
The interview:
“It is clear to us that this increase (3 percent) is a replacement element to the purchasing power of the salary and that is being replenished by the national government, and it is giving it to the health and education sector,” said Montenegro.
For the private sector, he said that this increase must be agreed by seeking a balance of salary increase for the current administration. He clarified that the 4 percent fixed to the national minimum wage applies to all sectors at the national levelboth from the private and public sectors.
The application of the salary increase comes into effect from May 1 and is retroactive as in previous administrations. The national minimum wage rises from 2,164 to 2,250 bolivianos.