On Friday in a press conference, the Superior Council of Salaries (CSS) released its report and recommendations on the minimum wage.

The CSS felt that it had done a valuable and scientific work, recalling that these proposals were based on data provided by national experts, the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics and the Bank of the Republic of Haiti. Taking into account the competitiveness of Haiti relative to other countries in terms of wages, they also analyzed other data from outside.

Daily minimum wages, CSS recommendations :

• The employees' salaries from subcontracting textile and other manufacturing industries for re-export, the recommended daily wage if of 335 gourdes a day, while unions demanded 800 Gdes ;

• The wages of the employees of the production companies will be 350 Gdes ;

• Salaries of employees of petroleum products distribution companies and security agencies: 300 Gdes ;

• The salary of employees of private service companies (private vocational schools and private health institutions employing more than 10 people and offering hospital services): 300 Gdes ;

• The salary of employees serving enterprises considered "growing and stable": 400 Gdes ;

• The salary of employees serving enterprises considered to be "doing business": 325 Gdes ;

• The salary of employees serving enterprises considered "exposed and highly vulnerable": 290 Gdes ;

• Salary of Domestic Workers: 200 Gdes.

In addition to its recommendations CSS asks the Executive to grant social accompaniments to the workers of the manufacturing companies in terms of food, transport and housing and to include the costs of such support in future budgets. It also recommends that the Government reduce the cost of electricity and exempt taxes on petroleum products for the re-export manufacturing sector.

Hédouville, President of CSS wishes that these recommendations may enter into force from 1 August, if the Executive who has the final word on the amount of these salaries, decides to apply the recommendations of the Council to the letter.

Pierre Joseph Polycarpe, the Representative of the trade unions (contested by several trade unionists who found him favorable to the bosses) believed that the 800 gourdes demanded by the workers was impossible given the reality of this sector and the existence of other competitors at the level of the region.

Hugo Elien, Employer Representative said that these recommendations take into account macroeconomic indices and the exchange rate. While he acknowledged that textile workers might be disappointed with the CSS's recommendations, he felt that their demands were unrealistic from an economic point of view.

As for the leaders of the main trade unions, who demanded a minimum wage of 800 gourdes, they rejected the CSS report and confirmed their watchword to emonstrate (Port-au-Prince, Carrefour and Ouanaminthe) on Monday 12, Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 July, to force the Executive to meet their demands.

Senator Antonio Chéramy, President of the Commission for Social Affairs, urges the Head of State to think carefully before publishing his decision in the official newspaper "Le Moniteur" and to work in the interest of all citizens.

SL/ HaitiLibre