Management position sparks debate

[NewsWhore]

During the current wage talks, the employers' position has been that any wage increases will go to minimum wage earners. The labor representatives have been insisting on a wage increase for all salaried workers earning up to RD$30,000 per month. Last week, business sector representatives offered a sliding scale of wage increases, which was rejected by the unions. According to Diario Libre, Maribel Gasso, the president of the management confederation (Confederacion Patronal) ratified the offer and said that anything above this scale of increases would be the at the discretion of each individual employer. As a result, it seems that the wage talks now have little hope of success, given the hard stance by the labor leaders. Vice-President Rafael Alburquerque has now taken a seat at the discussion table, alongside Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado and Labor Minister Ramon Fadul. Monsignor Nunez Collado announced that new talks will begin today, Monday, and they would be held separately. Union representatives will meet with the negotiators at 9:00 in the morning and the management team will meet them at 1:00 in the afternoon. Complicating matters somewhat is the fact that the National Council for Union Solidarity (CNUS) has rejected the suggestion made by CONEP, that management should increase salaries as they see fit, according to their own, individual situations.

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