A savings fund, housing loans, expenses for recreation and bonuses, scholarships for children, and restaurant services for employees of the state and the monopolist hydrocarbons distributor of Costa Rica, are financed through the prices paid by consumers, even by the poorest.
One bright spring morning a garden flourished gloriously and everybody wanted flowers. John said "I deserve 10" and the gardener gave him 10 flowers. "I want to take 11" said Peter, and 11 were handed over to him. "I demand 12" protested Manuel, and he got 12. "I want 13" shouted Joseph, and he received his 13 flowers. A lot of people called out their demands and got what they asked for. In the end there was only one somewhat wilted flower left that was given to a mute person with no name. And the gardener was acclaimed for his generosity.
But the following spring the garden produced much fewer flowers, in spite of this, John tried to take his 10, Peter his 11, Manuel his 12 and Joseph his 13 flowers. "That is what corresponds to us," they shouted. "It is our right" they claimed. And they hired a lawyer who filed a lawsuit to force the gardener to deliver what belonged to them by "acquired right". And the judge, who was Manuel, ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.
Using its corporate power and taking advantage of the power vacuum that is afflicting the State, a public university in Costa Rica is paying first world salaries, exacerbating the inequality that exists between Costa Ricans and severely distorting the labor market.
EDITORIAL
The degeneration of democracy which is happening in a lot of Latin American countries has Costa Rica as an example, a country which historically used to be a shining example of the best way to live in society.
In Guatemala people are now suffering from the "labor agreements", which come from the same strain of virus as the "Collective agreements" which have made the State Costa Rica sick, distorting the labor market and generating inequality.
EDITORIAL
The editorial "Harmfulness of labor agreements in the public sector", published today on Elperiodico.com.gt, might have been written some years ago to describe Costa Rica. Guatemala still appears to have a chance to react to the disease, with proper medication. In Costa Rica, however, the disease is so widespread that major surgery is needed which today does not seem feasible, and the only thing left is to wait for the inevitable final crisis.
Trade unionists who promote it, the officials who estimate it, the rulers who decree it, are not part of the legion of unemployed who surely would work for less than the official minimum wage.
EDITORIAL
The unemployed have no voice, in principle because they do not pay a sindical fee, and if they did have one, they would not raise it, because it feels devoid of the dignity necessary to do so, because they are used to adopting a very humble position in job interviews. Nothing further impoverishes the human spirit that lack of gainful income of one form or another.
The "negotiators" for the Government of Costa Rica have suggested "as a starting point" a proposal to increase the salaries of state workers which was met with "satisfaction" by the public employee unions.
EDITORIAL
Imagine you are responsible to the shareholders of a company that is in a very bad financial position, with costs consistently rising above income, meaning that the losses continually mount up and threaten the stability of the corporation.
As of February 28 an increase of 7% will be put in place, and another 6% during the second half of the year.
The increase was defined by a tripartite commission composed of government, unions and the private sector and it applies to the eight sectors of the economy.
"The National Minimum Wage Commission ratified the 8% salary increase for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME)", states the article in Laprensa.com.ni.
The new minimum wage was set at $1.04 (21.5 córdobas) for each coffee can.
Facing opposition from coffee growers, the Ministry reduced the minimum wage from $1.21 to $1.04 per can.
"Coffee growers sill reject this minimum wage, arguing that Nicaragua's economic situation does not allow them to assume this wage increase", reported Elnuevodiario.com.ni.
According to recent regulation, daily wages in the coffee industry must increase from $4.36 to $6.03, and the remuneration for each coffee can to $1.21 from $0.87.
This new compulsory regulation has met with strong rejection on behalf of coffee growers and packers, who argue it will increase their production costs.
Representatives from Asocafemat, the Metagalpa Coffee Growers Association told Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa that "...they will analyze what options they have to reduce the salaries established by the Work Ministry".
The Government decreed an 18% raise in the minimum wage for government and private sector employee which should come into force on October 1.
The new minimum wage for workers was unilaterally set for the first time by the Nicaraguan Executive after the other parties, unions and businesses, could not reach an agreement after 60 days of negotiations, the source said.