Bolivia marks May Day with wage rise

May 8, 2015
Issue 


Evo Morales. Photo: ABI — Agencia Boliviana de Información.

Bolivia's left-wing president Evo Morales announced various salary rises on May 1 in honour of International Workers’ Day, TeleSUR English said. The national minimum wage will increase by 15% from US$208 to $239 a month and the general salary by 8.5%.

The announcement came after lengthy negotiations between government officials and representatives from the Bolivian Workers' Centre (COB).

Morales was first elected in 2005. Between 2005 and 2013, Bolivia's real minimum wage has risen 104%, higher than any other Latin American country, according to the International Labour Organisation.

On May Day, Morales also inaugurated the new headquarters of the Federal Workers Union of “Light and Force” located in the capital, La Paz. “Unity is most important,” Morales said.

“Of course we have our differences which we have to overcome. But us, the organised workers' struggle for rights and recognition are first and foremost for anti-imperialists and anti-capitalists, and as long as we don't give up on this, all other problems are secondary.”

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