Minister of Labor Jackeline Muñoz recalled that a few years ago, an initiative was launched to reduce the number of wage regions from three to two, but the results were not as expected because the reduction was not feasible. Therefore, it is crucial that this time the issue is thoroughly studied, considering the economic situation of both workers and employers.
In this regard, business leaders in the construction sector indicated that the wage aspirations presented at the negotiating table must take into account that regardless of the approved amount, there will be an increase in market prices.
"It is very complicated to unify the regions; it can be done in certain activities, not in all, because it would be a double salary increase," he said.
He detailed that the table installed on November 15th is not only considering the employed sector but also the large number of Panamanians who are seeking employment and the contributions that the business sector will have to make after the approval of the Social Security reform law.
Workers assert that a single wage should be established for all activities; however, the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel) maintains that the change is "very complicated" as it would represent, in some cases, a double increase in remunerations that could affect the sustainability of certain companies.
"These salary adjustments really hit hard, and if we are trying to lower unemployment a bit, we have to be careful," he indicated.
The discussion on the minimum wage has once again raised the possibility of establishing a unified model in the country without regional distinctions.
Although the proposal is being analyzed at the tripartite table, Minister of Labor Jackeline Muñoz considers it unviable due to the additional cost involved, but this does not mean it cannot be done by activities depending on their growth and solvency.
The president of the Panamanian Chamber of Construction (Capac), Alejandro Ferrer Solís, mentioned that if the goal is to reduce the unemployment rate, which is estimated to reach 10%, the decision taken must be balanced.
The collective expressed its satisfaction with the "good climate" it perceives at the tripartite table to generate a balanced and sensible dialogue in favor of the community.
