Wage increase was not discussed: after the meeting with the minister, businessmen say that the negative effects will be the government's responsibility

 In the words of the president of the private businessmen, Luis Barbery, there was no opportunity to talk about the salary increase in the first meeting held this Monday with the Ministry of Economy. "Absolutely nothing, there was no need to touch that subject because the positions are already clear, the Government has its own position, and so do the businessmen. The concerns we have regarding the effects of the salary increase have not changed, it is the Government's responsibility", he said at the end of the meeting that lasted two hours.

"We are going to abide by the law, and the Government will have to bear the consequences (of the increase)", Barbery stressed, warning that the businessmen cannot sustain the increase "because the conditions of the country do not allow for it".

He also said that they have agreed to meet periodically to discuss all issues related to economic reactivation and employment generation.

The expected meeting of the businessmen with the Government was a disappointment for the workers because the wage increase was not addressed in this meeting, this was also confirmed by the Minister of Economy, Marcelo Montenegro.

"No, the issue was not raised by the businessmen, only the ones we have mentioned", said the minister when he was consulted about the wage negotiation that should have been part of this meeting.

Meanwhile, the businessmen stated that it is no longer possible to talk about the wage increase because the positions are clear and that they will abide by the Government's decree on this issue.  

The president of the Confederation of Private Businessmen of Bolivia (CEPB), Luis Barbery left the meeting in a little less than two hours. The businessmen refused to explain how much a significant salary increase would affect the sector and only said that the Government is responsible for the management of the country's economy and that the private sector will abide by the provisions.

The Executive is expected to issue the wage increase decree on May 1 in honor of Workers' Day and is now holding meetings with workers to set the percentage increase to the national minimum wage and the workers' basic wage.

According to Minister Montenegro, the businessmen addressed issues such as agribusiness, ethanol supply, the supply chain, foreign trade and the regulation of export procedures.