Santo Domingo.- The president of the federation of trade unions grouped in the CNTD) on Monday announced nationwide actions to demand a wage increase of 30% for the public and private sector workers, including military, police and retirees.

Jacobo Ramos, quoted by hoy.com.do, said the demonstrations seek to raise awareness among employers and the government on what he calls an urgent need to increase wages.

He said inflation from the tax reform is around 30%, for which the increase seeks to recover lost purchasing power. "What happens is that the country’s employers always state the same, that they cannot raise wages as a way to evade social responsibility."

He said it’s not true that a salary increase generates unemployment, as employers claim, and that higher wages guarantee social and labor peace in the Dominican Republic.

He noted that although the Budget doesn’t include an increase, president Danilo Medina can use part of the Presidency’s RD$45.0 billion allocation to increase wages for government workers.