On strike threat, business leaders ask labor to resume wage talks

Santo Domingo.- National Young Business Leaders Association (Anje) president Biviana Riveiro on Thursday said she’s confident they’ll find a way for management and labor to resume the talks for a wage increase, one day after union leaders warned of a general strike.

"We are confident that this disruption, perhaps abruptly, dialogue, will find a way to resume the dialogue," Riveiro said one day after union leaders walked out of the talks at the Labor Ministry, on claims employers failed to make a proposal on labor’s demand for a 30% increase to the minimum wage.

Meanwhile Dialogue coordinator monsignor Agripino Núñez said he expects the parties to exercise good judgment and reach an agreement. "I hope they have the good sense to look for a way to compromise and reach an agreement. Management should go a little further and hopefully reasonable way could be found between government and business leaders."

Both Riveiro and Núñez agree that the talks must resume and come to some agreement.

Yesterday’s National Wage Committee meeting, where a wage increase was to be discussed, ended abruptly when union leaders Rafael Abreu and Jacobo Ramos walked out.