Venezuela Increases Minimum Wage

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced a new increase of the minimum wage today, which will take effect on September 1st, to $238/month. The Chavez administration also implemented measures for elimination of discrimination between rural and urban workers, or with enterprises with fewer than 20 workers, and increasing maternity leave and vacation pay. Teachers will get a 30% raise starting May 1st and another 10% on October 1st. Among other things, the government approved a document demanding that employers respect the human, work and union rights of their workers.