Praia, Cape Verde, 23 Feb – The Cape Verdean government and its social partners met Friday in Praia to discuss the introduction of a national minimum wage in the country.

The Labour minister, Madelena Neves, said that there was as yet no decision about whether the minimum wage would be established by sector or if a more wide-ranging one would be adopted, on a national level.

Union associations have called for the adoption of a national minimum wage that would allow workers to meet their basic needs, and which is regularly adjusted in order to maintain levels of purchasing power.

However, the two union associations agree that it is necessary to carry out studies to establish the type of minimum wage that needs to be created.

According to Julião Varela, of the UNTC/CS union association, the introduction of a minimum wage should already have taken place, considering the benefits it would bring to the country’s economy.

In his turn, the president of the CCSL association, José Manuel Vaz, said that the time had come for social partners, mainly the Government, to take a position on the issue, arguing that the Government had been the main obstacle to discussing and setting Cape Verde’s national minimum wage. (macauhub)