Law was passed three years ago
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Bolivian miners intensify pension strikes
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/131024/bolivian-miners-intensify-pension-strikes
LA PAZ — Hundreds of state miners, teachers from rural areas
and union members combined in a protest that paralyzed the city centre
yesterday, because the Bolivian government still hasn’t come up with an answer
to demands for bigger pensions.
Five road blocks were reported throughout the country and
the government declared a recess in negotiations, the Executive Secretary of
Bolivian Worker´s Union, Juan Carlos Trujillo, informed.
The so called “pension law” that was passed three years ago
is now being observed by various sectors of workers that are aiming to receive
better pensions.
The protest against Evo Morales’ government has now been
going on for eight days.
Trujillo
spoke to press as he left a meeting he had held with government representatives
in the union’s headquarters, stating that he had asked for a total of seven
reforms to be made to the law.
The Minister of Economy, Luis Arce, explained in a press
conference that “there are five road-blocks in the country which we hope will
be cleared when we return to the negotiation table.”
The Worker’s Union, the biggest in Bolivia, is
demanding radical pension reforms, allowing workers to receive 100 percent of
their salaries instead of the 70 percent that they receive at the moment, but
the government ruled out accepting the request, claiming it would plunge the
state into economic trouble.
The government wants to make a compromise with workers in
order to put and end to the crisis. It is prepared to offer them a pension
worth 81 percent of their salaries. However, the worker are holding out for 100
percent.
The Minister of Mining, Mario Virreira, said the strike has
caused the state tin mine Huanuni — located 230 kilometres to the south of La
Paz — an estimated loss of up to US$500,000 per day.
Herald with AP