Wages rise and work continues in Argentina and Brazil, but not everywhere
On Monday, a strike led by unions representing 90 percent of government employees ended in Brazil, on promises to raise public sector wages by 15.8 percent, over the next three years. In another development, work resumed on the Belo Monte dam after Brazil’s Supreme Court reversed a previous ruling that had suspended the project. The hydro plant will be the world’s third largest, generating from 4,751 MW to 11,233 MW, depending on the flow of the Xingu River. Upon competition, the project will flood 195 square miles of rainforest, affecting more than 66 communities.
On Tuesday, in Argentina, an alliance of government, unions, and business leaders agreed to raise the minimum wage by 25 percent amid continued inflation and slow economic growth. Monthly minimum wage will rise to 2,670 pesos (US$ 576) on Sept. 1 and to 2,875 pesos (US$ 621) on Feb. 1.
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But strikes and protests continue elsewhere in the Americas. In Chile, students have taken to the streets once more to demand the affordability of higher education. Tuesday’s protests swelled to over 150,000 supporters. Last year, students led more than 40 major demonstrations through the capital of Santiago.
More: http://revpana.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/wages-rise-and-work-continues-in-argentina-and-brazil/