Venezuelan workers call for national protests over wages

Workers in Venezuela have organized a national day of protest for Thursday, October 29, to demand salary improvements and a revision of remuneration tables. The mobilization is primarily driven by unions in the education, university, and healthcare sectors, involving assemblies and demonstrations at hospitals, schools, and universities.

Labor groups are seeking to address the erosion of purchasing power, noting that the legal minimum wage has remained frozen at 130 bolívares since 2022. Unions are demanding that year-end bonuses be calculated based on the integral minimum income.

Marcela León, president of the Alianza Sindical Independiente (ASI Venezuela), indicated that official announcements regarding salary adjustments may occur in November, with further increases projected for January. Labor leaders have proposed establishing two minimum incomes and ensuring that a percentage of employee earnings counts toward legal benefits such as vacations, bonuses, and seniority premiums. To ensure compliance from both the private sector and public institutions, unions are advocating for a temporary special recovery law.