Bucking trend, top Dominican corporation hikes wages 18%

Santo Domingo.-Bucking the stance of other major employers, Central Romana Corporation and itsWorkers Union on Wednesday signed a new collective bargaining agreement withimproved working conditions including a 18% wage hike over the three years stipulatedin the pact, and a first increase of 7%, retroactive to Aug. 16.

The new agreementwill be in effect until 2019 with similar proportional increase in fringebenefits of the annual bonus, Christmas bonus, vacation and perks, as well as a15% to 23% increase in the payment of allowances, improved training plans, staffdevelopment and educational programs for employees’ children.

Moreover, stronger programsto prevent workplace accidents and diseases, and increases of more than 30% forsocial work during deaths in their family, and as much as 66% advance in salaryin cases of marriage and birth.

The renewed pact alsomaintains health services, life insurance and transportation for employees.

Central Romana humanresources general manager Eladio Uribe and Workers Union general secretary EuniceMagra signed the agreement in the group’s headquarters in La Romana (east).

Bucking trend

With theannounced agreement Central Romana parts ways with the majority of DominicanRepublic’s top employers, which stand fast in refusing to raise workers’ wages, some as low as RD$6,000 (US$130.00) monthly.