San Salvador El Salvador. SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — The Permanent Table for Labor Justice (MPJL) submitted a proposal last Thursday to increase the minimum wage by at least 25%.
The Permanent Roundtable for Labor Justice (MPJL) resubmitted its proposal to the National Minimum Wage Council (CNSM), which began discussions last week.
The MPJL argues that current salaries do not adequately cover Salvadorans’ rising cost of living. The proposal calls for an adjustment to better reflect the population’s growing financial demands.
MPJL members have emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue, citing inflation and economic pressures as key factors contributing to the disparity between wages and living costs.
President Nayib Bukele proposed a 12% increase in El Salvador’s minimum wage in April, a long-awaited measure amid mounting pressure from civil society groups and rising household costs.
The National Minimum Wage Council (CNSM) was scheduled to meet last year to discuss a wage adjustment, but the meeting did not occur. The CNSM started the wage review last week.
SEE ALSO: Minimum Wage in El Salvador: Understanding the Economic Realities of Salvadorans
In addition to the other proposals presented, the MPJL proposes that the minimum wage range between $508.76 and $901.92 per month.
The government proposed a 12% minimum wage increase, the Center for Consumer Defense proposed a 25% increase, the Roundtable for Food Sovereignty proposed a 40% increase, and the Movement for the Defense of Human Rights of the Working Class proposed a minimum wage of up to $600.
If the government proposal is approved (12% increase), the minimum wage, without deductions from the Social Security Institute (ISSS) and the Pension Fund (AFP), would increase as follows:
The commerce, services, industrial, and sugar mill sectors would increase from $365 to $408.80, and textile and clothing manufacturing would increase from $359.16 to $402.25.
The wage increase for sugarcane harvesters and coffee processing plants would reach $305.77 from $272.66, while agricultural workers and coffee harvesters would earn $272.67, up from $243.46.
El Salvador has the second-lowest minimum wage in Central America and is the only country in the region that has not complied with its wage review regulations.
