The Paraguayan government has officially announced a minimum wage increase of 100,000 Guaranies (approximately USD 18) effective July 1. This adjustment will raise the monthly minimum wage to 2,899,048 Guaranies (approximately USD 520) and the daily minimum wage to 111,502 Guaranies (approximately USD 20). While this follows the recommendation of the National Minimum Wage Council (Conasam), controversy persists amidst criticisms that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures do not accurately reflect reality.
Government's Deliberation: The Gap Between CPI and Cost of Living
President Santiago Peña acknowledged that this minimum wage increase was based on a cumulative inflation rate of 3.6% but pointed out that the current method of calculating the Consumer Price Index (CPI) does not reflect the actual increase in the cost of living for workers. Minister of Economy Carlos Fernández Valdovinos also admitted that the CPI does not adequately capture the rising prices of essential goods and stated that the government is considering introducing a new calculation method for minimum wage readjustment.
"There is constant public dissatisfaction with the central bank's statistics. While this is also how monetary policy is formulated, the minimum wage issue needs to be reconsidered and improved," said Minister Fernández.
Currently, the government, businesses, and labor unions are reviewing the items that will serve as the basis for CPI calculation. This review will determine whether the CPI will continue to be used as a reference indicator for minimum wage increases. This move is interpreted as a response to continuous criticism from labor unions and civil society organizations, which argue that the current system leads to a decline in workers' real purchasing power.
Calls for Minimum Wage Calculation Method Change and Increased Transparency
Against this backdrop, Senator Esperanza Martínez has introduced a bill to change the minimum wage calculation method. Senator Martínez argues that the current CPI does not adequately reflect the rise in food prices. According to her data, while the general CPI rose by 28% from 2018 to 2023, food prices surged by 47%. In 2023 alone, food prices increased by 7.5%, whereas the general CPI only saw a 3.9% rise.
"The minimum wage should be readjusted according to the index that has the greatest impact, which in most cases is the food price index," emphasized Senator Martínez. The bill also includes provisions to enhance transparency by mandating Conasam to publish all minutes, calculation methods, and criteria used for minimum wage readjustment on the Ministry of Labor's website. "There is distrust in the numbers. What we are asking for is to make the data public so that everyone can verify how the final amount was reached," added Senator Martínez.
While this minimum wage increase is expected to have an immediate positive impact on Paraguayan workers, the fundamental issue of the CPI not reflecting reality and the discussion about changing the calculation method are expected to continue. Attention is focused on whether a rational minimum wage determination system that reflects the actual increase in living costs perceived by workers will be established through cooperation among the government, the legislature, and various sectors of society.
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