Lula da Silva government should give up additional minimum wage increase

The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) should not readjust the minimum wage above R$1,302, an amount still authorized in the management of Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

During the campaign, Lula da Silva promised an increase above inflation and, during the transition, members of the PT’s team spoke about a possible new increase, to R$1,320.

An amount of R$6.8 billion (less than the R$7.7 billion needed) was even reserved in the Budget for this purpose.

However, now, according to a report by Folha de S. Paulo, the Lula da Silva government is claiming a lack of resources and should give up the second readjustment.

The justification, informs the newspaper, is that at the end of 2022 there was a significant increase in the number of beneficiaries of the National Institute of Social Security (INSS), whose payments are linked to the minimum wage.

In the economic team, a group argues that the increase above inflation, promised by Lula da Silva in the campaign, has already been fulfilled by Bolsonaro, since the minimum wage increased by 7.4%, from R$1,212 to R$1,302.

Inflation stood at 5.79% and therefore the real gain was 1.6%.

In this same group, politicians say that Lula da Silva never publicly committed to the amount of R$1,320 and, therefore, would not have a political burden.

According to Folha, a member of the first echelon said that “the increase of only R$ 18 would give Lulada Silva a limited political bonus”.

According to the newspaper, Lula da Silva’s team is discussing a permanent policy to increase the minimum wage, which takes into account the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in addition to inflation.

With information from Revista Oeste

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