Maputo — The Mozambican government on Tuesday announced new statutory minimum wages, with increases ranging from three to 9.8 percent.
The new minimum wages were approved following consensus reached on the Labor Consultative Commission (CCT), which is the tripartite negotiating forum between the government, the trade unions, and the employers.
There is no longer a single national minimum wage. Instead, the minimum wage is negotiated by sector and sub-sector. This means there are now 18 separate minimum wages.
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According to the government spokesperson and Minister of State Administration, Inocêncio Impissa, speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Council of Ministers (cabinet), the CCT did not reach a consensus on new minimum wages in the Public Administration or in the kapenta fishing subsector (kapenta, otherwise known as the Lake Tanganyika sardine, is a small fish found in abundance in the Cahora Bassa lake, in Tete province).
The new monthly minimum wages announced by Impissa are as follows:
1. Agriculture, livestock, hunting, forestry and silviculture. Wages rise from 6,688 to 7,072 meticais (from 104 to 110 US dollars, at the current exchange rate). This is a rise of 5.74 per cent.
2. Industrial and semi-industrial maritime fishing sector - the minimum wage rises by five per cent, from 6,726.88 to 7,063.22 meticais.
3. Mining. (A) In large companies the minimum wage rises by seven per cent, from 15,176.70 to 16,239.06 meticais.
(B) Medium-sized companies (quarries and sand pits). The wage rise is six per cent, from 8,008 to 8,488.48 meticais.
(C) Micro and small enterprises and salt pans: the wage rise is 4.37 per cent, from 6,538.44 to 6,824.17 meticais.
4. Manufacturing industry: the minimum wage rises by 4.7 per cent - from 10,147.50 to 10,622.50 meticais.
A) Baking - a rise of 4.16 per cent, from 7,200 to 7,500 meticais.
B) Cashew processing industry - a rise of 5.2 per cent, from 6,653.21 to 7,000 meticais.
7. Electricity, gas, and water. The minimum wage rises by 4.7 per cent. from 12,275 to 12,775 meticais. In small and medium enterprises, the rise is from 9,960.62 to 10,366 meticais, which is also 4.7 per cent.
9. Building industry - the minimum wage rises by three per cent from 8,400 to 8,652 meticais.
10. Non-financial services - the rise is 5.2 per cent, from 10,310 to 10,845 meticais.
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A) Tourism, hotel and similar industries - an increase of 9.28 per cent, from 9,700 to 10,600 meticais.
B) Private security and fuel retail - the minimum wage rises by 3.5 per cent, from 9,739 to 10,079 meticais.
12. Financial services. (A) Banking and insurance - the minimum wage rises by 6.92 per cent, from 19,043.61 to 20,361.43 meticais.
B) Microfinance - the minimum wage rises from 16,764.47 to 17,924.57 meticais, which is also a 6.92 per cent increase.
"The approved adjustments represent the best possible balance at this time, aligned with national productive capacity and the economic reality of the sectors, without ignoring the legitimate expectations of workers and society in general', Impissa claimed.
The failure to announce any rise in the minimum wage for the government's own employees, in the public administration, is an open invitation to mass discontent and possible strike action. In recent years there have been waves of strikes among teachers and health workers.
The new minimum wages are backdated to 1 April. No employer may pay workers less than the statutory minimum, but there is nothing to stop employers from paying higher wages. In general, wages above the minimum are negotiated in collective bargaining, workplace by workplace.
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