Commerce closed its collective bargaining agreement: the base salary will exceed $1,123,000 and the wage struggle will continue.
The Argentine Federation of Commerce and Service Employees ( FAECYS ) reached a new collective bargaining agreement that will raise the sector's base salary to $1,123,000 starting in July . The agreed-upon increase includes a 5.4% increase distributed in three monthly installments, along with fixed amounts that will also be added to salaries in the second half of the year.
The agreement was signed between the union led by Armando Cavalieri and the main business associations in the sector, including the Argentine Chamber of Commerce (CAC), the Argentine Confederation of Medium-Sized Enterprises (CAME), and the Union of Commercial Entities (UDECA). Thus, the country's largest union, with more than one million members, once again finalizes a salary adjustment amidst the pressures exerted by the government.
The agreement establishes that the 5.4% increase will be paid in stages: 1.9% in April, 1.8% in May, and 1.7% in June. In addition, workers will receive fixed non-remunerative amounts totaling $115,000, distributed in three installments: $35,000 in April, $40,000 in May, and $40,000 in June. These amounts will be added to the base salary starting in July.
The chosen formula replicates the type of increases already applied in previous agreements, combining cumulative percentages and fixed amounts, in an attempt to protect purchasing power against inflation without exceeding companies' immediate labor costs.
The union had previously agreed in March to a 5.1% raise in three 1.7% installments, and has already announced that it will request a raise of no less than 3.2% for April in the next salary review, according to union sources.
The salary discussion is taking place amid growing tension. The FAECYS leadership expressed its displeasure with the official "cap" policy in collective bargaining agreements, a strategy aimed at containing wage increases in an attempt to maintain the slowdown in inflation.
According to the agreement signed in January, both parties agreed to meet in April to evaluate salary scales in light of economic fluctuations. Any negotiated adjustments will also impact conventional bonuses such as attendance and seniority, as provided for in collective bargaining agreement 130/75.
The wage dispute will continue in the coming days, when negotiations resume within the framework of the 2024/2025 annual collective bargaining agreement.
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