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PORT-AU-PRINCE, May 8 (IPS) — Haitians went to work Monday happy with a government increase of more than 100 percent in the minimum wage but still looking for more concessions.

The government hiked the minimum wage, established at 15 gourdes (1.03 dollars) in 1979 by former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, to 36 gourdes (2.48 dollars).

Most trade unions declared the decision was postive, but only as first step toward satisfying all workers' demands.

The unions called on the government to take further accompanying measures to lower the cost of living.

The new minimum wage followed lengthy haggling between union leaders and employers before the government stepped in and settled the matter. But some employers have already threatened to close down factories or businesses, or to cut personnel, claiming they could not afford the increase.

One leading economist warned it was possible merchants would negate the effect of the pay increase by raising prices.

''Managers, functionaries and salaried professional people can also demand proportional increases, while such a disposition would risk havinb negative effects on the agricultural sector, the economist said. ''This would be affected stronglt by a probable rise in imports.''

Around 40,000 jobs were lost in the army mutiny of Sept 30, 1991 which blocked the application of a law voted by parliament in favour of a 180 percent increase in the minimum wage.

''This latest measure is fair, but any adjustment in the minimum wage must be tied to further measures lowering the cost of living,'' said Gerard Pierre from the General Confederation of Labour (CGT).

''Although a larger wage increase would be to the advantage of workers, we should be realists. We must take into account the need to create new jobs by attracting investors by adopting a competitive minimum wage,'' he said.

Arnold Sainvil, president of the Federation of Trade Union Workers (FOS), estimates that in comparison with the 1980's the employers' margin of profit has risen considerably with the fall in the value of the gourde against the dollar.

The general secretary of the Independent General Organisation of Workers (OGITH), Patrick Numa, has appealed to employers to take one step towards meeting workers' demands, and collaborate.

For the past week the government has faced protest demonstrations by the teaching sector. Hundreds of teachers in public schools demonstrated in Port-au-Prince, and are now on strike in the high schools.

Teachers in other regions have now followed with demonstrations in support of demands for a 300 percent rise in salaries and insurance policies for each teacher, as well as the payment of salaries to private school teachers during their three month annual vacations.

The 20 to 30 percent rise in salaries granted teachers last month is taxed by two of the three teachers unions to create a health fund.

This increase fixed at 60 dollars the minimum salary for a teacher in Haiti, while the National Confederation of Teachers is demanding 200 as the minimum salary for a teacher in the First Cycle of studies.

Hundreds of student demonstrated last Wednesday in Port-au-Prince in solidarity with their teachers. (END/IPS/IMC)

Origin: Amsterdam/HAITI-LABOUR/

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[c] 1994, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS)

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