Álvaro Elizalde, Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Jeanette Jara, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, and Ximena Aguilera, Minister of Health, also participated.
This Monday morning, the President of the Republic, Gabriel Boric, participated in the celebration of Labor Day at the Workers’ Hospital of the Chilean Security Association (ACHS).
As an example, the Ministers of Labor, Janet Jara, along with Health, Ximena Aguilera and the head of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Álvaro Elizalde, visited the hospitalized workers at the health center.
The President stressed that he decided to visit the said facility because of its importance to focus on the prevention of occupational accidents and exposure to occupational diseases.
“We had the opportunity to meet the two workers above who had accidents and it was amazing to see and understand how important, beyond the specific accident, how they were protected and welcomed by the social security system, that , in addition- the President of the ACHS reminded me- I was accompanying him during the entire procedure, which is extremely important. It is not only during the operation, for open knee fractures, multiple operations are required but also during the rehabilitation process,” he said.
“The workers who are here not only make Chile work, keep Chile running, generate wealth, but they have played a fundamental role in the history of our homeland in promoting social change to create a more just country.” .. And, therefore, for me the organization of workers and workers is a tremendous example”, he highlighted.
Boric recalled that last Friday, within the framework of the commemoration of Labor Day in La Moneda, “we awarded the Manuel Bustos Award to three union leaders who have contributed to improving the working and living conditions of the Chilean people. risked their lives. We recognized Raul de la Fuente, Maria Rojas and Moises Labrana with the Manuel Bustos Award and although both Manuel Bustos and Maria Rojas and Moises Labrana are no longer with us, they are gone, they were such leaders who crossed the political spectrum, at least in the progressive world and, at the same time, with Raúl who was there, former president of ANEF, it was nice to be able to recognize the work done by union leaders while they were alive”.
“That’s why I invite workers on this day to organize, to form and unionize, to communicate with companies, because we have learned throughout this journey throughout history that it is thanks to their organizing that we are able to build a just managed life. And when they associate with companies, as has been the case, for example, well said Ricardo Maeves in 40 Hours, I feel like they feel that when we work together If we do, we do a better job”, he insisted.
measures for workers
Boric acknowledged that this first year in office has been intense on labor matters “and we are pleased because this is one of the areas where we can show significant progress. With the agreement of all parties to increase the minimum wage in 2022, Approval of reducing the working day to 40 hours after processing 6½ years and with the agreement of all parties, ratification of Convention 190 ILO”.
“Now, the discussion of the minimum wage, reaching $500,000 in July next year where we also have to be, as employers and SMEs in particular have told us, a deep concern for the position of SMEs where we are working together Also find mechanisms that leave no one behind, to the extent that we are able to improve the quality of life of our people,” he said.
“At the same time, we implemented the PGU Shortage Act to benefit 70,000 more people, a task that also came from the previous government, and we are in the process of increasing the Universal Guaranteed Pension to $250,000. And, In addition, the March bonus has already been paid, doubling the payments to $120,000 for each worker and their family.”
“So again, I hope that this same spirit of dialogue and openness that has made it possible to progressively make it possible to make the 40-hour day a reality, the progressive increase in the minimum wage and the many other advances we are making in labor matters , may pervade the rest of society”, concluded the President.
