LatinNews Monitor: Brazil & Southern Cone - 10 December 2015

Public sector salary increase: On 26 November, the national lower chamber of congress approved a 4.1% salary increase proposed by the Bachelet government for public sector workers, following its ratification the previous day by the senate. The government proposal of 4.1% was up from its initial offer of 3.5% but below the 5% increase demanded by Mesa del Sector Público (MSP), an organisation that comprises 15 leading unions, including the national association of public sector employees (Anef) and the umbrella trade union (CUT). The MSP – which went on strike on 24 and 25 November over its demands - had initially called for an 8% increase. The government pointed out that the increase was above the annual inflation rate which it expected to reach between 3.9% and 4% in November. On 7 December, Chile’s national statistics institute (INE) released a report which showed that the monthly inflation rate for November was 0.0%, bringing the accumulated rate for the year to 4.4% and the 12 month rate to 3.9%.