Two months after reporting the first positive cases to COVID-19 in Cuba, the Ministries of Labor and Social Security and Transportation return to the Round Table to explain the main actions taken to confront the pandemic.
At the beginning of her intervention in the program, Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, Minister of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) expressed that during this period her body has adopted some 35 measures aimed at labor protection, salary, and to serve the most vulnerable people . "They cover state and non-state workers and are aimed at maintaining economic activity in the midst of this scenario, contributing to social isolation and protecting the income of workers as far as possible," he said.
In this sense, she recalled that since September remote work and teleworking have been promoted. Likewise, it was a state policy to defend the change of work against labor interruptions, as well as the protection of working mothers from the suspension of the teaching year.
“We have also protected the most vulnerable workers and variants have been applied to pay for results for the business sector. We have visited in communities people with a complex situation, "he said.
Salary guarantees in times of pandemic
Commenting on salary protection, the minister referred to two fundamental concepts: scale salary and basic salary.
The salary scale is related to the complexity of the job and corresponds to the position held by the worker; while the basic salary is the one that has been used to guarantee salary protection. "This includes the salary scale and additional payments such as those corresponding to shift payments, for work under exceptional conditions, etc.", he explained
While the wage guarantee is applied in certain circumstances in which the worker is not working. "This is the case of interruptions or other special measures such as those targeted at this time," he explained.
Another fundamental precept, stressed Feitó Cabrera, is social protection "related to social assistance and offered when income is insufficient to cover basic needs."
On this subject, she said that the salary guarantee is paid by the entity under certain circumstances when the worker is not working. "You can't earn the same when you work as when you don't, regardless of the cause."
It was announced at the Round Table that of the three million workers in the state sector, 58% remain working in the entities. Of these, 74% belongs to the business sector while 26% corresponds to the budgeted sector. "These figures support the principle that production should not be stopped and that only those that were not essential recessed."
- 600 thousand 38 - They work remotely.
- 83 thousand 454 - Mothers caring for young children.
- 65 thousand 062 - Vulnerable workers
- 138 thousand 638 Workers declared interrupted.
On this last aspect, the head commented that 39 thousand 127 declared interrupted workers have been relocated in activities such as food production, isolation centers, to fill vacant positions in the public health system, they have been linked to the investigation or attention to vulnerable people, older adults alone and people with disabilities. "We have 93,660 workers collecting a salary guarantee, while 5,685 do not have one because they did not accept the job offer," he added.
The minister recognized in the radio-television program that the main dissatisfaction occurs in the business sector that does not apply the scale of the budgeted sector. “We know that 60% of the salary of the companies' scale is not the same as this figure among those budgeted who received a salary increase last year. This sector benefited from this increase because, as expressed by our president, it groups the main achievements of the Revolution and for many years it did not receive any increase. This new scale will be applied in the business sector to the extent that conditions allow. "
The business sector, he recalled, had already benefited from other increases during the improvement process of the socialist state company. "The average salary increased from 524 pesos in 2013 to 891 at the end of 2019. For its part, the payment for the distribution of profits exceeds 1,500 pesos on average and there is also the payment of 13 CUC in some companies of stimulation ”, he added.
Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera reiterated that after the impact of the pandemic, it was approved to maintain the payment by results, eliminating the requirement of growth in profits after tax. The obligation of compliance with profits for those who earn in CUC was also eliminated.
Self-employed workers were not left unprotected
In another moment of the Round Table, the head of Labor and Social Security commented on the measures adopted in the non-state sector.
“The first thing that was done was to adapt the service to current conditions. An example of this is that both landlords and bar service providers can sell takeout food. There is another group of self-employed workers who readjusted their activity and carry out production to face COVID-19 with excellent results. It is an experience that we must promote to achieve the linkages between the state and non-state sector, "he stressed.
For its part, a new reason was added for those TCPs who could not continue exercising their activity and the payment of taxes was made more flexible. "At the end of April, there are 222,723 TCP with temporary suspension, which represents 35% of the total - 632,950. Those who have most embraced this measure are contracted workers, cargo and passenger carriers, landlords, those linked to gastronomic services in the cafeteria and beauty services ”.
Of these, 143 family nuclei - some 130 workers from the non-state sector - have availed themselves of social assistance. "Any nucleus that needs this protection only has to approach the municipal social security work directorate and their case is evaluated," emphasized Feitó Cabrera.
She also commented that interrupted workers in this sector have also joined the work of confronting COVID-19 by being left without work. "An example of these are tourism workers who have joined various tasks."
The minister concluded that the country is developing an economic strategy for the new post-COVID stage that will take into account the experiences acquired in this period.
Transportation: Reduce mobility and ensure basic services
To face the scenario imposed by the new coronavirus, the transport sector has worked on three fundamental lines, which group more than 30 measures.
The first of these strategies is focused on acting on the risks inherent in mobility and the reduction of services. The second to ensure and reinforce cargo activities and the third to the development of maintenance actions in those stopped vehicles or in terminals, railways and buildings linked to the sector.
According to the minister of the branch, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, these decisions fulfilled their purposes and reduced mobility. Thus, from an average of six million people transported each day, in recent days that figure has dropped to just over 300 thousand.
“First we act in international mobility, and then we go to the inter-provincial, inter-municipal and local levels. The measures, many of them advanced in stage, had an impact on all means of transportation and contributed to social distancing, ”he said.
For his part, Rodríguez Dávila added that the transport sector also works to ensure essential activities, while maintaining work in some airports for humanitarian flights. "In the case of cargo transport, the port-transport-internal economy chain has been maintained, as well as port and rail operations linked to the transport of goods," he explained.
In parallel, the last few weeks have served to develop actions for the maintenance of buildings and means of transport, as well as cargo centers and railway yards.
On the support of transportation to health centers and institutions essential to the economy, the minister commented that although in the early days it was necessary to correct on the fly, now it is a system that works without major problems. In this sense, he recognized the effort of drivers and managers to guarantee the functionality of each place.
Rodríguez Dávila acknowledged that it is possible to extend the measures adopted for a few more days, especially to avoid new infections. Regarding the provision to restrict the circulation of state vehicles, he commented that his objectives are to reduce mobility and save resources such as fuel and spare parts.
"That decision does not impact private vehicles, as well as others destined to guarantee the operation and safety of the country. Those who must remain working were provided with an identification and we worked to control that measure. So far the results show a decrease of around 30 thousand vehicles, "he assured.
Finally, the minister reflected on the need to continue limiting interprovincial travel for the residential sector, especially to avoid an increase in the spread of COVID-19. However, he recalled that in exceptional cases a solution is sought.
At the same time, insurance is maintained for patients with urgent medical shifts, cancer treatments or those in need of hemodialysis. These services are guaranteed through the ambulance system, but also the support of the TaxisCuba Company and the incorporation of minibuses.
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