CTV's Manuel Cova launches drive to hike the minimum wage by 30%

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Venezuelan Confederation of Trade Unions (CTV) general secretary, Manuel Cova has announced that members of the national executive will visit Costa Rica to consult with CTV president Carlos Ortega.  Political affairs observers suggest that Ortega wants to continue dominating play inside the union leadership and dictating the tune he wants the leadership to dance to. 

It remains to be seen whether Alfredo Ramos and Froilan Barrios, who have been very quiet since Ortega's exile at the Costa Rican Embassy, will attempt to challenge the takeover. 

An attempt to shuffle leadership positions and replace Ortega met with stiff opposition from Cova and the Accion Democratica (AD) apparatus, who seemingly think that Ortega merits honorary membership and has the right to dictate union policy from exile, even though he no longer resides in Venezuela.  

• Meanwhile, Cova has launched a campaign for a 30% hike in Venezuela's  minimum wage in anticipation of an annual government decree on May 1st increasing the minimum basic wage 10%. 

In an attempt to relate to members of his own trade union, Cova says a 30% increase in the minimum wage, would help the construction industry put money into the economy and create jobs.