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 Travel & Outdoors | The Cuba Connection | April 2005 
Fidel Castro More Than Doubles Minimum Wage for Cuban Workers
 Wire services
| | President Fidel Castro |
Havana - President Fidel Castro announced an increase in the island's minimum wage Thursday, more than doubling salaries of nearly 1.7 million Cuban workers. Farmhands, plumbers and other low-wage workers currently making about $4.20 a month will earn $9.40 starting May 1, he said.
Castro made the announcement in a televised address - his eighth speech in 11 days.
At the end of last month, Castro announced increased payments for citizens on welfare. Single mothers, senior citizens without relatives, widows and the disabled are among the hundreds of thousands of Cubans who will benefit from the increase. It also takes effect on May 1.
The average Cuban government worker earns the equivalent of about $12 a month. But salary figures can be misleading in Cuba. Most citizens here pay no rent and education and health care are free. In addition, the government offers heavily subsidized basic services such as utilities and transportation.
Over the past few weeks, Castro has announced economic news, including currency revaluations and the distribution of thousands of new pressure cookers and rice steamers at subsidized prices.
The wage increase announced Thursday will cost the government about $44 million annually, Castro said. |
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