The bourgeois government of Venezuela has announced an "increase" in the minimum wage, starting in March, which thus rises to 1,800,000 bolívares. That’s $0.95, which, added to the Cesta Ticket, makes $1.9 monthly, what the government calls the "full wage". Shopping vouchers - called "Cesta Ticket" - also come in at a monthly value of the same amount. Pensions have been raised to the same level as the minimum wage.

In the salary scale for public employees, the highest salary is $2.89 per month ($3.84 with the Cesta Ticket).

The "Canasta alimentaria", i.e., the basket of food expenses, is estimated to be $282 for 2021, an amount clearly not attainable by any worker, skilled or unskilled.

In the petrochemical sector, the demagogues of regime unionism are promoting an agreement with the bosses for a basic wage of $16.6 per month and a Basket Ticket of $43.62, plus an "economic warfare voucher" of $8.35, for a total of $68.67, equivalent to 24% of the cost of food. Even in the private sector, wages are higher than in the public sector, but the wide gap between the amount received and the cost of living remains.

Proletarian families manage to survive only with remittances from relatives who have emigrated to work abroad.

The productive apparatus is paralyzed for 70% due to the decay of activity in the oil sector, already the driving force of the Venezuelan economy, the fall in consumption and the economic effects of the Covid containment measures.

Economic paralysis fuels unemployment and reduces the economically active population. Although between February and March the exchange rate stopped at 1,800,000 bolívares per U.S. dollar, inflation does not stop and real wages will continue to fall.

The government is pushing real wages down to support the national and transnational capitalists who are trying to maintain and expand their profit margins.

Workers are trying to fight back and are beginning to meet and try to stage protests to demand better wages. This reaction is still weak due to the lack of grassroots organization and the treacherous and demobilizing action of the current unions.

To continue the struggle, workers need to organize grassroots workers’ committees and unite in class unions, outside of the regime unions, joining their struggles for wage increases. Struggles and protests are needed, despite the restrictions for Covid and government repression. These actions of struggle must converge in the general and all-out strike, without minimum services, of all categories and in all economic activities. Meetings and assemblies inside and outside of workplaces must be promoted. There is no other way for the wage-earners subjected to capitalist exploitation.

And, on this path, it is important to keep away from the electoral appeals of vote-seekers of all colors.

Unity of action of all workers for a general increase in wages!