DR drives social justice with salary increases, record formal employment, and no hate speech between classes

Geneva. - President Luis Abinader reaffirmed his government's commitment to social justice that is built on respect, inclusion, and decent work, and not on confrontation between classes. "In the Dominican Republic, we firmly believe that these values are embodied in social justice, and this must be achieved without class confrontations or discourses that pit rich against poor, but from an approach of coexistence, respect, and opportunities for all," said the president during his speech at the Annual Forum of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, held at the headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Before representatives of governments, employers, workers, and international organizations, Abinader maintained that social justice cannot be an abstract promise; it must be a concrete, measurable, and transformative policy, which is expressed in wages that allow living with dignity and that translates into working conditions that respect health, safety, and the balance between life and work. In that sense, he highlighted the policies implemented in his country to improve real wages, reduce poverty, and expand formal employment, all without resorting to populist or divisive rhetoric. The Head of State pointed out that in the Dominican Republic, actions are being promoted to foster a climate of dialogue and cooperation between workers and employers, in search of a more just and inclusive future.

Advances in salary matters

The Dominican president presented concrete progress in salary matters, underlining that the minimum wage in the non-sectorized private sector has grown by 60.8% in nominal terms and 24.8% in real terms since the beginning of his administration. He also stated that, for the first time, the minimum wage of large companies covers more than 100% of the cost of the basic basket of the first quintile, while that of medium-sized companies reaches 91.7%. He highlighted that the ECLAC report on the "Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2024" places the Dominican Republic as the fourth country in the region with the highest increase in the real minimum wage since 2018, with an increase of 20.6%. He also said that in the last year, the country he leads was one of 16 in which an increase in the real minimum wage was observed. "We have taken firm measures to ensure that the salary is not a technical figure, but a tool to live with dignity. We have promoted reforms that have increased the minimum wage to cope with the real cost of living, and we have strengthened the tripartite dialogue to set fair wages," he highlighted. In terms of employment, Abinader highlighted that the country has reached historical figures with more than 5.1 million people employed, of which 2.38 million are in formal jobs.

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Abinader added that since 2020, more than 800,000 new workers have been added, of whom 62.2% have entered the formal sector. He pointed out that the labor formality rate stands at 46.6%, the highest recorded, and that, for the first time, the female employment rate exceeded 50%. In addition to strengthening wages and formal employment, the Dominican ruler mentioned advances in health coverage, technical and higher education, job training, and social security. He indicated that more than 97% of the population has coverage under the Family Health Insurance, and technical training centers and university extensions have multiplied throughout the country.

Dominican Republic to host the next ILO Americas Regional Meeting

President Abinader announced that the Dominican Republic will host the next Regional Meeting of the Americas of the ILO, to be held in Punta Cana in October of this year, reflecting its commitment to regional cooperation.

The leader called for international cooperation, assuring that social justice centered on decent work is not a utopia, but a political decision, an ethical priority and a common responsibility.

"From the Dominican Republic, with humility, but also with determination, we say present. We are ready to walk alongside you on this path towards a more just, more egalitarian, and more humane world." Added: "Our model of social justice seeks precisely that: to advance without exclusions or confrontations, ensuring that every citizen, regardless of their origin or condition, has real access to the rights, opportunities, and dignity they deserve."