Brazilian Government Proposes Minimum Wage of 286 USD

Brazilian government proposed Wednesday to make a 12-percent readjustment to the minimum wage from the currently 415 reais (256 U.S dollars) to 464.7 reais (286 dollars) in 2009.

Planning, Budget and Administration Minister Paulo Bernardo presented the proposal to the Senate Wednesday.

The readjustment corresponded to the variation of the National Index of Prices to the Consumer in the last 12 months and the real growth of gross domestic product (GDP).

He also said it will be an increase of almost 40 percent in the resources for education and a primary surplus in the public sector, the equivalent of 3.8 percent of the GDP.