Labour Minister Carlos Tomada praised the agreement which was reached yesterday to raise the minimum salary to 1500 pesos. "It was a good practice," he said, as "unions and entrepreneurs all worked together and made concessions."

"Everyone who participated in the talks at the Salary Council is satisfied", Tomada told journalists, adding that "President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner entered the talks when it seemed like no deal was going to be reached."

"Workers unions wanted 1600 pesos and entrepreneurs wouldn't go over 1400. But we finally reached 1500," the minister explained. Tomada reminded journalists that this raise would be to the benefit of 300 000 workers in the country and that the average wage in Argentina was of 2970 pesos.

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