SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR RIGHTS IN THE COVID-19 SCENARIO - SPECIAL REPORT: CSA-CSI
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SPECIAL REPORT:
SOCIAL PROTECTION
AND LABOR RIGHTS
IN THE COVID-19 SCENARIO
TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION INTERNATIONAL TRADE
OF WORKERS OF THE AMERICAS UNION CONFEDERATION
Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) TUCA EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT Hassan Yussuff - President Francisca Jiménez - Deputy President Toni Moore - Deputy President Rafael Freire Neto - Secretary General Jordania Ureña Lora - Secretary of Trade Union Policy & Education Cícero Pereira da Silva - Secretary of Social Policies Bárbara Figueroa - Secretary of Economic Policy & Sustainable Development Content and Editing: Retirees and Pensioners Representation Team in Banco de Previsión Social, Montevideo, Uruguay. Revision: TUCA Team Translation: Victoria Brown Graphic Design and Layout : Gervasio Della Ratta With the support of: We Social Movements (WSM) as part of the project "Global Solidarity, Social Protection and Gender". All rights reserved ©2020, Trade Union Confederation of the Americas Buenos Aires 404/406, CP 11000, Montevideo, Uruguay Phone: +(598) 2 914 75 88 – Mail: sede@csa-csi.org – Web: www.csa-csi.org December 2020
SPECIAL REPORT:
SOCIAL PROTECTION
AND LABOR RIGHTS
IN THE COVID-19 SCENARIO
TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION INTERNATIONAL TRADE
OF WORKERS OF THE AMERICAS UNION CONFEDERATION
WITH THE SUPPORT OF:
Presentation The health crisis due to measures in response to COVID-19 has exposed workers in the Americas to more vulnerabilities, poverty conditions, and violations of their basic and labor rights. Strong, universal, and good quality social protection systems should be in place to protect those rights. The pandemic met most countries in the Americas in the opposite situation: with privatized and dismantled social protection systems. This situation has led to worse the impacts on the population. It is fundamental for the trade union movement of the Americas to have an overview of the pandemic impacts on the social protection main social benefits in the region, to identify the main challenges, demand concrete actions from governments and promote proposals, based on what has been built in the Platform for Development in the Americas - PLADA - and the Continental Platform for Social Security - PLACOSS. This Special Issue provides a general overview, with emphasis on six countries: Argen- tina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay on the pandemic impacts on workers in terms of social protection, based on the analysis of the respons- es in these countries. As an output of the Labor Observatory of the Americas, this report aims to contribute to our affiliates ‘action through a systematization of government, union and employer measures in response to the crisis generated by the pandemic. Additionally, this Special Issue is a contribution from the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas - TUCA - to the Latin American Social Protection Network process, of which it is an active part, together with national networks in Brazil, Bolivia, Haiti, Peru and the Dominican Republic, as well as with three other continental networks; within the framework of the project "Global Solidarity, Social Protection and Gender" with We Social Movements support. Today more than ever, in the face of the model crisis worsening and the impact of the pandemic on the working class, the demand for the right to social security as an essential component of decent work, represents one of the main challenges of the trade union movement of the Americas for a dignified life. Therefore, from TUCA, we hope this Special Issue will contribute to future debates and joint actions of the various trade union and social organizations to ensure social protection for all workers. Rafael Freire Neto General Secretary
1. Introduction
Undoubtedly 2020 has been an unusual year across the world. The effect of the mea-
sures against the COVID-19 pandemic include health, economic and social damages
that led the entire world to an unprecedented economic-social crisis since, at least, the
Second World War. We know how and when this emergency began, however, we do
not know when it will end, much less what the final impacts will be on the working class
of the different countries, in particular in the Americas.
Although the pandemic evidenced the complicated health situation of many countries,
with rising infection rates and a high number of deaths, the crisis has also impacted
countries economically and socially. On the one hand, it paralyzed and slowed down
various sectors of the economy, deeply affecting the population, mostly workers, small
businesses and the self-employed. On the other hand, sectors such as health services,
e-commerce, home delivery and food distribution, among others, saw their demand
grow, albeit they did not have the necessary conditions to respond to this increased
pressure, which also impacted workers who are facing precarious working conditions,
extended work hours, with no labor rights, no protective and biosafety equipment or
social protection. Official statistics show a surge in unemployment, underemployment
and also poverty or social exclusion, as a result of the pandemic. The International Labor
Organization (ILO) estimates that the severest effects were felt in the second quarter of
the year, with an approximate loss of 47 million jobs in the region, compared to the
previous year.1
These impacts have not only been caused by the health crisis, but mainly by the neolib-
eral policies that, applied at different levels in the region, led to precarious circum-
stances to address the crisis, with the Americas as the most affected region worldwide.
Most of all the health crisis revealed the importance of a robust and democratic public
sector able to react quickly, based on criteria of universality, quality, justice and
democracy in the face of the economic and social consequences.
One of the first conclusions is the relevant and important role of the States in the crisis
management, promoting, executing and ensuring containment measures related to
health and economic and social measures. Without a present, democratic State with
political will and solid institutions supporting its actions to comply with its role of guar-
antor of rights, the fight against the pandemic will be less effective and affect marginal-
ized populations in different ways, and the subsequent recovery will be slower and
more difficult, intensifying inequalities. Trade unions have already declared that
workers must not bear the burden of the predicament and its recovery. As the effects of
this crisis are, in part, the result of the exclusionary neoliberal accumulation model, the
burden of the recovery must be borne mainly by those who have, and continue to
obtain, most of the benefits of this model. This would be a first step towards a necessary
and urgent change of model. Although in many cases it will be necessary to turn to
1) ECLAC/ILO Labor Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean November 2020 No. 23 Labor dynamics in a crisis of unprecedented
characteristics: policy challenges.
03international financing to buffer the impacts of the crisis and seek a
just and democratic recovery, this cannot entail a new cycle of indebt-
edness for countries that conditions their autonomy and policies at the
national level. Instead, the goal must be the democratization of social protec-
tion.
Consequently, the concrete actions implemented or to be implemented by the States
in the future to assist workers - mainly in informal and precarious employment - are very
relevant to guarantee their health, and economic or social rights. Much of what is
implemented today will lead to a fairer, more sustainable and equitable recovery in the
future, whether of jobs, working conditions, or number of companies in operation,
among others. In addition to the most elementary humanitarian reasons, such as ensur-
ing the basic sustenance of the population, access to their rights to health, food, and
education, there are also strategic reasons to reflect on the conditions of the recovery.
This report presents the main social protection measures implemented by seven Latin
American countries, at least one for each subregion2, to address the health, economic
and social emergency. Subsequently, we will analyze whether the measures imple-
mented move in the same direction as TUCA’s proposals to address the COVID-19 pan-
demic, as presented in the different position papers. We analyze the measures imple-
mented, among others, to address the situation of the labor conditions, the loss of jobs
or wages, the support for workers in informal and precarious working conditions, as well
as the populations mostly affected or at risk from the pandemic.
The main source of the information is the ECLAC3 COVID-19 Observatory site, to which
national governments have reported the measures implemented to address the crisis.
All its sources are official, with the possible bias this may represent at the time of inter-
preting or measuring the impact of the policies implemented. A first problem would be
that governments may report on their appropriate measures, but do not report on sec-
tors or topics where no measures were adopted, as the attached table shows.
Lastly, we will perform an insightful assessment as to which would be the
solution to this crisis, with concrete political actions to respond to each country's
challenges.
2) Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama and Uruguay.
3) https://www.cepal.org/es/temas/covid-19
042. Brief analysis of the measures
implemented by the countries analyzed
Below a summary of the main mea- ment of people across borders, deter-
sures adopted, and summarized in the mining the mandatory quarantine for
table attached to this paper. those returning from locations affected
by the pandemic.
Before analyzing the measures adopted,
all countries have a common denomina- However, when analyzing the table, we
tor (with some differences in the dates): observe that the different measures
they all decreed the health emergency adopted by the compared countries
upon the first cases of COVID-19. All of governments show similarities and
them enforced provisions on the move- differences.
05The type and volume of the policies
2.1. Economic Measures: implemented depended on the political
orientation of the government in office,
the country's institutional structure (the
A set of measures is repeated, with the preexistence of broad-based or limited
same purpose of increasing liquidity social insurance), as well as other char-
(amount of money in the economy) due acteristics of each country's employ-
to the need to reach the same goal, i.e. ment and economic structure. All coun-
minimize the decline of economic activi- tries did increase their public social
ty and seek to sustain, to the extent pos- spending to address the effects of the
sible, the economic-production struc- pandemic. According to the Fiscal Over-
ture, without necessarily emphasizing view 2020 for Latin America of ECLAC,
support for those most affected by the while countries such as Peru or Brazil
pandemic. showed increases in fiscal spending of
more than 4.5% of GDP to address the
We see policies to lower the cost of crisis, at the other end of the spectrum,
credit, exemption or deferral of the pay- countries such as Uruguay and the Do-
ment of taxes and charges, and in some minican Republic increased their
cases direct subsidy to the production spending by 0.7% of GDP, and Costa
costs of some activities. For example, Rica by 0.8% of GDP.
Uruguay where the payment of contri-
butions to social security was deferred We see that the different degrees of
for monotax payers, small businesses, spending may be associated with preex-
and the activities hardest hit by the pan- isting mechanisms that act as protec-
demic, such as tourism or transport. tion shield against negative eventuali-
ties on the employment situation.
Argentina applied the same policy to
the sectors most affected by the health
crisis, while Brazil postponed the pay-
ment of employer and personal contri-
butions to social security and the pay-
ment of national taxes. In all countries,
credit lines with certain flexibility were
made available for small and medi-
um-sized companies. Panama imple-
mented a set of promotional measures
providing tax facilities for the establish-
ment of large transnational enterprises
in the country. In the case of Costa Rica,
in addition to relief measures for the
private business sector, modifications
and cuts were made in the State budget,
4) https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/han-
without specifying the areas where they dle/11362/45730/5/S2000154_es.pdf
would be applied.
06also be considered as a way to sustain
2.2. Social Benefits the aid to the family care system. A
bonus called "Proteger" was also grant-
ed to those who lost their jobs as a result
All the measures adopted maintain the of the health emergency. For its part, the
line of “reinforcing” aid to the most vul- government of Panama launched the
nerable and unprotected sectors, in Panama Solidario program, which
some cases with transfers in cash or in delivers food vouchers or vouchers to
kind, in most cases based on targeting access electricity benefits in order to
policies. support the population most affected by
the crisis.
The Dominican Republic developed the
FASE program (Employee Solidarity Although countries report a significant
Assistance Fund) plans, Quédate en number of measures to avoid the
Casa and Pa’Ti (Independent Workers’ destruction of their social fabric and pro-
Assistance Program). Its different instru- vide economic and food security, statis-
ments sought to provide food or income tical data from official agencies
security to low-income dependent fami- acknowledge that, despite the policies
lies or self-employed workers. The Do- adopted, poverty and extreme poverty
minican Republic also made decisions have increased in Latin America during
to sustain access to electricity, prohibit- the pandemic. According to ECLAC5,
ing energy cuts due to non-payment estimates, during 2020 the number of
(measures which were also adopted in poor in Latin America will increase by
Argentina and Brazil). In Peru, electrici- 4.4%, forcing 28.7 million people into
ty bills were subsidized, while Panama poverty, while extreme poverty will
suspended the collection of the regular grow by 2.6%, i.e. 15.9 million people
rate for four months, to then subsidize more living in extreme poverty.
the energy consumption of the low-in-
come population. Uruguay doubled the
amount available per beneficiary of the
social assistance programs (Uruguay
Social Card) for both food and con-
sumption, and reinforced the payment
of family allowances corresponding to
the Equity Plan, targeting low-income
households. For its part Argentina
extended the Alimentar Card program
of low-income families in order to cover
their food needs. Costa Rica continued
with the Avancemos and Crecemos
programs in order to maintain the aid to
low-income families for the young to 5) https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/han-
continue their studies. This measure can dle/11362/45527/5/S2000325_es.pdf
07on how many workers were benefited.
2.3. Employment Scenario Peru also announced the subsidy of 35%
to 55% to the payroll of companies
affected by the crisis.
Argentina supported and committed In the case of the FASE program, the
much more to the protection of workers, government of the Dominican Republic
with measures such as prohibiting fully or partially covered the cost of cash
dismissals and suspensions due to the transfers to formal workers whose activi-
pandemic, having to pay dismissed ty was suspended as a result of social
workers double the normal compensa- protection measures against COVID-19.
tion. Initially the cash transfers were pro-
posed for two months (April - May), pos-
Similarly, the Emergency Family
sibly extending until December 2020.
Income was made available to the
unemployed of the informal sector, Countries such as Brazil or Panama em-
monotax payers and beneficiaries of braced a more liberal policy regarding
social programs, even enabling pay- employment regulation. In Brazil, for
ment of an extraordinary bonus for example, the possibility of telework and
low-income retirees receiving a single its application, its temporality and dura-
benefit. Unlike Uruguay, Brazil and tion were subject to the discretion of the
Peru, Argentina gave more importance employer. In other words, employers
to unprotected sectors. In the case of were given greater discretionary power,
Uruguay, the most important measures in addition to power to suspend con-
consisted of extending and expanding tracts and advance vacations or holidays.
the coverage of unemployment insur-
ance and providing a subsidy to art The policies formulated to intervene in
workers (which very few people were labor relations responded to each coun-
able to access and whose economic try's different economic and political
benefit was very low), but no measures reality, which means that the different
were implemented to protect the most measurements are not strictly compara-
unprotected sectors or even informal ble. Uruguay, for example, has a high
workers who only received a basic food rate of informal employment (close to
basket, sector which accounts for almost 25% of existing employment) which,
25% of employment. nevertheless, is low at the Latin Ameri-
can level, entailing the need to make
employment. other kinds of political decisions. The
social protection networks of countries,
Peru granted a bonus as subsidy during
such as Argentina or Peru, with less
a 3-month period to low-income em-
labor formality, are less developed and
ployees of companies with fewer than
therefore, require extraordinary mea-
100 employees whose activity had been
sures in the event of extraordinary
impacted by the pandemic. There are no
situations.
reports on the scope of this measure nor
082.4. Measures adopted
in relation to care
As shown in the annexed table, of the 7
countries analyzed, only 2 (Argentina
and Peru) reported the adoption of
measures in relation to care to address
the effects of the pandemic.6
As the final reflection of this section,
once again we warn of the possible
weakness of interpreting each country's
official reports to the ECLAC. As men-
tioned above, this excludes the possibili-
ty of critical stocktaking on the mea-
sures implemented as the results
achieved by the different programs
have not been included, some of which
were more targeted than desirable and
left out important collectivities of the
highly vulnerable population.
6) In the case of the Andean countries, care work is extensively
analyzed in the special report of the Labor Observatory of the
Americas: Working Conditions and the Rights of Women Workers
in four Andean Countries in the COVID-19 Scenario: Colombia-Pe-
ru-Ecuador-Bolivia
093. Brief analysis of the measures
adopted by the four Andean countries
in relation to the TUCA guidelines
As of the declaration of the health emer- systems, protection of women affected
gency in the region, TUCA presented its by gender-based violence, and support
proposals for public policies contribut- for care work. These measures are part
ing to the enhancement of the living of the "New Social Contract".7
and working conditions of the working
class. The proposals include a tax on Firstly, although the countries reported a
large fortunes, economic aid, food for broad set of policies to address the health
the population, biosafety and personal crisis, their impact has been insufficient
protection measures and equipment, to reverse the social and economic crisis.
and guarantees for workers’ rights, regu-
lation of telework in dialogue with trade
union federations, expansion of the cov- 7) See narrative at: https://csa-csi.org/?s=covid
erage and quality of social protection
10This means that, despite acknowledging Another situation which shows ambigu-
the efforts made by some governments, ities is the access to cleaning, hygiene
in general in Latin America working and and personal care products. While most
living conditions have deteriorated, of the 7 countries implemented some
especially among historically disadvan- sort of program to distribute baskets of
taged populations; workers, and, sanitary items to help the most vulnera-
within workers, women, Afro-descen- ble groups, no control measures were
dants, indigenous peoples, etc. implemented to limit the overpricing of
these products, with many cases of abu-
Upon studying the reality of these coun- sive increases in the price of basic neces-
tries and the measures they adopted, we sities reported, except by Argentina.
note with concern some points that are
not being addressed with the political Regarding concrete measures, several
determination and resoluteness that countries implemented policies of cash
the crisis calls for. Although the delicate transfers to low-income households,
fiscal situation experienced by some through different methodologies and
countries even before the pandemic with different reach: in Costa Rica, the
could be presented as justification, in Avancemos and Crecemos Plans; in
certain cases there is evidence of lack of Brazil, Auxilio Emergencial; in Argentina,
political determination to implement Tarjeta Alimentar. In most cases, these
measures to support the working class. are targeting strategies precisely to sup-
An example is the absence of progres- port the poor, but exclude a large part of
sive tax policies to redistribute costs and the population living in poverty, albeit
obtain financing from the wealthiest not strictly the poorest of the poor,
sectors. At the time of this study, Argen- which require policies to ensure their
tina was the only country of the group access to basic rights. These kinds of pol-
analyzed whose parliament passed a tax icies end up creating dynamics of com-
on large fortunes to be used to finance petition between the population and
the policies required to combat the pan- clientelism by those in the institutions.
demic.
Some cash transfer plans targeted work-
Although several countries experienced ers whose activities were suspended or
setbacks due to increased unemploy- their working hours reduced. In Costa
ment, labor informality and, in general, Rica it is Plan Proteger, while in Domini-
poverty and inequality indicators, some can Republic it is the FASE program.
governments emphasized recovery and Some of the difficulties associated with
redistribution measures, even in delicate this type of instrument relate, firstly, to
fiscal situations (Argentina). the commercialization of the access to
basic rights, as these needs are resolved
Another aspect to highlight is the com- with cash transfers without being com-
bination of progressive actions with plemented by price control policies or
regressive ones. For example, Costa Rica guarantees for the access and quality of
suspended the VAT on items of the basic service provision. Second, gender ste-
basket, mainly benefiting low-income reotypes are often reinforced, with men
sectors, and also suspended salary receiving the cash transfer as they are
increases for public employees.
11considered the “household head”. and address the recognition of care,
which women tend to be in charge of
Regarding employment protection, the due to gender stereotypes. In the con-
measures adopted have had mixed text of the pandemic and growing tele-
results. Although some countries work, these unpaid tasks are opposed to
attempted to regulate the termination paid work, generating double or triple
of the employment relationship, prohib- shifts for women. In recent years, Uru-
iting layoffs or job dissociations due to guay developed an incipient care
the pandemic, in other countries the system to provide coverage and access
balance tipped towards employers, to this kind of benefit. Despite its sound
without protecting workers' right to indicators and results in terms of early
decent employment. childhood and care for the elderly, the
country is dropping this program, com-
On the other hand, although almost all
promising a fundamental tool to
countries made efforts to regulate and
combat inequality in terms of income
promote telework, it did not always
and gender. The greater the presence
redound to the benefit of workers. This is
and political determination of the State
fundamentally due to the absence of
to enforce democratic policies such as
negotiation and dialogue with trade
caregiving, the broader the scope of pro-
unions and the discretion granted to
tection and social coverage will be.
employers to define the telework condi-
tions. Some countries such as Brazil, as In countries where the State played a
well as a draft law under parliamentary passive role in social policymaking
discussion in Uruguay, the “need” to reg- during the pandemic (Uruguay or
ulate telework was used as deregulation Brazil), social protection systems are of
mechanism, subtracting labor protec- lesser quantity and quality. This inaction
tion. is accompanied by a policy that assigns
the fulfillment of the responsibilities of
Furthermore, countries reported few
the State to private actors that impose
measures in relation to safety and health
logics and commercial practices that are
at work, such as provision of personal
far from workers' interests and needs.
protective equipment, access to drink-
ing water, provision of soap and hand If we add the need to strengthen civil
sanitizer, maintenance of working con- society organizations and, in particular,
ditions. distancing in the workplace and trade unions, undoubtedly the differenc-
in means of transport, among others, in es will deepen. At a time when the world
addition to the approved protocols for faces the greatest economic-finan-
positive cases. Less common were the cial-social crisis since at least the Second
measures adopted based on bi- or World War, the satisfaction of needs and
tripartite negotiations. the guarantee of rights cannot be left to
the logic of the market. Without a pres-
Government made less efforts in other
ent, democratic State that guarantees
areas, such as the care policy. Except for
rights and targets public policies to the
Argentina, and to a lesser extent Peru,
working class, the consequence of this
no country emphasized (not to say
crisis will be even more profound.
'directly omitted') policies to improve
12Some countries adopted similar mea-
sures to those proposed by the TUCA to
address the crisis resulting from the
pandemic, such as health measures,
measures to protect workers, while
others have sought to deteriorate labor
relations, leading to precarity, disregard
for collective bargaining, modification of
labor legislation in a non-protective
manner, among other regressive labor
policies. Some Latin American countries
- not included in the object of this study,
show a more serious situation using the
pandemic as an excuse to dismiss work-
ers without paying compensation or
protection.
Based on democratic principles and par-
ticipation, the State plays a fundamental
role as guarantor of the right to social
security and protection that requires
multiple attributes such as universality,
sufficiency of the benefits, priority in the
disadvantaged, progressiveness in cov-
erage extension and other principles, to
avoid widening the gap and increasing
social inequality.
134. Final Thoughts
The analysis of the measures adopted by forth some considerations and, above all,
the governments of the region as to reflect on the future associated with
regards social protection, specifically in guaranteeing the social protection of the
the 7 countries that are the object of this working class of the region.
report, in contrast to what TUCA pro-
posed in this context, leads us to put
15connection coverage, without computers
4.1. Democratic State so as not to paralyze education and to
and Public Policies continue classes virtually, this response
would not have been possible.
Although the effects of the pandemic are Already a large proportion of the popula-
expected to recede from the health per- tion is not covered by the social protec-
spective with the advance of effective tion systems (mainly informal workers).
vaccination, social consequences are However, as a result of the crisis, even
already visible and here to stay. Firstly, the more will be unemployed and excluded
loss of millions of jobs that will inevitably from said systems. This circumstance
increase unemployment and poverty, will require revisiting the economy,
much more so in peripheral countries. health and social protection, and part of
This has been reported in a recent paper this new perspective should incorporate
published by ECLAC and ILO8, which the analysis of an issue that had been
states that Latin America and the Carib- raised before the pandemic and is
bean will be the region that will suffer strongly underscored in the current
most difficulties to recover from the crisis. debate, i.e. the creation of the universal
This is a consequence of neoliberal basic income.
policies which, in crises such as this
one, expose the structural flaws and
inequalities of the neoliberal model.
It is important to assess the measures
adopted in countries such as Uruguay,
which in the last fifteen years implement-
ed structural reforms at the level of the
State through public policies in key areas
such as health, education (Plan Ceibal)9,
and also strengthened communications
through the national fiber optic grid
across the country of the State company
ANTEL, among others. Without these pol-
icies, it would not have been possible
to come out of the crisis fairly success-
fully. Without an integrated, national,
universal health system, without good
8) https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---americas/---ro-li-
ma/---sro-santiago/documents/publication/wcms_760451.pdf
9) The Plan Ceibal involved the provision of one computer per
school-age child and one high school student.
16Although it has various forms and names, At the time of reflecting on the possibility
the concept of Universal Basic Income of implementing a basic income, some
mainly involves the State providing a uni- criticisms to this proposal weigh heavily.
versal and unconditional cash benefit to In particular, the unconditional nature of
all people. Although the amount may the benefit has been questioned, which
vary, the generally accepted idea is that it tends to subtract incentives for individual
should cover very basic needs. In some responsibility, as well as the eventual con-
cases, the proposal has been to cover the tradiction with the “wage-earning soci-
income level of the poor or extremely ety” and the centrality and function of
poor. work in contemporary society. It is not
trivial to point out that the concept of
There are two modalities of basic income: basic income has been confronted by the
one designed to provide minimum cover- liberal stances, based on a sort of "end of
age to people in need, after verifying the contradictions and conflicts" enabling
lack of a survival income and other the persistent conservative tradition to
requirements of eventual beneficiaries, or capture this instrument without relating
another modality provided uncondition- it to the emancipation of workers' from
ally to all people as part of the recognition any form of exploitation due to the neces-
of their fundamental right and, therefore, sity of personal and family survival. Simi-
unrelated to the world of work. A project larly, it is a mechanism to diminish the
of this magnitude must be grounded on responsibility of meeting the basic needs
sufficiently solid ethical and political prin- of the market by assuming that a cash
ciples due to the substantive change it income is a necessary and sufficient con-
entails. First, it is possible to posit a moral dition to access said needs.
and philosophical reason that places
people at the center simply because This complex discussion is part of the
human beings are part of society and are dispute related to the vision or trajectory
entitled to live, hence, it is the State's obli- of the social policies to be adopted. As
gation to secure at least a floor of mini- with other issues at the international
mum income as expression of the right to level, the trend for market visions to cap-
life. ture the concept and to move away from
the perspective of rights and the role of
Second, from the political point of view, a the State in overcoming inequalities.
necessary complement is the develop-
ment and defense of the democratic Taking note of the complexity of the
system, which necessarily requires peo- discussion on the nature and effects of
ple's conscious participation, which the basic income, in the present scenario
would be impossible if their basic materi- the basic income could well operate as
al needs are not covered. Thirdly, this sum an instrument to overcome the most
of money will probably be allocated to
domestic consumption, which tends to
boost the economy and the market and 10) See Keynesian, Post-Keynesian and Neo-Marxist theories on
this topic.
contributes to social cohesion and to
combat poverty.
171
2
urgent and pressing issues that pose the (Social Protection Floor), both of the Inter-
risk of excluding numerous collectivities national Labor Organization.
who have lost all their income, even the
minor income received for precarious or Convention 102 identifies the essential
informal work. In general, the region's content of social security through “basic
trade union movement has incorporated, standards”, enshrining them in a highly
into its platform or emergency pro- flexible international instrument, which
grams, the consideration of some kind of seeks as many ratifications as possible to
non-permanent, targeted emergency provide countries and citizens better
basic income. living conditions and comprehensive cov-
erage for the most common social con-
At the more "conventional" level of social tingencies.
protection and security, it is important to
consider two first-rate valid international Convention 102 allows the gradual incor-
instruments to build the idea of the 20th poration of risk coverage provided that at
century Social State: least three of the nine benefits recog-
nized in the text apply to each and every
Convention 102 (Basic Social Security beneficiary of this convention, and must
Standards) and Recommendation 202 include at least one referring to the
following: unemployment, old age, occu-
18pational accident and occupational
disease, disability and survival.
Regarding the so-called “social protec-
tion floor”, the clause should be under-
stood as the set of basic social security
guarantees defined at the national level
to ensure a protection that prevents or
alleviates poverty, vulnerability and social
exclusion.
Two key elements emerge from Recom-
mendation 202 detailing the type of basic
guarantees to be recognized, namely,
“basic income security, at least equivalent
to a nationally defined minimum level, for
working age adults who are unable to
obtain sufficient income, in particular in
the event of illness, unemployment, ma-
ternity and disability, and (…) basic income
security for the elderly, at least equivalent
to a minimum level defined at the nation-
al level”. The State must ensure these fun-
damental elements to their citizens; they
are coincidental with the demands of the
current health and economic crisis result-
ing from the response to the pandemic,
which are fundamental to minimize and
alleviate the impact on the population.
Some of the countries analyzed in this
report are historically more advanced in
terms of basic social security (Uruguay,
Argentina) and the coverage of their
models is more developed compared to
the other countries of the region. There-
fore, perhaps they will not need to ensure
basic social protection floors, but instead
should further expand their social securi-
ty coverage. However, in other cases,
depending on the maturity of the sys-
tems, will require a configuration and
assurance of basic social protection
floors, to then evolve into a universal
social security system.
19has already denounced. Under the
4.3. For workers not to carry guise of the pandemic and health crisis,
the burden of the crisis the fundamental rights of the workers
gained after years of struggle cannot be
violated, such as the right to organize
Lastly, TUCA is opposed to workers bear- trade unions, to rest, vacations, job secu-
ing the cost of the crisis. If the States do rity, among other issues. Public policies,
not resolutely enforce economic and regulation and job protection are
social policies, a much more concentrat- required for this purpose.
ed and exclusionary economic and
social model might emerge from this In this regard, it is relevant to analyze
crisis. The strong presence of States in the TUCA's survey, where we note with
key areas, such as health, education and concern that, as a result of the lockdown
work, must coincide with their role of or paralysis of economic activity in the
protecting and guaranteeing social and countries surveyed, 72.1% of workers
labor rights, and must buttress their were dismissed without just cause, or
actions as the engine of sustainable 44.3% of employers refused to pay their
development and social welfare. salaries. These type of measure was
adopted unilaterally without consensus,
Telework or remote work is here to stay, disregarding dialogue and collective
opening a new era of work that will bargaining. Thus, 48.8% of the organiza-
require normative regulation in order to tions surveyed indicate that collective
guarantee, and even expand, workers' bargaining was unilaterally suspended,
rights. Attention should be paid to the and almost 28% indicate violations of
de facto labor reform, which the TUCA trade union freedoms, and almost 77%
20indicate that open access to justice is
not guaranteed to report these viola-
tions.
The State is responsible for the formula-
tion of public policies to generate con-
crete actions to actively protect the
working class. The TUCA will continue its
critical approach to the government
measures that have not placed the work-
ing class at the center and that have
made the working class pay the cost of
the crisis, deepening the inequalities
that the pandemic made evident. The
TUCA will continue to demand demo-
cratic public policies and present social
protection proposals positing a just, sus-
tainable and equal society for all.
This involves fighting for a New Social
Contract where companies and the
private sector also fulfill their social
function of contributing to the social
protection of the working class, where
States and governments levy taxes on
large fortunes and adopt other mea-
sures to enable financing of the social
protection systems. The trade union
movement of the Americas will contin-
ue to demand an effective social dia-
logue and the recognition of collective
bargaining.
19DOMINICAN
ARGENTINA BRAZIL URUGUAY PERU PANAMA COSTA RICA
REPUBLIC
Suspension of personal Tax relief measures for
Two-month suspension of the Postponement of personal and Possibility for companies to
Deferral of the payment of the contribution to pension funds, Postponement of income
restructure their bank loans by small and medium-sized
collection of loan installments employers' social security value added tax for small the value of which will be and value added tax
modifying terms, rates and enterprises during the first
to retirees contributions. businesses for a period of time. provided to the settlements.
amounts. months of the crisis.
MEDIDAS respective worker
ECONÓMICAS Temporary exemption of Special boost applied to public workers
Deferral and postponement of
Deferral of the payment of
Postponement of the payment Temporary deferral of with incomes above 15,000 soles (4,000 Suspenstion of VAT collection on
payment of social security different taxes for a significant
of "simple national" taxes for a the payment of dollars), in order to finance support tax settlements for companies items of the basic basket until
contributions for the sectors measures during the pandemic number of taxpayers due to
6-month period. municipal taxes and individuals. June 30.
most affected by the pandemic the freezing of their activity.
Creation of the “Coronavirus Fund”
Exemption of the personal income Reduction of the payment Access to local and
to obtain resources to finance the Reduction of the reference Credit lines enabled for small
tax payment for health, armed of the vehicle circulation international credit lines to
effects of the pandemic, made up interest rate in order to lower and medium-sized enterprises
forces, security and immigration mainly of international funds and tax for 2021. address the crisis and ensure
the cost of credit. with soft terms and interest.
control personnel. taxes on public workers. the payment chain.
Creation of a special regime for the Reformulation of budget line-items in order Application of monetary policies
Deferral of the payment of tax Reduction of the interest rate Subsidy to workers under establishment of foreign companies in to contain the effects of the pandemic In
Subsidies to transport to facilitate and lower the cost of
obligations for exporters of small applied to loans for retirees and the monotax payment the country, based on tax benefits This part through reallocation and in part
companies, tourism, etc. measure seeks to boost employment. thanks to credits with international credit, especially for small and
and medium-sized enterprises pensioners of the INSS. format. No measurement available on its impact. organizations. medium-sized enterprises.
Through Resolution No. DM-150 Postponement of the payment of
Financial assistance program for Reduction of the commission Creation of the Business Support Different measures of economic support to
Temporary deferral of the dated April 27, 2020, the national the 2020 salary increase to micro and small enterprises, postponement
the provinces to address the charged to purchases made Funds for micro-enterprises.
collection of mortgage government convened a virtual workers of the central govern- of tax payments, access to credit, creation
health crisis with a debit or credit card (from The goal is to provide credit to tripartite dialogueon the economy
installments. ment, and other institutions were of a guarantee fund, etc.
3% to 2.5%) small businesses. and labor development
urged to follow suit.
Reduction of the minimum capital The evolution of the price of hygiene Se iniciaron controles para
Strengthening the budget requirements for banks, expecting an items was monitored (but not Easing of the fiscal rule
evitar la especulación del
allocated to the nation's Health rise in the credit to companies, audited) Authorization of duty-free linked to the Ministry of
precio de comercialización de
Ministry although not a condition. importation of certain products in Labor and IMAS.
bienes sanitarios.
this category.
Extension of the credit line for small and Approval of a fiscal plan to address the
Reduction of the minimum levels of Agreement with merchants,
medium-sized enterprises, with longer pandemic that includes relief of the social
reserves applied to banks, provided deadlines for repayment. The National producers and intermediaries to charges paid by employers, reduction of
that this decrease is reflected in the Development Bank authorized the maintain the prices of food, the VAT of the basic basket for
credit facilities for small and suspension of the collection of installments hygiene and health products for low-income households and other
of loans granted to companies of different transitory fiscal measures, such as taxes
medium-sized enterprises. categories three months. on financial transactions.
Creation of the program Salary Exemption of the collection of overhead
Compensatory Allocation of the program Limitation of the export of charges for basic services (water, electricity) Downward adjustment of the national
Emergency Assistance to Labor & goods linked to the fight to enterprises in especially affected sectors budget by reducing public spending
Production Program (ATP), to redress the (tourism, hotels, restaurants, institutions, The detail of the areas where the cuts
against COVID-19 to avoid will occur is essential to interpret their
salary of workers of the private sector in sports) and financing of part of the cost of
activities affected by the pandemic.
local shortages the electricity bill for the following months. consequences.
The payment of employer Through different channels,
contributions to social security of provision of assistance to micro,
those sectors most heavily affected small and medium-sized enterpris-
by the pandemic was reduced by es, postponement of payments,
up to 95% lower cost of credit, etc.
Approval of the zero rate lines of
credit and subsidized financial costs
for small taxpayers and
self-employed workers.
Establishment of a price and quantity control
program for food, personal hygiene and health
consumer goods linked to the fight against
COVID-19 The extension of the measure was
postponed several times.
Se aprobaron líneas de crédito a
tasa cero y con subsidio de los
costos financieros para pequeños
contribuyentes y trabajadores
autónomos.
Evictions were suspended, while rental
prices were frozen and rental contracts
automatically extended These measures
cover single houses used as residential
homes, properties rented by monotax
payers, small taxpayers and as location
where professionals exercise of their activity.
Overall benefits of tax relief for small
and medium-sized enterprises, tax
payment plans, etc.
Law 13,982 creates emergency aid worth R
Creation of the Panama Solidario
$ 600 per month per person for three Approval of transfers of a Creation of the programs “Quédate
Prohibition of the months (later extended) to support adults program to help the economically The Avancemos y Crecemos
Food baskets were delivered to universal family bonus for en casa” “FASE” and “Pa´ti” to help
disconnection of basic services without formal employment, but working vulnerable population. plans are maintained as
informal workers and non-beneficia- low-income families that are households of low-income
MEDIDAS
informally, as individual microentrepre- The program offers the possibility support for low-income
due to non-payment neurs (MEI) or contributing to social ries of other social benefits. not participating in the formal dependent or independent formal
of accessing food and energy families.
EN RELACIÓN A security It is expected to reach 54 million
beneficiaries.
labor market.
coupons or packages.
workers.
PRESTACIONES
SOCIALES The amount available per
Suspension of the payment of
Proposal to create
The Quedáte en Casa program benefited
Provisional Measure 946 allows electricity for 4 months; later low-income informal workers by reinforcing
Extension of the Alimentar Card beneficiary of social assistance Cash transfers were some 10,000 non-con- the amount corresponding to those with the
new cash withdrawals from social discounts of up to 50% were
program for low-income families in programs (Uruguay Social Card) approved to families of tributory pensions to solidarity card The "food first" program
security funds for beneficiaries in granted for people whose
order to cover their food needs for both food and consumption independent workers. support low-income doubled or increased the basic items that
the amount of R $ 35 billion. consumption was between 0 and households and beneficiaries receive
was doubled. 300 kW per month. older adults. every month.
Measures such as Emergency Assistance
The payment of family benefits Up to 5 million electricity Evictions from homes, profession-
were cut from the quantum of benefits or Health coverage was extended Measures were taken to postpone possible
(Allocations) corresponding to the bills of low-income al or commercial offices are
eligibility by the President of the Republic, for those for whom it was power outages due to non-payment (1
in response to the recommendations of the “equity plan” was reinforced, households were partially suspended for 4 months The debt month extension) while seeking to ensure
interrupted as a result of job loss
Ministry of the Economy to not expand
targeting low-income households. refinanced. generated will be prorated over the continuity of telecommunications.
social spending. due to the crisis.
the next 24 months.
ANEEL prohibited interrupting the During a month, special Internet access Special subsidy for households
electricity supply due to non-payment, benefits were provided to holders of the forced into mandatory quarantine as
during the first months of the free plans of ANTEL, the State a preventive measure against the
pandemic telecommunications company.
spread of COVID-19.
Reinforcement of the budget for the
Ministry of Women & the Family, as Distribution of about 50,000
well as of the Ministry of Citizens in food baskets low-income
order to address various aid programs
people
to fight against the pandemic
Regarding the willingness to The "Recuperando mi barrio"
The sickness insurance payment A specific subsidy was
telework, it is subject to the Subsidies were granted to Promotion of increased
MEDIDAS
(Recovering my neighborhood)
already existed and the work paid Teleworking was encouraged in
discretion of the employer, approved for artists and companies for the payment of program aimed to create temporary teleworking in the cases
leave was authorized for non-essential activities.
REFERIDAS
jobs in maintenance or reconstruc-
how to use it, when and until art workers. the payroll of up to 35% possible.
non-essential jobs tion of public spaces, buildings, etc.
when to use it.
AL MERCADO
DE TRABAJO Easing of the conditions to
Through the Proteger Plan, different
special bonuses were paid to
Regulation and promo-
access the existing unemploy- workers who lost their jobs or whose
tion of telework.
ment benefit. work days or working hours were
reduced.
An extraordinary payment of Exemption of public workers Authorization of telework, Modification of the conditions to access Those companies that remain
Definition by decree, of the the assets provided by the Social Security
the Universal Allocation per over 60 years of age and and if it was not compatible open must establish a flexible
guidelines for companies with Fund of Costa Rica, in cases of
Child (AUH) was authorized workers with chronic with the activity, a paid leave asymptomatic, Covid-positive contacts schedule to reduce the risk of
COVID-19 infected workers
pathologies for workers. that need to be isolated. infection.
Authorities were instructed to provide paid
The INSS will pay the sum of a Authorization of disimburse-
Authorization of the payment Creation of a temporary employment vacations to employees who qualify for them
national minimum wage to Approval of Law 157 on temporary subsid in cases of national Otherwise, one week of leave will be
of an extraordinary bonus for ments of workers' compensation
workers who must be absent measures for the protection of emergency This allows coverage to advanced, plus one week's salary, paid by the
low-income retirees who for time of service. registered workers who lost their
from work due to a positive employment. company No further measures or the
collect a single benefit A sort of "Austrian backpack" income due to the pandemic. existence of unemployment or sickness
COVID-19 test insurance were reported.
In the case of the FASE program, the
Authorization of the Authorization of the special government fully or partially covers the cost
Emergency Family Income Approval of the emergency payment for Exceptional authorization of of cash transfers to formal workers whose
employment and preservation of income
payment for workers with a activity was suspended as a result of social
for the unemployed of the the withdrawal of each
for those whose work day was reduced or positive COVID-19 test, up to a protection measures Initially it was proposed
informal sector, monotax worker's own funds from
their contract suspended It is a sort of maximum of 20 days It for two months (April - May), possibly
payers and beneficiaries of unemployment insurance. retirement programs. extending until December 2020.
functions like a health benefit.
social programs
Prohibition of dismissals and Approval of a credit line
Low-income workers belonging The PA'TI program provided
In agreement with the parties
suspensions as a result of the especially to help of small and to companies with less than 100 involved, authorization of the two-months coverage for workers
pandemic, and a double compensa- medium-sized enterprises to pay workers received an extraordi- reduction of working hours in the who are not social security contribu-
their monthly payroll Soft activities especially affected by the
tion must be paid in the event of a nary income during 3 months tors and whose income was cut due
conditions were set for this loan pandemic.
dismissal to complete their income. to the health pandemic.
Limits were established to
declare the termination of
employment contracts due to
the pandemic.
A dissemination campaign "En casa
Telephone hotlines and Legislative Decree No. 1499 was Policies already in force for somos equipo" (At home we are a
No actions or policies No policies or actions No policies or actions
voluntary assistance programs issued referring to the socio-labor early childhood care were
MEDIDAS were established for people related to care were related to care were
rights of domestic workers in the
related to care were
declared maintained (CENCINAI,
team) was carried out to underscore
the importance of co-responsibility
declared declared
REFERIDAS A over 70 years of age framework of the pandemic PANI and IMAS). in care
CUIDADOS
Approval of the compulsoriness to
grant paid leave to domestic service
workers for the duration of the
mandatory confinement
The transfer of additional resources is
established for programs targeting people
with disabilities Non-reimbursable subsidies
for the Program Economic Assistance to
Homes & Residences for people with
disabilities and the Program Economic
Assistance to Protected Production
Workshops, to cover the operating
expenses and supplies for the prevention
of COVID-19CONFEDERACIÓN SINDICAL
INTERNACIONAL
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