Maria Elena Feito.

Havana, August  30 (RHC)-- Cuba guarantees employment for everyone who demands it; otherwise, it would be impossible to implement and execute the approved economic and social measures, said the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Marta Elena Feitó.

During this Tuesday's edition of the radio-television program Mesa Redonda, Feitó explained the high responsibility that the country has with the job placement of young graduates from technical and higher education, young people disengaged from study and work, women, people with disabilities, and other sectors of the population.

She also referred to the fundamental principles contained in the Labor Code of the Cuban nation, among them the protection of the minimum wage, equality, and non-discrimination based on age, sex, sexual orientation, or religious belief in access to employment.

These precepts include the right to self-improvement, paid rest, social security, and all its benefits. These expenses are covered by the State budget, which allocated 37 billion pesos for social assistance this year.

On this last aspect, the head of Labor stressed that although today the income of Cuban workers is insufficient (salaries and benefits) due to the loss of value of the national currency and the reduction of their purchasing power, at this time, it is not possible to apply a salary increase because it would be null and void given the galloping inflation.

Because of this situation, she stated that it is advisable to work on implementing all the approved economic and social measures.