Havana, October 8 (RHC) -– Private businesses in Cuba have hired a total of 100,448 employees as of last month, which is in tune with the promotion of the new non-state employment sector.

Homero Acosta, Secretary of the Council of State, told reporters in Havana that the Cuban Council of Ministers approved 498 new cooperatives, 283 of which have been already set up, particularly in the catering and service sectors.

Major private businesses are operating in the processing and expenditure of food, transportation and house rentals.

At the national level, a total of 473,475 Cubans have joined non-state jobs and can apply for the Social Security, according to the Cuban Social Security Law of 2008.

This is a benefit which is rare in other countries where independent workers in the so-called 'informal sector' have no access at the protection offered by the State. And this way, the protection of this kind of labor gains importance in order to favor fair relations between employers and employees.