Haitian Workers Rally Against Rising Costs and Stagnant Pay

Factory workers in Port-au-Prince have staged a second day of protests, voicing growing frustration over rising living costs and unchanged wages. Demonstrations outside the Metropolitan Industrial Park highlighted the daily struggles faced by workers unable to meet basic needs.

Earning just 685 Haitian gourdes—slightly above five dollars per day—employees say their income has not increased since 2023, despite a sharp surge in expenses. Fuel prices have risen significantly, with gasoline exceeding 850 gourdes per gallon, driving up transportation costs and the price of essential goods.

Protesters are demanding a substantial wage increase to 3,000 gourdes per day, arguing that current salaries no longer reflect economic realities. Labor unions have also called on authorities to intervene by reducing fuel prices and expanding social support measures.

The recent rise in energy costs, partly linked to global tensions involving Iran, has further strained household budgets and disrupted supply chains. For many workers, wages barely cover transportation after deductions.

Experts warn that in Haiti—already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere—the combined effects of inflation and rising energy costs risk worsening an already fragile humanitarian situation.

Source: Newstimehub