Kulfas: April is very likely to remain in history as the worst month in the industry

The Minister of Productive Development of the Nation, Matías Kulfas, said that “if a retrospective analysis is made, it is very likely that April will remain in history as the worst month in the industry” in the country in the context of the general parate of activity commercial due to health restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“There are sectors, such as car production, that had production. There are several sectors that have not had production. If a retrospective analysis is made, it is very likely that April will remain in history as the worst month in the industry, ”he highlighted in dialogue with Luis Novaresio on La Red radio.

The minister announced that in a context of quarantine extension, many companies will also have difficulties in paying their employees’ May wages (which is paid in June).

About private

That is why it is “highly probable” that the Committee for the Program to Support Work and Production (ATP) decides to repeat the payment of the complementary salary – for which the State is responsible for 50 percent of the salaries of workers in the sector. Private – also during the month of May, Infobae published.

Regarding the industrial sectors that cannot yet produce again and where there is a risk of shortages, such as cigarettes and shortages, the official stressed that he is working together with the Ministry of Health to rehabilitate sectors based on sanitary protocols.

“In recent weeks there are many places in the country that have been rehabilitating industries. In the metropolitan area and in Greater Buenos Aires is half of the industrial employment of large companies, with more than 100 employees. It is working; The industry has made a great effort and has sent us a lot of protocols for the Ministry of Health to analyze and approve. On that basis, it is analyzing what activities can be rehabilitated and what approach to give it, “he explained.

And he referred to public transport, noting that “it must be prevented from filling up again because that is a risk factor.”

The minister also listed some figures for the aid programs for SMEs and monotributistas that the national government is carrying out. He explained that more than 200 thousand requests for credits at zero rates were approved for monotributistas and self-employed.

And that the State will pay the complementary salary – equivalent to half the salary of private companies – to more than two million workers in 200,000 companies, most of them micro, small and medium-sized.

On the other hand, regarding the requests of different business chambers to resume activity, Kulfas pointed out that there is no fight between the world of production and the more sanitary vision of the quarantine. “I wouldn’t talk about a fight. The world of production has a logical interest in resuming economic and productive activity as soon as possible. In the sectors of production and those that look at the health issue, there is a consensus to return as soon as possible with the necessary protection, ”he said.

“We are going to produce again but it is not going to be the same as before. There will be strict sanitary protocols such as controlling the temperature of all employees and warning systems. There is a daily dialogue with the cameras and the businesswomen and everyone has been working for two months to see how to deal with this situation. They have been advised internationally and locally ”, he closed.