Brazilian legislators have passed President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's plan for a moderate increase in the monthly minimum wage. The lower house of Congress voted overwhelmingly Wednesday (272 to 172) to support Mr. da Silva's plan to raise the minimum wage by about eight percent, to $83.
At the same time, the lower house rejected a bid by the Senate for a larger wage increase.
President da Silva has been working to raise the country's minimum wage without widening the budget deficit.