Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan President, annouced an increase in the minimum wage of 26.5%.  Food ticket benefits will now also apply to formal workers.

The Kenyan Labour Minister has announced a 12.5% increase in the basic minimum wage for all workers in the country.

The Irish Government has decided to reduce the Universal Social Charge being paid by Medical Card holders.

The Romanian Government, in an attempt in resist growing pressure to increase its 16% flat rate of income tax, has suffered interesting protests at the latest changes to legislation.

Twelve days after the announcement that the minimum wage in Colombia was to increase by 3.4%, the Executive has increased it to 4%.

Effective as of January 1, 2011, the Minimum Wage in Mexico was increased as per the order published in the Official Journal of the Federation on December 23, 2010.

On the 20th December 2010, the Council of Ministers took the decision to increase the monthly minimum wage in Belarus to Br460000, with the hourly minimum wage being set at Br2710.

From 1 January 2011 Kazakhstan will increase the minimum pension and wages. New payouts are enshrined in the "Republican Budget for 2011-2013."

The State Tax Administration in Ukraine reports that there will be changes to the monthly and hourly minimum wage.

The French government recently announced a major policy initiative to help plug a gaping hole in France’s pay-as-you-go pension system. Under the proposed reform, 40 percent of the savings will come from raising the retirement age and associated rule changes. The rest will come from higher taxes.