Even if the minimum wage has risen to $218 per month and represents real buying
power as it paid in cash, it should be compared to the cost of a basic household
basket for a family of five that is in the region of $500, meaning that the minimum
wage is insufficient to meet a family's basic needs. This fact is exacerbated by the lack
of access of women to jobs in the banana industry and, in practice, it is the worker
who keeps virtually all the wage for himself.