Minimum wage delay
Published:Wednesday | September 8, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The report of the Minimum Wage Advisory Commission on a new wage floor on which deliberations wrapped up six months ago, is still sitting on the desk of Labour Minister Pearnel Charles, Wednesday Business learned this week.
In May, officials of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security confirmed that the commission's recommendations were presented to Charles after finalising discussions back in mid-March.
The commission is the body that recommends to the government the level of minimum wage increase to be granted after consultations with the representatives of workers and employers.
The report of the commission is usually reviewed by the labour minister, the recommendations then go to Cabinet and later submitted to Parliament for lawmakers' approval.
Attempts to speak with the Minister directly and through his office about the delay were not successful.
But one ministry official who did not want to be named said that the Minister was still reviewing the report.
In 2009 the minimum wage rate, the floor below which it is illegal to pay workers, was increased by 10 per cent to J$4,070 for each 40-hour week, or a rate of J$101.75 per hour worked. The minimum wage rate for industrial security guards was also increased by 10 per cent to J$6,050 per week, or J$151.25 per hour.