Minimum wage being revised

Granadian Voice, 26 June 2002

Government is now in the process of revising the Minimum Wage in the country.

On Tuesday the Wages Advisory Committee presented its report to the Labour and Local Government Minister Senator Lawrence Joseph.

In the wake of several wage disputes, the committee was appointed by the Minister in May last year, to look into the matter of Minimum Wage and make recommendations since a minimum wage had not been set here since 1986.

The report of the findings and recommendations of the committee, was presented to Senator Joseph by committee member Robert Robinson who said that in formulating the report they were challenged to balance the need of a living wage and an employer's ability to pay. and in doing so all their recommendations, he said, were amicably arrived at except one, which was not unanimously decided on.

The Senator said that it had come at a very timely moment since it was quite a number of years since that matter had been revised. He expressed grateful thanks to Secretary of the committee, Acting. Labour Commissioner Cyrus Griffith and other members of the committee for formulating the report, saying that according to the order made, the document will be reviewed after three years, but even before that period is up the committee is entitled to look at areas beyond what is currently being covered.

The recommendations for wage review include agricultural workers, domestic workers, shop assistants, catering assistants, security guards, construction workers, industrial workers, clerical assistants, vehicle drivers and bus conductors.

The committee which is appointed for two years, comprises Cyrus Griffith the Ag. Labor Commissioner as Secretary, Cecil Edwards and Plilbert Lewis, representing the Private Sector; Robert Robinson and Anslem De Bourg representing Government and Alvin St Jonn and Gordon Raeburn, representing Trade Unions.

Contents of the document were not disclosed pending a press briefing at a later date.