by Linda Straker
- 14 categories of workers named in Minimum Wage Order
- Wage Advisory Committee chaired by Dr Curlan Gilchrist
- Last review of work under minimum wage schedule was in 2011
Labour Minister Claudette Joseph said that the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee set up by Government to review the wage for 14 categories of workers named in the Minimum Wage Order has recommended an increase to workers and has identified new workers to be included in the order and a liveable minimum wage.
The Committee, chaired by Dr Curlan Gilchrist, is established under Section 51 of the 1999 Employment Act. The other members are Justin Campbell, Brian Grimes, Phoebe Brown, Trevor Xavier, George Mason, Cicely Gabriel, Ann Marie Montrose, Jenelle Viechweg, and Lydon Lewis.
The law mandates that there should be a review of work that falls in the minimum wage schedule by the Wages Advisory Committee at least once every 3 years to update the minimum rate of wages. The last review was in 2011.
Joseph told members of the Upper House during its 29 August sitting that the Committee met with several stakeholders including the Employers’ Federation; the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association, the Buses Association and civil society and professional associations as part of their consultative process. That report is currently before the Cabinet but there will be a series of public consultations before its recommendations are implemented.
“We are going to hold a series of public consultations so we can have further input and an interrogation of the recommendations and after those consultations with the public there will be further review, if necessary,” Joseph told the Upper House while providing an update about the work of her ministries during last week’s sitting.
The Minimum Wage Order currently focuses on 14 occupations: industrial workers (garment industry); clerical workers; security guards; domestic workers; caregivers of the elderly; workers in bakeries; agricultural workers; construction workers; shop assistants; workers in the hospitality industry; vehicle drivers; bus drivers and bus conductors.
“The report for the first time introduces the concept of liveable wage; it is something the labour movement advocated heavily for…the idea is to have a minimum wage for all areas that are not covered by the Minimum Wage Order.” Joseph informed the Upper House that the recommendation is for such workers to receive no less than EC$1,200.
The increase to the different occupations in the minimum order ranges from 20% to 100%. Sharing some of the recommendations, Joseph said they include an increase in the hourly wage for security guards.
Clerical workers will move from EC$700 per month to EC$1,200; domestic workers from EC$725 per month to EC$1,200; caregivers for the elderly and children from EC$700 to EC$1,400; individuals in bakeries from EC$240 per week to EC$375, and agricultural workers from EC$6.50 per hour to EC$12 per hour.
The new categories of workers recommended to be included in the Minimum Wage Order are reporters and announcers at media houses, call centre workers, and helpers at construction sites.
Now this is all good but please expect some price increases in some of these sectors .
A lot of companies are renting their premises and in order to accommodate these minimum salary they will have to increase price in order to cover all these cost.
$1200 is still inadequate
Worker at the resorts where visitors pay hundreds USD a night to stay there pay the staff so little compared to their big profits. I say the people who labor in tourist industry, agriculture, entry level clerical jobs and so on should make far more. A wage that allows for home improvements, proper pantry supplies, money for children’s needs and actually be able to save EC for later years.