‘Tie minimum wage to cost of living’ – Richard C. de Castro
This was said on the Speak Your Mind television talk show aired last evening March 21, 2015 on JTV Live.
The Government recently set up a Minimum Wage Committee with the aim of addressing the issues surrounding the territory’s minimum wage.
Members of the Minimum Wage Committee include Chairman Mr Simon Potter, Vice Chairman Mrs Benedicta Samuels-Richardson, Mr Roger Mathavious Jr, Louis Potter, Mario Smith, Roxanne Ritter-Herbert, Jeanette Black, Wilbert Fahie, Anne Lennard, Aaron Parillon, Bevin George, Raymond Phillips and Financial Secretary Mr Neil M. Smith. Labour Commissioner Mrs Janice I. F. Rhymer sits as the advisor to the committee.
De Castro decried the fact that on March 18, 2015 people failed to take the opportunity to turn out in their numbers to demand change from the current $4 minimum wage when the committee held a public forum. The few that turned out to the meeting said that the minimum wage should be at least $8 an hour.
“There was a meeting of the minimum wage in the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall this week and it was poorly attended. I want to tell people that one of the ways to effect change is to voice your opinion, get out there and talk about the minimum wage. Go to the meeting,” he chided.
At the meeting, residents also asked the Minimum Wage Committee if it had a figure to recommend to government but, according to Mr Potter, the committee does not want to hold on to any figure but rather hear the recommendations of the general public. He said, however, that when the committee is to submit its report to government it would recommend a figure. This it anticipates will be done towards the end of April or early May 2015.
One person called in to the show to voice his displeasure at the fact that persons did not go out to the meeting. “If you refuse to be a part of the process then you are a part of the problem as far as I am concerned,” said host de Castro.
“People who are affected by it should be the ones in the forefront speaking out on it and what they would like to see changed,” he said.
“I have been listening to a lot of the discussions on it and it is not an easy decision to make but it is a necessary decision in my opinion. It is not an issue that will go away anytime soon so we might as well start talking about it,” he said.
Two sides
“There are two sides to this minimum wage issue, one; some people saying that if the minimum wage is increased some companies are going to have to lay off people and then there is the other argument that if you take care of your employees properly they will work for you more efficiently. Some persons feel that if you adequately pay someone where they are able to pay their bills then the person becomes more contented and then they give you a better shake for your employer dollar,” he said.
He noted that in the Caribbean region there are some increases in the minimum wage and the latest one he heard was of the United States Virgin Islands where he said the minimum wage has been increased to $9 an hour.
“We have to position ourselves regionally and we also have to be more proactive as it relates to working conditions especially as we have gone from being an agriculture labour force to a service labour force,” he said.
“Persons are saying that it is a rough economy and they are trying to keep the doors open, that’s one philosophy and some people saying that they have to work two and three jobs to sustain their families on the minimum wage. I’m speaking for the people who earn $4 per hour or $32 per day. We are going to continue to talk about it because I think it needs to be talked about,” he said.
Cost of living
“I have heard people saying that you have to look at what it costs to run a family in today’s economy and that might be one of the things that should be looked at in determining the minimum wage. Regardless of what the figure turns out to be I don’t think it should be something fixed for the next ten years. I think it should be something that should be reviewed and there should be a mechanism put in place for periodic review and periodic adjustment,” said de Castro.
“I strongly believe that minimum wage should be tied to the cost of living index of the country and that moves from time to time,” he said.
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12 Responses to “‘Tie minimum wage to cost of living’ – Richard C. de Castro”
When the Governor gives a speech the crap is sent by email, but important meetings such as this aren't properly announced!