After a review of the recommendations of the National Minimum Wage Commission, the cabinet is proposing a minimum wage increase of $9.00 per hour.
On Thursday, Minister of Information, Melford Nicholas explained that the new minimum wage of $9.00, which will come into effect after it is passed into law by the Parliament, was carefully considered to meet the needs of workers while considering the concerns of employers.
The commission presented a base hourly proposal of $8.90 and a maximum of $10.00.
Since 2014 when the last minimum wage increase was implemented, the rate has stood at $8.20.
Nicolas also noted that this increase is designed to provide protection for those members of the workforce who are not unionised and do not benefit from collective bargaining agreements which negotiate salary increases for their members which often exceed the national minimum wage.
Following their decision, a final round of discussions with stakeholders will take place before the matter is presented to the Parliament.
While minimum wage increases may not occur with regularity, the commission is required by statute to review the national minimum wage every two years.
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