By Admin. Updated 12:32 p.m., Sunday, January 7, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
No full-time worker in St. Vincent and the Grenadines should be paid less than XCD $1,000 per month, the Wages Council has told the Government in its revised regulations.
One ($1) Eastern Caribbean Dollar – XCD is equivalent to $0.37 cents in United States Dollars (USD).
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said on WEFM’s Issue at Hand programme today (January 7) that the Wages Council submitted the revised recommendations to Cabinet on Friday.
The Council had made and submitted to Cabinet some recommendations in December 2023 where they timidly recommended a daily payment of no less than $50 per day, among other recommendations, Prime Minister Gonsalves said.
He said the Council went back to the issue and came forward with the revised recommendation in January of no less than $1,000 per month for full-time workers and no less than seven (7) dollars per hour for part-time workers.
Also, among the council’s recommendations is that people working for more than eight hours per day must be paid overtime, Dr. Gonsalves said.
People hiring domestic workers, retail store workers, kitchen workers – including the government who hires people to work at kitchens operated by the primary schools, cleaners, and similar categories of workers will be affected.
There will be no increase less than 20 percent, save and except for the call centers. The call centers will still meet the $1,000 per month requirement in any case, he said.
The new regulations, once adopted and approved by the government will mean that in some cases, salaries will jump from $650 per month to $1,000 per month.
Some people will say this jump is just too much, but there are ways in which we would have to work it out, the prime minister said.
The regulations will be published in another month’s time, he said.
Only apprentices or internship programs will see less than $50 per day. It will be $40 per day which will be $800 per month, up from $650 per month.
There is also a recommendation to extend maternity leave, Dr. Gonsalves said.
The Prime Minister said this is the fourth minimum wage regulation brought by the government, citing regulations in 2003 and 2017.
The Wages Council, which is also made up of employers, has been reviewing wages for years, having consultations throughout the country with companies, the prime minister said.
The prime minister said more on the issue will be discussed during the 2024 Budget debate.
Dr. Gonsalves said an area the government would have to assist is the early childhood sector – the pre-schools.
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