The Government has today announced that the so-called National Living Wage will rise to £8.72 per hour on 1 April 2020. Younger workers will continue to receive the lower National Minimum Wage: 21-24 year olds will be entitled to at least £8.20 an hour; £6.45 for 18-20 year olds; £4.55 for Under 18s and £4.15 for apprentices.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Any increase in minimum wage rates is welcome, but this uprating falls way short of the £10 per hour Usdaw called for and goes nowhere near the ‘real’ Living Wage rate, which takes account of the cost of living.
“Usdaw provided detailed evidence demonstrating the need for a £10 minimum and an end to rip-off youth rates. It is disappointing that the Government has not listened, despite the promises the Tories made during the election.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 410,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
Usdaw’s full written submission to the LPC: www.usdaw.org.uk/LPC2020
Usdaw’s ‘time for better pay’ campaign is calling for:
- Young workers to be paid the full adult rate.
- At least £10 per hour minimum wage rate.
- A ban on zero-hours contracts.
- Tackling short-hours contracts through a statutory minimum contract of 16 hours per week, for those who want it.
- A statutory right to an employment contract that reflects an individual’s normal hours of work.
Usdaw’s ‘time for better pay’ campaign: www.usdaw.org.uk/T4BP
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
@UsdawUnion