Minimum Wage

Usdaw's campaign to improve and extend the National Minimum Wage (NMW) continues to make gains for our members.

Since its introduction NMW has improved the hourly rates of pay for more than 2 million workers. Usdaw's campaigning has led to:

• Significant increases in minimum wage rates, up by nearly 60% since its introduction in 1999.
• The extension of minimum wage protection to cover 16 and 17 year old workers.
• More money and resources for the enforcement of the minimum wage, to stop rogue employers ignoring the law.

Usdaw continues to campaign for improvements to NMW and our agenda currently includes:

• Lowering the age at which the adult rate is paid to 18.
• Ending the exemption of apprentices from minimum wage regulations.
• A significant increase in the rate of NMW for all, but particularly for 16 and 17 year olds.

The current rates of the National Minimum Wage are:

• Adult rate (over 22 years old): £5.73
• 18-21 year old rate: £4.77
• 16 and 17 year old rate: £3.53

From October 2009 the National Minimum Wage rates will increase to:

• Adult rate (over 22 years old): £5.80
• 18-21 year old rate: £4.83
• 16 and 17 year old rate: £3.57

The Government has also promised to extend the adult minimum wage rate to 21 year olds from October 2010.

Here's how you can help our campaign

Complete Usdaw's survey on Young People and the Minimum Wage
Please visit our new online survey to help us make the case for a higher wage....   read more »

Download the right to vote at 18 but no right to the adult minimum wage postcard
This postcard can be used to gather support for Usdaw’s campaign to extend the adult minimum wage to 18-21 year olds....   read more »

Better national minimum wage for young workers
Download the Usdaw survey and ask 16 and 17 year olds in your workplace to complete and return it to Usdaw. This will help us campaign for an increase in the minimum wage for 16 and 17 year olds and for the full adult rate to be applied at 18....   read more »

Usdaw – Standing up for teenage workers
At this time of year thousands of 16 and 17 year olds start work where Usdaw organises. Many of these young workers do not know about their rights, and they are among the most vulnerable of the workforce, writes political officer Ruth Stoney....   read more »

Play your part in Usdaw’s Minimum Wage Campaign
Urgent help needed – what can you do to help us find out what 16 and 17 year olds really earn? Usdaw is campaigning for 16 and 17 year olds to receive a minimum wage. We urgently need information to use in our submission to the Low Pay Commission....   read more »

Further Information

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
This page: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/campaigns/minimum_wage/index.html
Last Modified: Thursday, 28-May-2009 23:36:43 EST
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