Minimum wage increase

Usdaw is welcoming the announcement that the minimum wage will be increased in October from £5.73 to £5.80. Usdaw is also pleased that from October 2010 the age at which the adult minimum wage is paid will be reduced from 22 to 21.

Usdaw General Secretary, John Hannett, said:

“The increase in the National Minimum Wage is welcome news especially given the unprecedented economic situation and the fact that some employers were lobbying hard this year for a freeze. Usdaw, however, would have liked to have seen a bigger increase as a significant number of low paid workers are paid the National Minimum Wage and rely on this review for their annual pay increase.

“We are pleased that 21 year olds will qualify for the adult rate of the minimum wage from next year. Usdaw has been campaigning hard for this and will continue campaigning for the adult rate to apply at 18.”

Usdaw is a keen supporter of the National Minimum Wage and is campaigning to defeat a Tory bill that would end the minimum wage altogether.

“Usdaw is pleased with the Labour Government’s continued support for the National Minimum Wage. If the Tories had their way, they would get rid of the minimum wage completely, which would mean a fall in wages for the lowest paid workers.

“The minimum wage is an important right for workers and needs to be protected. I urge all working people to sign the petition to keep the minimum wage today at www.wageconcern.com”

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media Officer, Cherry Hamilton, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail cherry.hamilton@usdaw.org.uk
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fourth biggest trade union, with over 370,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Subscribe/unsubscribe to Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service at: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/site/email.html

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