The following is being distributed at the request of the Labour Relations Agency:

Provincial Minimum Wage Report Released

The Honourable Darin King, Minister responsible for the Labour Relations Agency, today released the advisory committee’s review on minimum wage. The three-member advisory committee was appointed this summer and solicited public and stakeholder submissions on the minimum wage.

“I would like to thank all those who made submissions to the committee, including the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour and the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council,” said Minister King. “In addition, I would like to acknowledge and thank members of the advisory committee for their work on this important issue.”

The report outlined two recommendations for the Provincial Government to consider:

1. That the minimum wage be increased in 2013 to reflect the loss of purchasing power in the minimum wage since 2010. The increase should be preceded by at least six months notice to stakeholders and the public; and,
2. Beginning in 2014, that the minimum wage be adjusted annually based on the previous year’s all-items Consumer Price Index for Newfoundland and Labrador. Adjustments would be announced to the public by January 31 of each year and implemented on May 1 of each year. They would be rounded to the nearest $0.05.

Newfoundland and Labrador has increased its minimum wage from $6 to $10 since 2005, representing a 67 per cent increase.

Members of the advisory committee included: Blair Patrick, committee chair; Elaine Price, employee member; and John Peddle, employer member. Nominees for the review committee were solicited from the Provincial Government, Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour.

“Our government committed to convene an advisory committee on the minimum wage in 2012, and I am pleased that we have met this commitment,” said Minister King. “Now that the committee has concluded its work, we will review the committee’s report and recommendations before making a final decision regarding the minimum wage.”

For a copy of the report, please visit www.gov.nl.ca/lra/min_wage_review_2012/index.html 

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Media contact:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Justice
709-729-6985, 693-1865
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca 

2012 12 06                            4:50 p.m.