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TUC calls for minimum wage to be increased
News Article Published:
Tuesday, 27 November 2007 Category:
Money
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called for the minimum wage to be increased during 2008, which could be good news for graduates working in their gap years.
Minimum wage for people aged 22 and over is currently £5.52 an hour but the TUC wants the Low Pay Commission to try and secure a rise to £6 over the next year.
Lowering the age at which people qualify for the adult minimum wage down to 18 is also being proposed by the TUC.
Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said: "Britain is the fourth largest economy in the world and has enjoyed more than a decade of economic growth. Despite gloomy warnings from employers that raising the minimum wage will cost jobs, every increase since 1999 has been absorbed without any adverse effect on the economy."
Calls were also made to raise the amount of money companies are fined for breaking the rules, which is currently at a maximum of £5,000.
