Minimum wage increases to $6,200 March 1

The labour and social security minister Dr Fenton Ferguson has announced an increase in the national minimum wage and the minimum wage for industrial security guards.

As of March 1, 2016, the new minimum wage for a 40-hour work week will be $6,200, up from $5,600, while the minimum wage for industrial security guards will be $8,854, up from $8,198.

Last year, a commission was set up by the Government to look into the issue.

After several proposals and islandwide consultations, the commission submitted its report to the labour ministry last September.

At that time, commission chairman Silvera Castro said that he did not expect that the proposed increases would raise concerns among employers.

In January 2014, the national minimum wage was increased from $5,000 to $5,600 for a 40-hour work week. The minimum wage for industrial security guards was also increased from $7,320.40 to $8,198.80 for a 40-hour work week.