Minimum Wage Push Continues

By 250 News

The  City of Prince George has become  the 16th B.C. municipality to  issue  a call for a boost to the minimum wage.  

 The  charge for the increase  is being lead by the B.C.  Federation of Labour.  President Jim Sinclair  says the  Federation has collected about 6,000 signatures on petitions.  "We were out at the Vancouver Giants -Prince George Game, just like we were out  collecting names in Prince George, and the list is growing."

Sinclair  says  Newfoundland has just  announced it is  increasing its minimum wage to $8.00 per hour "But 8 bucks an hour in Newfoundland is a lot more money than 8 bucks an hour in B.C. because the cost of living is so much lower  in Newfoundland." 

Sinclair says Ontario has just committed to boosting its minimum wage to $10.25 over two years. 

Although a private members bill has been introduced  calling for an increase in  B.C.'s minimum wage,  it likely won't get anywhere.  SInclair says while the Government reports the average youth between the ages of  15 and 24 is making 12.31 an hour,  he knows of young people who are being paid as little as $6.50 an hour.  "This one girl tells me she  is working in a doctor's office  and the only reason she is getting $6.50 an hour is because she's  being trained to handle confidential material,  she says she was told that if she  wasn't handling confidential material she would only be paid $6 dollars an hour.  So  while there are some employers who are  paying well, there are also some who are not.  These things are happening out there, and unless there are rules in place,  it will continue to happen."

Sinclair says  his  team will continue the pressure "We are going to  keep on  asking municipalities to  support  this campaign, and then we will ask the M.L.A.s to explain to their constituents  why  they don't support  a $10.00 an hour minimum wage."

Sinclair says the provincial government doesn't need to look after the Jimmy Pattison's of the world, "The Government  should be there to make sure that if a person is working full time  they are at least making enough money to keep them above the poverty line."

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