From the backbench of the House of Assembly, General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Toni Moore on Tuesday blasted an apparent slowing of momentum behind raising the national minimum wage, saying that the minimum wage board has not met in the last three years.As Moore, the St George North MP, spoke on the Labour Clauses (Concessions) Bill, she said the increase in the minimum wage to $8.50 in April 2021 was a notable achievement but only a first step, and that despite the existence of a minimum wage board, no progress has been made in the last three years.“While it represented an important first step… $8.50 was not good enough. It saddens me that three years on, April 1st would be three years that the minimum wage board has not met once to correct that minimum, and bring that minimum closer to a point where we could feel proud that the thunderous applause we gave when that was passed, is something that we would continue to make good on,” she said.“The minimum wage has to be fixed. It was not good enough at $8.50 back in 2021, but it was recognised as a start. In 2024, the signal comes that if the minimum wage board can’t meet for whatever reason, dismantle that and get a fresh minimum wage board that will deliver for the workers of this country.”
