26% minimum wage increase for Private Sector workers

Private Sector workers can look forward to at least a 26 per cent increase in the minimum wage next year.
A national labour tripartite committee had recommended increasing the minimum wage in the Private Sector from ,000 to just over ,000 and Cabinet has granted its approval.
Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence on Wednesday announced that the increase will take effect on January 1, 2017.
The minimum rate of pay was increased from $202 to $255 per hour.
With this new pay structure, the minimum daily rate would be $2040, weekly rate $10,200 and the monthly rate $44,200.
Back in January, Junior Social Protection Minister Keith Scott had said that Government was in the process of reviewing Guyana’s minimum wage with the view of raising it, through the law, for Private Sector workers.
The current minimum wage paid to public servants stands at $50,000, while that of Private Sector employees is about $35,000.
The Social Protection Ministry, in its statement, reminded that the normal working hours are eight hours per day, five days per week.
The Ministry also advised that with the imminent arduous Christmas period, employees may be required to work extra hours and employers must ensure adequate rates are applied.
Meanwhile, members of the Board of Directors for the national tripartite committee, include Minister Lawrence, representatives of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industries (CAGI), the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG).
Among other things, the committee deals with matters relating to industrial relations, human resource management and labour policies. (Devina Samaroo)