Commenting on today’s (Monday) announcement that the National Minimum Wage is set to rise from 4.50 to 4.85 in October, and that from the autumn there is to be a 3 National Minimum Wage for 16 and 17 year olds, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
The National Minimum Wage success story has defied the doom-mongers who said it would cost millions of jobs. Since it was launched five years ago the number of people benefiting from the Minimum Wage has at least doubled and employment has reached record levels.
Unions will be pleased that their campaign for a minimum hourly rate for young people is going to pay-off for 50,000 low paid teenagers. This will cut out the worst examples of wage exploitation, and the 3 introductory rate should mean that more significant increases can take place in future years.
The Government also announced today that the rate for 18-21 year olds is to rise from 3.80 to 4.10.
TUC welcomes Minimum Wage rise and Minimum Wage for young people
.