MORE PRESSURE is mounting on the Government to reverse its decision to delay a scheduled minimum-wage increase this month.

Minister of Labour, Pearnel Charles, told The Gleaner the Government postponed its announcement Sunday until it could have further consultations with employers who, it feared, could possibly take a decision to cut more staff, given the state of the economy.

An increase at this time, Charles argued, could especially affect security guards, many of whom were sent home following Government's 17-and a-half per cent increase in the minimum wage last year.

Burden for workers

But president of the Jamaica Household Workers' Association, Shirley Pryce, is rejecting Charles' arguments. She said many household workers who have been anticipating the increase, would be burdened.

"Many household workers are feeling it hard. I think they are hit the hardest because they are barely being paid and for the increase to be delayed for another one, two, three, four months ... It is hard!" she said.

The association was anticipating an increase of near 22 per cent on the current $3,700 minimum wage paid weekly. That would bring wages to $4,514 weekly. But Government is yet to decide on the level of increase.

"What is going to happen is that household workers will just fall through the cracks," Pryce said.

At a disadvantage

Her statements support those of president and island supervisor of the National Workers' Union, Vincent Morrison, who chastised Government a day earlier for using the current economic crisis as an excuse for postponing the minimum-wage increase.

"What the Government wants to do is set the minimum wage every two years as opposed to an annual adjustment," Morrison told The Gleaner on Sunday.

He stuck to his position yesterday, telling The Gleaner/ Power 106 News that the minister was putting minimum-wage earners at a disadvantage in hard economic times.

"Some (minimum-wage earners) of them can't pay bus fare, some of them can't buy lunch and I am saying, since you are not freezing wages across the country, it is not fair to pick out the minimum-wage earners at this time and say they should take a freeze," he said.