Achong cautions ECA on minimum wage

LABOUR MINISTER Larry Achong yesterday warned members of the Employers’ Consultative Association (ECA) and the Chamber of Commerce to “be a little more careful” in their comments about the proposed minimum wage for the heavy construction sector.

When he addressed the ECA’s Annual General Meeting at the Trinidad Hilton, Achong sought to allay the fears about Government acting irresponsibly in the matter. Achong said claims that he had not adequately consulted with business groups on the minimum wage were not accurate. “If the ECA said that, then the ECA is not being entirely correct because their representative on the minimum wages board voted for the $1 increase,” he said. Achong explained that Dr Ralph Henry had been commissioned to do a study to determine if the $7 minimum wage had affected the country in a negative way. He said the findings revealed that unemployment levels had dropped, so the fear that people would lose their jobs “was not a real fear”.

Between 1999 and 2003, the cost of living increased and “we felt that the time was correct to give that $1 increase”, Achong said. With regards to the Occupational Health and Safety Bill which will soon be brought before Parliament, the Minister explained that it is designed to protect persons in the work place and “goes way beyond what we have at present in terms of workers’ protection”. It would ensure that workers were comfortable and safe in a working “If we are to achieve developed country status by 2020,” Achong said, “it was absolutely necessary to have the legislation to protect our workers”.