December 28, 2001
Labour and Immigration Minister Becky Barrett announced today that Manitoba’s minimum wage will rise 25 cents in 2002, retaining Manitoba’s ranking in the middle of rates among Canadian jurisdictions.
Effective April 1, Manitoba workers earning the minimum wage will see a new pay rate of $6.50 per hour.
Earlier this month, the three sets of recommendations from the chair, employee representatives and employer representatives on the Minimum Wage Committee were publicly released for the first time, a move intended to make the process more transparent to Manitobans. The move also gave the public an opportunity to comment on the various options presented in the report.
“As was apparent to all, the advice we received from the committee was wide ranging from the major stakeholders,” said Barrett. “What we have chosen we feel is a consensus-type decision that reflects the recommendations from both business and labour, but does not adopt any one group’s entire wishes.”
The minister has accepted the recommendation of business representatives to raise the wage by 25 cents April 1, 2002, and then to implement another 25-cent raise the following year, effective April 1, 2003.
She added that she has also accepted labour representatives’ recommendation against the so-called two-tier minimum wage that would see a special lower rate for some categories of workers.
“The recommendations I have accepted are in keeping with the general policy and direction of the government--to effect annual increases to the minimum wage that are sustainable by employers while increasing the purchasing power of employees in a stable, predictable way. We believe this is preferable to the former cycle of no increases between elections, then large increases just before an election,” said Barrett.
“I believe this course is a balanced one among the various points of view we have received. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the committee for all its hard work and dedication, especially through the recent public hearing process that heard the input of dozens of individual Manitobans and Manitoba organizations.”
The board was chaired by Dr. John Godard, professor of industrial relations, I.H. Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba.
Employer representatives on the board were Tracey Epp, lawyer, Pitblado Buchwald Asper; Hartley Klapman, executive vice-president, MWG Apparel Corp.; and Bob Stevens, president and chief executive officer, Manitoba Restaurant Association.
Employee representatives on the board were Bernard Christophe, president, United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 832; George Harris, treasurer, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 2348; and Maria Jordan, business agent, UNITE, Local 459.
Manitoba’s minimum wage is currently $6.25 an hour and came into effect April 1, 2001.
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Click here for General Minimum Wage Rates in Canada. (Word version)
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