Minimum Wage

California voters reject raising minimum wage to nation-high $18 per hour

Voters in California have rejected a ballot measure that would have raised the state minimum wage to USD 18 per hour by 2026, the highest in the country. Opponents, including the California Chamber of Commerce, said it would have increased costs, led to higher taxes and pushed businesses to cut jobs. "With the economy and costs top of mind for many voters this election, that message appears to have resonated," said Jennifer Barrera, the chamber's president and CEO. Proponents estimated that the measure would have benefited two million workers, including hotel and grocery employees. "Proposition 32's failure to pass is disappointing for all Californians who believe that everyone who works should earn enough to support their families," said Kathy Finn, president of UFCW 770, a Southern California union representing nearly 30,000 workers in various sectors. The current minimum wage rates are USD 16 per hour for most workers and USD 20 in the fast-food sector. The health care sector w

Kamala Harris backs $15 minimum wage in fight with Trump over pay

Harris has seized on the issue of raising the federal minimum wage- currently $7.25 an hour- after her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, sidestepped a question

Only 2 of 11 e-commerce platforms have minimum wage policy: Report

Fairwork India survey noted insufficient evidence to show that workers earn at least a local living wage after expenses

HC asks MP govt to convene meeting to resolve minimum wages issue

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to convene a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the classification of minimum wages according to different zones. During a hearing on Thursday, an official from the labour department informed the bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Duppala Venkata Ramana that the state government has agreed to fix different minimum wages according to industries. The court was hearing a plea filed in April this year, in which industrial organisations sought the classification of minimum wages in the state based on circumstances in different industries and zones. The official said the respondent/state was ready to fix minimum wages industry-wise or group of industry-wise, and as far as the region-wise classification was concerned, it is open for discussions with the petitioners. To this, the court said, "In such circumstances, the respondent/state is directed to convene a meeting with the petitioner

Delhi govt to increase minimum wages of MCD employees to Rs 17,234

The Delhi government has decided to increase the minimum wage of MCD employees, a civic official said on Monday. Monthly minimum wages for unskilled workers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will be increased to Rs 17,234 from Rs 16,792. The wage will rise to Rs 18,993 from Rs 18,499 for semi-skilled workers and to Rs 20,903 from Rs 20,375 for skilled workers. Dearness allowance will be paid to all MCD workers staring April 1, the officials added. The AAP had announced dearness allowance for all MCD employees with effect from April 1. A government proposal on increasing the minimum wages will be tabled for approval in the next MCD House meeting. The accumulated dearness allowance for civic employees will be released after it is approved by the House, the MCD official said. The minimum wages for clerical and supervisory staff will also be increased in all scheduled employment, according to the agenda of the MCD House meeting. According to the proposal, the minimum salar

Rajasthan govt approves hike in minimum wages for labourers by Rs 26/day

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved an increase in minimum wages for labourers by Rs 26 per day. This increase, which would be effective from January 1, 2023, comes just a few months before the state elections. After the approval, an unskilled labourer will get Rs 285 per day (Rs 8,550 per month) instead of Rs 259, a semi-skilled labourer will get Rs 297 per day (Rs 8,910 per month) instead of Rs 271, a skilled labourer will get Rs 309 per day (Rs 9,270 per month) instead of Rs 283 and a highly skilled worker will get Rs 359 per day (Rs 10,770 per month) instead of Rs 333. It is noteworthy that the last increase of Rs 7 in minimum wages was implemented on July 1, 2021. According to an official statement, the state government is continuously taking important steps to provide economic and social support to workers. In another move, registered insured employees and their dependent families under the Employees State Insurance (ESI) Scheme of Rajasthan will also get the ..

Australia raises minimum wage by 5.75% amid inflation effective from July 1

The spike was largely driven by an increase in fuel prices after the end of the temporary cut in the government's fuel excise tax

US labour activists push for $20 per hr minimum wage as inflation persists

Just years after labour activists persuaded a handful of states to raise their minimum wage to USD 15 per hour, workers initially thrilled with the pay bump are finding their hard-won gains erased by inflation. New York City resident Anthony Rivera, 20, who sorts packages at a United Parcel Service facility in Brooklyn, said he had to take a second job at a grocery store after his food costs soared. I was sitting at USD 15 an hour at UPS, and when it came to paying bills and buying groceries, it was starting to become not enough, he said. That led me to no other option than to pick up another job. New York, California and Massachusetts are among states where pro-labour forces are now pushing proposals that, if approved, would boost minimum wages to USD 20 or more in the coming years. Inflation has meant that something that cost USD 15 in 2012 when labour activists adopted the Fight for USD 15 slogan in a push for wage hikes would probably cost almost USD 20 today, according to th

HC asks Delhi govt on below minimum wage job postings on its website

Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the city government to inform its stand on a PIL alleging that job postings on its website were being advertised below the fixed minimum wage. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) sought to direct the Delhi government to stop allowing any individual, company, organisation or establishment from advertising vacancies below the fixed minimum wages on the official portal of the Government of NCT of Delhi or any other place. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the counsel for the Delhi government to take instructions from the authorities on the issue and listed the matter for further hearing on May 23. Petitioner Mohd Imran Ahmad claimed in his plea that he was seeking protection of the fundamental rights of workers or labourers, enforcement of labour laws and termination of bonded labour in Delhi. Santosh Kumar Tripathi, the Delhi government's standing counsel, said private jobs were advertised during the

TMS Ep338: Demonetisation verdict, free food grain, markets, living wage

What does the SC's demonetisation verdict mean? Will free food grain scheme affect Centre's fiscal planning? Will India Inc see a turnaround in Q3FY23 results? What is a living wage? All answers here

What is a living wage?

Inflation has hit the poor most. It is one of the reasons why the government is now mulling 'living wage' over the existing 'minimum wage'. Living wage is indexed to inflation. Here's more about it

Domestic workers need to work in 6 households to earn minimum wage: Study

Employers believe they pay enough, do not consider skills while setting the wage and favour "trustworthiness" over caste and religion, found a study of households in Bengaluru and Chennai

New Zealand's annual food prices rise 6.4%, hike across all food categories

"Inflation of food prices has generally been increasing since a low of 0.5 percent in the year to March 2021," consumer prices manager Katrina Dewbery said in a statement

Apple workers in New York City seek 30 dollar per hour minimum wage

The Apple workers' union, called Fruit Stand Workers United wants pay calculated using a "matrix based on role, tenure, and performance"

Include nursing, engineering diploma holders under Minimum Wages Act: CEAI

Engineering professionals' body CEAI on Tuesday said it has urged the government to include paramedical, nursing and engineering diploma holders under the Minimum Wages Act.

Lowering minimum wage terms may put Indian workers in Gulf at disadvantage

The referral wage is meant to protect migrant workers from employers abroad, but changing the terms could end up hurting them.

No intention to delay fixing minimum wages, says labour ministry

Minimum wage is different for different categories of workers.

Best of BS Opinion: Minimum wage conundrum, reset the Sebi norms, and more

Here are the best of BS Opinions of the day

Covid-19 bill must drop minimum wage hike, arbiter decides

The Senate has a long tradition of obeying the parliamentarian's decisions with few exceptions, a history that is revered by traditionalists like Biden, a 36-year Senate veteran

Majority of Americans support $15 minimum wage, Reuters/Ipsos poll shows

The Senate's parliamentarian on Thursday is expected to decide whether the rules will allow them to use the coronavirus spending bill to enact a sweeping wage policy