Companies have not been given enough time to adjust to the upcoming minimum wage increase, says executive director of the Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC), Sheena Mayers-Granville.
She is again urging Government to ensure employers have a reasonable amount of time to adjust their budgeting plans.
“We have consistently said that employers need adequate notice of changes to the minimum wage. We have to consider the fact that businesses do budgeting, forecasting, they engage in contract negotiation, and therefore telling anyone that your rates are going to change in the next two, three or four weeks . . . we don’t think that is adequate notice,” she said yesterday at the BEC’s headquarters at Braemar Court, Deighton Road, Brittons Hill, St Michael, during a press conference about BEC Week 2025.
During the Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals in March, it was revealed that there would be an increase in the minimum wage. On May Day,
Minister of Labour Colin Jordan announced that it will move to $10.50 per hour, effective June 1, up from the previous $8.50 per hour. The increase will also affect the sectoral minimum wage for security officers.
Mayers-Granville said while she could not say whether they believed the increase was adequate, there were some other issues with which they were concerned.
“We have not commented on the actual value. We have not said anything on the proposed minimum wage itself because I do believe that to comment would be a conflict of interest, because we do sit on the minimum wage board. What we have communicated with the minister is our challenges with the Act itself,” she said, adding the concerns were raised as far back as 2021 when the minimum wage was last increased.
“There are some gaps. How do we treat to people who are interns and are on short-term assignments? We have apprenticeship legislation which dictates how apprentices should be paid, but then we still have legislation that says apprentices are employees.
“We know that there are some industries where piece rate is the norm, but our minimum wage order only speaks to hourly rate, so how do we address those issues? There are issues around the treatment of commissions, what we know practically happens versus what the legislation says. We have been engaging on issues that relate to the act itself,” she added.
This year, the theme for BEC Week is Navigating Tomorrow, Shaping Barbados In The Age Of Change. The annual general meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, where some of its work over the past year will be assessed. Mayers-Granville spoke about some of the disciplinary trends they had noticed.
“We are seeing an increased level of documentation.
We are seeing more disciplinary hearings being held and more investigations being held, and meetings surrounding the employment relationship.
“We are seeing a slight increase in disputes and grievances, and how those are being managed. We are seeing that happen in a more formalised manner. We are not saying that is a bad thing, we are just saying that is something we have noticed,” she added. (TG)
