The Textile Services Association (TSA) has called on the Government to accept the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, which advocated a National Minimum Wage of £3.60 per hour for adult workers; £3.20 per hour for those aged 18-21; and no minimum rate for those aged under 18.
Published on 18 June, the recommendations, said the TSA, contain few if any surprises.
Murray Simpson, chief executive of the TSA, commented: “Government should accept the balanced and sensible recommendations of the Low Pay Commission and strongly resist calls from the trade union movement to raise the level of the minimum wage by more than £1 to £4.61. Such a move would make British companies uncompetitive internationally, increase inflation and cost jobs - in short nothing more than a “recipe for recession.” Nearly 2m workers are expected to benefit from the statutory minimum wage with average pay rises of 30%. Those working in low-paid sectors, including cleaning and healthcare, says the report, are expected to benefit most.
The report calculates that the cleaning industry will face a 3% increase in wage bills.
