Wage review underway

THE process to review the K3.50 minimum wage rate is now in motion, Labour and Employment Minister Kessy Sawang says.
A working committee comprising social partners and government agencies are working on the Terms of Reference (ToR) to review the minimum wage rate.
The minimum wage has little changed from that set in 1992 and reviewed but not changed in 2014 according to the PNG Trade Union Congress. Sawang said in a statement: “In November last year, I appointed the members of National Tripartite Consultative Council (NTCC) who are representatives of employers and employees and that has been gazetted.
“There must be a ToR for the review to happen, and by next month, I will inform the country on what the council decides on the ToR.” As of last Friday, notices were given to all social partners, tripartite members, ministers and representatives of employers and employees for the meeting to be held on March 15.
“There has been a lot of calls from workers in the country to increase the K3.50 per hour wage rate which has not been reviewed since 2014.”
Council members of employers are the employer’s federation, manufacturer’s council, rural industries council, Port Moresby chamber of commerce and industry and the chamber of mines and petroleum.
PNG Trade union congress, police association, banks and financial sectors workers union, PNG nurse association, PNG teachers association and commercial workers association represent the employees.