No blanket exemptions for whole sectors from national minimum wage
- Published on 13 May 2017
- HR Pulse News Desk
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant clarified that there will be no blanket exemptions for economic sectors from the national minimum wage (NMW).
DA labour spokesman Ian Ollis wanted to know whether there would be a blanket exemption for the clothing and blanket sections of the textile industry to which the minister said "No" in a written reply. She said blanket exemptions would "go against the grain of what is intended with this policy instrument". Oliphant said the NMW was intended to ensure that the benefits of growth were more equitably shared and to address poverty and inequality.
Thus, it targeted as a wide a range of sectors as possible, although there would be exemption provisions for individual employers. As to whether the government had considered limiting the application of the NMW to only those sectors not covered by wage regulations and collective bargaining, the minister said such a proposal was not under consideration.
Source: SA Labour News
