On the day that the minimum wage rises to £5.73, UNISON is urging the Government to help the working poor, by pursuing bad employers who evade paying the minimum wage.
Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
ÒWith rogue employers constantly seeking new ways to evade paying the minimum wage, the Government must be vigilant in enforcing it. The Tories talk about social revival but they fought tooth and nail against the very existence of a minimum wage. Nearly ten years on itÕs become a valuable safety net for millions of families.
ÒThe rise to £5.73 is a welcome cushion, however, with the price of everyday essentials such as food, gas and electricity going up massively, it wont lift enough working people out of the poverty trap. A more realistic figure would be £6.75 an hour Ð a fair dayÕs pay for a fair dayÕs work, regardless of age..
ÒI would expect good employers to be looking at the mounting financial pressures on their workforce and paying them more than the absolute minimum.Ó
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