The Wages Council met in Suva earlier this week to decide on the proposal they will put forward to the Labour Ministry.
The Council is proposing a wage increase to the government for the ten lowest-paid industrial sectors in the economy.
Chairman Father Kevin Barr says garment workers are the lowest paid employees in the country, and their wage rates don’t reflect the increases in the cost of living.
Father Barr says majority of their members are still paid below the poverty line.
“Lowest of all are the garment industry, garment industry currently is only $1.96 an hour, that’s the lowest, the security industry is the second lowest at $2.20 an hour.”
The Wages Council will look at national economic indicators such as the consumer price index, inflation rate and other relevant social indicators before putting its proposal to the Minister.
Government last year announced for a 10 percent increase for nine industrial private sectors, including the hotel and catering, garment, saw milling and logging industries along with the mining, printing, wholesale and retail and the security services sectors.
