By Francisca Anania
Trade Union Congress has called for an increase in the Minimum Wages from K3.50 to K10.50 per hour, and a decrease in the Income Tax for the country.
This call was made following former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s recent call on the government to review the current Minimum Wage.
The Acting General Secretary for the PNG Trade Union Congress Anton Sekum made this call recently, stressing that the government’s new tax threshold of K20, 000 is meaningless without a corresponding increase in the minimum wages and a decrease in the income tax.
“He said it is impossible to increase the new tax threshold without considering increasing minimum wages because every Papua New Guinean is struggling to make ends meet and inflation is killing the value of the Kina.”
Sekum said the urge for this call is made after careful inspection of the Minimum Wage Board Submission from 2013 to date, showing the effect inflation on the purchasing power of the Kina.
He revealed that the current Minimum Wage determination has been expired since 2017, and the review to follow in 2018 never eventuated; and given the hardships Papua New Guineans are facing, this call has been made.
“The current Minimum wage has expired in 2017 and in 2018, there was supposed to be another review done. Unfortunately that did not happen so we are still using the expired rate, and that is why we are pushing for a review of the minimum wage next year by the government so that we all can be relieved even for just a bit.”
Sekum also revealed that the minister for Labor and employment, Kessy Sawang has indicated that the government is looking at increasing minimum wages, and also establishing a minimum wages board in 2024.
