This Is Guernsey

By Nick Mann

PEOPLE in Guernsey are being paid as little as £3.50 an hour. Minimum wage proposals should be before the States in the autumn, with the man heading up anti-poverty measures supporting it to be set at £6.

The States yesterday debated a progress report on the island’s corporate anti-poverty programme.

Social policy steering group chairman Peter Roffey said afterwards that it had been kept informed about what was going on with Commerce and Employment’s minimum wage proposals.

‘Having seen some of the background paperwork, I was quite shocked at some of the levels - we’re talking about £3.50 an hour in some cases,’ he said.

Deputy Roffey added that it was probably migrant workers earning that.

‘But this work is going on in Guernsey. I don’t think anyone should work for that in Guernsey, whether they are from here or migrant workers.’

He wanted to see Commerce and Employment’s final workings before making a definitive decision on what level the minimum wage should be set.

‘I would say it would definitely have to be somewhat higher then the UK to take account of Guernsey factors.’

In October, the UK’s will rise from £5.35 to £5.52 an hour. There are lower rates for 16- and 17-, and 18-21-year-olds.

‘Personally, I would pitch it somewhere like £6 an hour for adults.’

Deputy Roffey admitted that some local businesses would baulk at the level he suggested.

He said that while it would be sad for individuals who put a lot of effort into their firms, the island had to move forward socially.

Deputy Roffey added that also, economically, with a desire to increase GDP but without a big population increase, he did not think Guernsey could afford to have people doing jobs not able to generate a living wage. He said there were differences between various sectors.

‘If a horticulture or tourism business went to the wall because they said they couldn’t afford it, that’s one thing, but we need to bear in mind socially required areas that would find it hard.’

He said that places such as care homes provided a valuable social service but might struggle if the level was set too high.

Commerce and Employment minister Stuart Falla said the minimum wage was something the department was keen to bring to the House. The report has been discussed by the board and is currently being worked on at staff level. He did not have a date for when it would be finished.

Article posted on 1st June, 2007 - 12.00am