TUC to “put something forward” to govt on living wage
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As the cost of living continues to rise, Obie Ferguson, the Trade Union Congress president, is reiterating calls for a living wage.
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If the cost of most things has gone up and your wages remain stagnant, you’re going to find it hard to survive.
– Obie Ferguson
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Ferguson told Eyewitness News that Bahamians must be able to have a living wage as the cost of food and fuel continue to rise.
“We have to look out for the average worker. It’s rough out there,” said Ferguson.
“We need a living wage in this country and I’ve been calling for it for years.
“We need it now more than ever. If the cost of most things has gone up and your wages remain stagnant, you’re going to find it hard to survive.
“I’m not talking about the minimum an employer can pay, as most do go above; I’m talking about what it realistically is for the average Bahamian to provide for his or herself.”
Ferguson added: “There’s a role for the businessman, the union, the government and the employee in all of this. We have to put all the players together to come up with the best solution.
“It’s rough out there. We all have to pull up our bootstraps to see how best we can cope.
“We have to deal with issues and not personalities. We have to consider the interest of the worker. For the trade union, that is the main factor.
“We also have to do things in the interests of the economy.
“We are getting ready to address the living wage issue. We are going to put something forward to the government.”
Labor Minister Keith Bell said earlier this year that officials anticipate legislation for a new minimum wage will be ready to present to Parliament “very soon”.
It is the government’s intention to have the minimum wage of $210 per week replaced by a higher wage that could be around $250 per week.
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) promised to revise the wage before winning the September general election.
University of The Bahamas (UB) researchers, in a study produced last year, pegged Nassau’s monthly living wage at $2,625, while the equivalent for Grand Bahama was $3,550 per month.
