End wage exemptions

Minimum wage is going up in BC, but some workers are left out. Liquor servers, farmworkers and live-in home support workers are among the groups of workers who can be paid less than the minimum wage under the current rules. That’s just not fair.

I think there should be no exemptions to the minimum wage. It should be just that – the minimum a person can be paid for any kind of work in the province of BC. They should be paid for each hour worked and be eligible for overtime when working in excess of 40 hours per week.

Further, these exemptions are discriminatory – women and workers of colour are over-represented in these exempt jobs. The existence of exemptions also makes the rules harder to follow and opens the door to other types of exploitation and abuse of low-wage workers.

Exemptions to the minimum wage should end immediately, and workers should receive the same pay and increases as other minimum wage workers in BC.

BC’s minimum wage is going up, but some workers are still exempted from the minimum wage. For example, liquor servers, farm workers and live-in home support workers can all be paid at rates lower than minimum wage. These lower wage rates are discriminatory because women and workers of colour are over represented in these occupations. Exemptions to the rules are also confusing to workers, and can lead to additional forms of exploitation by bad bosses.

The Fair Wages Commission will be submitting a report on minimum wage exemptions in the next few weeks and our government will have the chance to end these unfair rules. Let’s make sure they hear our voices. Tell them it’s time that BC had one fair wage for all workers – no exceptions!

Send a message to the Minister of Labour, Harry Bains, right now!

http://www.fightfor15bc.ca/end_wage_exemptions