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Minimum wage 'protests' increase

The number of complaints made by workers being paid less than the minimum wage has increased by 10% over the past year, according to a new report. The National Minimum Wage Annual Report, compiled by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), reveals that of the 61,000 calls received by the NMW helpline in 2005 and 2006, 2,100 were complaints about non-payment of the minimum wage, an increase of 10% on the previous year.

In the same year, 32% of investigations undertaken by minimum wage enforcement teams uncovered incidence of non-compliance, with the hospitality and hairdressing sectors highlighted as some of the worst offenders. There were also a larger number of complaints from female workers than from male workers for the second year running, the report says.

Employment Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “The national minimum wage protects our most vulnerable and low paid workers from the most unscrupulous employers.“In this year alone we have helped over 25,000 people and recovered over £3m on behalf of low paid workers.”

The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 gave HMRC the responsibility of enforcing the minimum wage and the helpline was set up in April 1999 to help achieve this. The National Minimum Wage Annual Report is available at www.dti.gov.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .