Minimum Wage Exemptions Unfair

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By Jennifer Wilson

Minimum wage advocates are rallying for an increased and equal minimum wage for all British Columbians, saying current wage standards are not enough to earn living in the province.

Liquor servers, produce pickers, servers and resident caretakers are among those for whom minimum wages are below the province-wide general requirement, which is $11.35 per hour. Contract workers such as janitors and cafeteria employees earn just above the standard but often take a second job to survive.

According to anti-poverty advocacy group Living Wage for Families, the minimum amount a worker would need to meet living expenses in Metro Vancouver is $20.62.

The rally is being held by the Surrey branch of Fight for $15 BC, a group sponsored by the BC Federation of Labour, to demand a flat $15 per hour minimum wage for all B.C. workers. Fight for $15 says current wages standards need to be brought into line with those of other developed countries such as France, New Zealand, and Australia.

Christopher James Fofonoff an organizer of the rally, and a member of the activist group Socialist Alternative, said that certain industries had been able to garner enough political support to keep wages low and profits high.

Do you earn minimum wage or less in British Columbia? Please share your experience with us. Comment below or send us a tweet @LangaraVoice.

 

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