Electioneering is behind much opposition to minimum wage, Mildred Oliphant says
Some of the "propaganda" against the national minimum wage is nothing more than electioneering and an attempt to score cheap political points, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant says. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday during her budget vote speech, she said it was disturbing that those who were against the national minimum wage had nothing to offer as alternatives, but wanted to keep the status quo. "Those who are demanding that the level be set higher, are totally oblivious of the consequences of doing so," the minister said. "It is ironic that while the legislators are busy doing shadow-boxing on the national minimum wage, it is said that a number of progressive employers have already started adjusting their workers’ wages in anticipation of the national minimum wage becoming a reality. It is also heartening that the employers in question are adjusting workers’ wages upwards and not downwards, as others would want us to believe. "Setting the inaugural level at R20 per hour was infor...
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