Labour MP for Erith & Thamesmead

Teresa Pearce MP


Fair pay

Posted on May 12, 2009 by Teresa Pearce

                                            

With the recent coverage of MPs expenses it’s easy for wjwaj1caocvvofcaqsob4ccaz5785wcaa6vx1bcagqcinbcadkwf20caplqcooca2uum4kca3sjcsdcafl4j9vcaqc9tivca3jgaoocarirrttcaalunqbcaowzpqncattp06hcac8yi5ycadb2gs2cagw0dfwto people to say “all politicians are the same” but there are many clear differences between Labour and Tory MPs and the National Minimum Wage is one of them.

On Friday 15 May, MPs will debate  the  second reading of a private members bill that sets out to destroy the National Minimum Wage. Its been  introduced by Tory MP Chrisptopher Chope, one of  Thatcher’s ministers.

It is vitally important that the NMW is defended.

Since its creation 10 years ago it has stopped a number of disgraceful practices by employers. It does however need to be “policed” as employers often find a number of ways around paying it.

For instance it is common in the hospitality industry for an employee to be on a “zero” hours contact and to be paid around £2.50 an hour with the rest made up with tips.

Our Labour government has moved to end that.

It’s also common for employees in low paid jobs in restaurants and also agricultural jobs to be provided with accommodation the cost of which is deducted from the NMW. Sometimes the deduction is much more than the accommodations value especially when its a migrant workforce that are housed in conditions unfit for humans.

The enforcement of the NMW regulations are the responsibility of HMRC and are carried out during PAYE Audits. The government has moved to ensure that employers trying to pay below the NMW rate are caught by setting up “whistle blower” hotlines and making the non payment a criminal offence where previously it had only been liable to a penalty. Therefore on the 28 August 2007, a children’s nursery owner was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £500 costs in the first National Minimum Wage criminal prosecution case.

Only Labour would have introduced the NMW and its up to Labour to defend it. I hope all our MPs will be in parliament on Friday to defeat the Private Members Bill.

There is a rally/lobby in parliament this Friday.

Friday 15th May, 11am-1.30pm
Jubilee Room
House of Commons
If you can’t make it, please go to www.wageconcern.com to help in other ways.

2 to “Fair pay”

  1. Les Abbey says:

    Congratulations on being selected. I think it’s a marvelous blow against the leadership’s policy of parachuting in candidates. More power to the CLPs. Now living far away but Belvedere was my home.

  2. wonkotsane says:

    The NMW was introduced in the EU Working Time Directive. Whichever party was in power would have had to introduce it.






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