Labour and Industrial Relations Minister

In a statement today, the PNGTUC responded to the announcement by Minister Manase that employers and worker representatives need to justify why a new minimum wage must be set.

The PNGTUC refutes this claim, stating that provisioned in the "Gazetted" 2014 Minimum Wage Determination is a clause that specifically states, the minimum wage shall be reviewed after three years.

“That is three years after the 03rd July, 2016, when K3.50 rate was effected. 

Labour and Industrial Relations Minister, Mehrra Kipefa, says there are suggestions to increase the minimum wage to K5 however, the board responsible for it will not meet until it has a new chairman.

While some companies comply with it, others do not and the Labour and Industrial Relations is looking at creating dialogue with the Internal revenue Commission.

“Most are saying we are paying tax, but we’ll talk to IRC to which companies comply with annual return statements so they must at least comply with the standard minimum wages to their workers,” said Kipefa.