CRFA's New Brunswick Lobbyist
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Luc Erjavec Vice President, Atlantic Canada T: 1-877-755-1938 E: luc@crfa.ca |
Minimum wage on the table in PEI and New Brunswick
(Nov. 18/09) PEI and New Brunswick are both reviewing their minimum wage and plan to raise it again.
Labour already accounts for nearly a third of sales and minimum wage rates have increased much faster than other economic indicators. CRFA is urging both provinces to introduce changes to minimum wage that recognize the unique nature of work in our industry.
CRFA’s key recommendations
CRFA is pushing these governments to slow increases in minimum wage and introduce both a tip differential and a training wage.
- Tip Differential
A tip differential is a lower minimum wage paid to servers in licensed establishments to recognize the significant income earned from tips. Already in place in Ontario, Quebec and 37 American states, tip differentials freeze servers’ wage rates during the next general minimum wage increase. Wages would not be rolled back.
- Training Differential
A training wage is a lower minimum wage paid to inexperienced workers to recognize training costs. This lower wage would be in place for the first 500 hours of employment. A training wage is currently in place in Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia. Like the tip differential, the training differential freezes the minimum wage for inexperienced workers during the next increase in the general minimum wage. Wages would be rolled back.