pay Contract was sold movement with promises that it would protect low paid workers and make unemployment an evil of past times Below, TESSA VAN GELDEREN looks at how the lowest paid - especially those in industries controlled by Wages Councils - have fared in the past 3 years.
exploited sectors remain in ine pockets or t bosses. This was the conclusion of century te workers took unionists morotected Wages -And it these oftencino bosses are caught the maximum fine available to remain isolated and unorganised Even this action is • statutory enibioyels I Wauto Council industries nas an all-time low. A full 90% of such employers are never inspected at These facts sum up the continuing plignt or the lowest paid -many of them immigrant, black and under the pay policy of problem of underpayment workers Inem WOrKETS to the trade union - opened up a wide and continuing debate on the role of the retail Wages Councils themselves They were set up at the turn of the cuardians with me collective ba Yet many trade TUC WO men's Conference felt that far from -Inese councis nave •anowed men Homeworkers are a case in point.
625,000 workers i this category receive full £6 allowed for In fact, in the nanorul or cases where the Wage Gounci saoo ecornerurate. me used it to maintain cash differen tials - the very policy which the flat rate was supposed to guard against In une interests or te low bald. mis occurred because claims were submitted for only older or higher grade a Warded the fulles we even counci aereements. me cash neve ampeared in men bay backers. ine loopholes open to employers are They are only bound to pay basic rates laid down by Wages Councils, not increases specited by PEANUTS Needless to say, the basic rate: are peanuts anvwav. ano so as the Wages Councils are prodded into proposing happily hand over a few pence just Lo Drine uD Workers wages to the •smar basic rates proposed increases never see ine LOLA light of day except in the profit Phase 2 was little better for these •ine mcrease voted against the Transport and General Workers Union services into the ground, mak against the low paid. And - - as WiTn the £6 - this 4½ per cent is treated so dated in the basic rate. So the lower Daid work COl overtime rate:
But the assault on the lower paid does not stop at the wages policy levels Even workers with children in Wag Counci industres were men cauon in the net of taxation with its new starting