Minister of Labour and National Security Dr. Fenton Ferguson recently announced the new 10.7 per cent increase in the national minimum wage and 8 per cent increase for security guards.
The minimum wage for industrial security guards will move from $8,198 for a 40-hour work week to $8,854 for a 40-hour work week.
The insurance sums payable where a guard is killed on duty is to move from $2 million to $2.5 million.
The minimum wage for other Jamaicans is to move from $5,600 to $6,200 for a 40-hour work week.
The new rates take effect on March 1.
Inflation
Inflation since 2010 has increased by 54.5 per cent, with the Consumer Point Index moving from 150.4 in December 2009 to 232.3 at the end of December 2015. At the end of 2009, the minimum wage was $4,070, and it is being moved to $6,200, an increase of 52.3 per cent.
For the industrial security guards, the increase in wages has moved 46.3 per cent over the period, having started 2010 at $6,050.
The last minimum wage increase took place in January 2014.
