LA to debate OMOV and minimum wage
(CNS): Legislators will be back in the Legislative Assembly next Wednesday when they will be making changes to offshore-related legislation and debating the private members' motions filed by the independent members on 'one man, one vote' and a minimum wage. The debates on both controversial topics, which are said to be causing divisions among the government benches as well as across the floor, were postponed during the last LA sitting to facilitate the debate on the Standards in Public Life bill. Although the government has set out a schedule for meetings, Ezzard Miller raised concerns that the new government is being just as abusive regarding the parliamentary process as their predecessors, the UDP, and disregarding the rules and regulations.
Miller said that he and Arden McLean had agreed to a postponement of their motions until today, 19 February but he said despite that the premier the proceeded to adjourn the LA without a future date and he said he was informed just this week that instead of returning on 19 February they would be sitting on the 26 February.
“Nothing much has changed the government is running the business of the House in accordance with its liking rather than the rules, but of course there is nothing we can do about that,” he said. Miller said he had been pleased to see the premier’s efforts to plan a proper schedule but he said it was even more disappointing that the government still went ahead and did what it wanted without regard for other members.
Nevertheless, Miller said he was looking forward to the forthcoming debates on the two motions before the House dealing with the both the implementation of a minimum wage and the need to revise the local voting system as quickly as possible. Miller said he and Arden McLean who had filed and seconded each other’s motions were anticipating that the government would be welcoming the motions as the PPM had campaigned on both of these issues in the run up to the election.
However, sources have suggested that the government benches may not be unified on the way forward on either issue and as a result while they may accept the motions in principle they may not act on them. However, Miller has said that he was willing to draft the necessary legislation if need be and present a private members bill to the House on the issues if government does not accept and act quickly on the motions.
Category: Politics
Forcing Employers to pay.a 30 to pay40 percent increase is going to drive the cost of living beyond what most will afford. It is nice to think that the low end workers will have some extra coin in their pockets and their lives will be better. This will cripple an already handicapped economy. This needs to be thought out. 4.50 is a grand wage to have. It is.a baseline for the low end workers to accept. There are jobs that are simply do not hold high monetary rewards. Learn a new skill as I bet that if there is a wage set. At 5.00 or more the Island will be only for the filthy rich.:-(
23;20
Why do you say that?
The majority of contractors are paying from $10.00 up. (helpers)
20 years ago we were paying these same people $5.00 per hour ( helpers)
We had to increase our payout to keep up with the island's inflation. whats wrong with you guys..doing the same?
20 years ago you guys were paying $6. 00 and $8. 00 per hour. it seems like you are going backwards.
Im now convienced that the labour force in this country has over flowed due to government seeking revenue from the work permits.
This point the fingers at the last five administrations. Which tells me no government is going to do anything about it.
Time for a union! not formed by the government…please! do not fall for that trap!
It will be interesting see what position the PPM takes. I know I voted for them based on their promise to implement OMOV. In my opinion it will be political suicide for them to back down on that promise.
PPM stop dragging your feet on OMOV. We know and Alden knows that Alden will not be elected from GT under OMOV – so he will dig up all sorts of reason to not do it. Every move in PPM is calculated for the next elections – a most insincere and divisive group.
Why do we worry? just vote for one person whenever the time comes sround. The people have to show these politicians where we stand.
I must admit that i was not for OMOV….at first.
My voting choice will change next election, whether the laws change or not, i will be voting for that one person. I will hold him or her responsible for the BS going on.
As it is now, the government is doing nothing to make it better for locals.
Winston Roy and Tara are not the independent thinkers they campaigned about! Nothing more than Alden's puppet
$8 lol, my staff make $4.5pr and walk away on an 8hr shift with min $150 in tips, now i have to pay them $8per hr, not going to happen… might as well close and guess what we have been in business since 1987….
It depends on how it is calculated. Tips are usually included in the calculation (salary + tips divided by hours worked). So in your case if what you say happens then you would not have any issue. If you pay weekly and this calculaton provides a houly wage over the minimum for the pay period then you are fine. If not you may have to top it up.
It all depends on how the calculation is mandated.
Anything above $5.00 a hour can destroy this Island. Has these politicans given any consideration in signed contracts, especially private companies that are locked into contracts with set hourly rates, especially government in which YOU CANNOT BREAK THE CONTRACT or readjust the rates? Any minimum wage increase over 5.00 an hour will quite possibly destroy alot of businesses, janitorial, security, lawn maintenance, construction to name a few. Is that is the intension of government? They better think long and hard about the repercussions of their actions.
On the human side, I recall security guards being paid $4.50 to $5.00 per hour in 1997, and now in 2014 they mostly earn $5.00 per hour! Is that right? Did the employers hold their prices?
Consider also that a minimum wage would result in more disposable income to be circulated in the retail and service sectors.
I do not believe that this is all doom and gloom as some would have us believe!!
Rubbish…greed!!
Perhaps it is not beyond the wit of man (though maybe I shouldn't include MLA's in that statement) to come up with a formula that guarantees a minimum payment per hour, whether that is wages or a combination of wages & tips (so if they have a slow night and no tips, staff still get the minimum $8/hour, but if they exceed that, then the employer pays a lesser minimum, say $4/hour, with the rest being made up from tips). That way, those who work in non-tipping jobs, such as supermarket staff, get a reasonable minimum wage and those who do get tips still benefit, but to a much lesser degree.
21;39
If this is true? and i can say yes, for some establishments…. they do get tips, but what happens to the other industries where no tips are being paid?? security guards! landscapers, water sport operators and such.
If each industry can prove that their workers are taking home a liviable wage, then there should be no worries. We in the construction industry dont have to worry, because we are paying way over the minimum. This law wouldnt effect us.
Raise work permit fees big time for those low end jobs then it would make good financial sense for employers to pay more for Caymanians. Capice?
It's "capisce", capisce?
and what about the pension huh??? we are paying pension to work permit holders who TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF CAYMAN!!!! this is also crippling business..this was to be brought back to the legislative and never was…why should employers pay pension to those who don't put it back into the economy of cayman….only use pension for caymanians, residency status etc
minimum wage would be the knockout blow to caymans struggling economy…..
omov can wait for another year and should just be the subject of a simple vote in parliament,,,,,,
So it is acceptable to pay someone less money than they can reasonably live on in the Cayman Islands?
Yes, if that is what the market can support.
Ezzard wants OMOV to break the power of the parties as Ezzard wants the job as premier.
Lord help us then- you think you have trouble now!!
Might as well give it to him, it will get worst with him or without him! The Caymans are screwed!!!
You one smart cookie
Ezzard deserves it, he is the only man with big balls!!