Ever wondered how much the person delivering those pamphlets to your letterbox gets paid? Labour’s David Parker says not enough: his member’s bill, which would ensure that they are paid at least minimum wage, was drawn from the ballot last week.
Currently, people such as couriers, paper and pamphlet deliverers can be paid less than the minimum wage, as they are engaged as contractors rather than employees. Contractors do not have to be paid minimum wage. The Minimum Wage (Contractor Remuneration) Bill will stop this and ensure contractors get the same wage protection as employees.
The Bill follows the recent government announcement that it will introduce an Employment Standards Bill later this year, which will introduce tougher sanctions for employers who do not comply with minimum employment standards, and changes to the Immigration Act for those who exploit migrant workers. These are being supported by initiatives to strengthen enforcement of minimum employment standards. It also follows recent publicity about the use of zero-hours contracts.
It remains to be seen whether Mr Parker will get enough cross-party support for his Bill to progress, and we will keep you up to date with the Bill’s progress through parliament.