National Minimum Wage

Circular No. NP/044/15/MC

19th March 2015

TO: ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL ORGANISERS, REGIONAL COUNCILS, & COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES.

Dear Colleagues,

National Minimum Wage

The rates of the National Minimum Wage have changed. There are three levels of minimum wage, and the rates from 1 October 2015 are:

    Current rate    Oct 2015    % increase
Adults    £6.50    £6.70    3
18-2O year olds    £5.13    £5.30    3.3
16 and 17 year olds    £3.79    £3.87    2.2
Apprentice rate (under the age of 19 plus older apprentices in the first year of their course)    £2.73    £3.30    21

In submissions to the Low Pay Commission, the RMT will continue to argue that the National Minimum Wage must be set at a significantly higher level to ensure that all workers are kept out of poverty; that the regulations must be extended to all seafarers serving in UK territorial waters to help safeguard minimum standards and that the age-related NMW rates should be abolished and the full adult rate be paid from 16 until the school leaving age is raised. The Union will also continue to campaign for the NMW to build towards the eventual goal of two-thirds of male median earnings.

Yours sincerely,

 

Mick Cash
General Secretary