Union campaigns for one NMW rate

The National Minimum Wage has been in force for 20 years. To mark its anniversary, the union UNISON has launched a campaign to get rid of the age bands and pay the same rate to everyone.

It believes that the government can't justify paying less to younger people and that everyone should be paid the same rate for doing the same job.

Its campaign, #OneWageAnyAge appears to be supported by the Labour Party who attended the launch and said it was committed to raising the NMW to £10 per hour.

The NMW and National Living Wage increased on 1 April as follows:

The National Living Wage increased from £7.83 to £8.21 per hour

The National Minimum Wage increased:

•           Workers aged 21 to 24 – from £7.38 to £7.70 per hour

•           Workers aged 18 to 20 – from £5.90 to £6.15 per hour

•           Workers aged over compulsory school age under 18  - from £4.20 to £4.35 per hour

•           Apprentices – from £3.70 to £3.90 per hour

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey also spoke at the UNISON event, pledging that a Labour government “will legislate for a minimum wage of £10 an hour – and that’s not an aspiration: it’s a floor. We will also set up a ministry of labour and we will make sure that every union has the right to go into every workplace and negotiate better.”

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