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Continuing their fight for a living wage in British Columbia, the BC Federation of Labour is calling on the provincial government to increase minimum wage, stating that our current minimum wage sits at $6,000 below the poverty line.
On Tuesday, B.C.’s minimum wage increased by 20 cents, but according to the BC Federation of Labour, the meager raise still leaves hundreds of thousands of working British Columbians in poverty.
“A person working full-time in BC earning the minimum wage is living $6,000 below the poverty line. This pathetic 20 cent increase will do nothing to help these hard-working British Columbians get by,” said Irene Lanzinger, President of the BC Federation of Labour. “The BC Liberal government is completely out of touch with the reality facing working people in this province. Their approach is not good for people or the economy.”
As reported by the Federation of Labour, other jurisdictions such as Seattle and the province of Alberta, now have plans in place to reach the $15 per hour minimum wage. Meanwhile, B.C. will have the second-lowest minimum wage in the country by the end of 2015, explained Lanzinger.
“Seattle will reach $15 per hour by 2017, Alberta by 2018. Under Christy Clark’s plan, BC’s minimum wage will reach $15 per hour by 2034,” added Lanzinger. “That is simply unacceptable.”
According to the Federation, half a million British Columbians are currently earning less than $15 an hour; 82 per cent of those earning less than $15 an hour are over the age of 20. Moreover, two-thirds do not live with their parents and over half are woman.
“We are falling way behind, and people are paying the price of this government’s short-sighted policy,” said Lanzinger. “This is no longer about BC being a leader on this issue; this is about us playing catch up.”
The B.C. Poverty Reduction Coalition cited British Columbia as having acquired the highest poverty rate in Canada. Adding to that, B.C. is one of two provinces that have yet to create a poverty reduction plan.
At the same time, British Columbia is one of the wealthiest provinces in the country; however, approximately 476,000 residents are living in poverty.
“Government policies keep incomes at the bottom low and give tax breaks to those at the top. Our welfare rates are completely inadequate at $610 a month for a single person,” read the Coalition’s website.
To learn more about B.C.’s poverty, minimum wage, and the B.C. Poverty Reduction Coalition, click here. For more information on the BC Federation of Labour, click here.
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