‘Put in honest day’s work for honest day’s pay’ – Gonsalves

Vincentians have been called upon to put in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.

While addressing the launch of the Wages Councils on March 31, Minister of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour Camillo Gonsalves said a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment shows that wages here have increased faster than productivity.{{more}}

According to Gonsalves, the IMF noted that real wages of public sector employees had increased by 45 per cent between 2000 and 2014, resulting in the second highest public sector wages relative to productivity in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.

“Wages have increased at a faster rate than productivity, to the point where a large section of our work force is comparatively unproductive, relative to what they are being paid.”

He said all workers on the salary spectrum must do their part to put in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.

“If we can manage to boost our productivity, we will improve our economic growth,” Gonsalves continued.

He said the spill over effect of an improvement in productivity would lead to greater economic growth with more jobs and even higher wages.

“We must recognize fundamentally the role that each partner must play in the pursuit of decent work, economic growth, poverty reduction and job creation.”

He said that the Government must create an environment and regulatory framework for the creation of jobs and employees must adhere to the laws and regulations.

Employers, on the other hand, must “treat their employees as valued indispensable partners in shared groups and workers must recommit to excellence and effort in the pursuit of a boost in productivity and of course our nations well being,” the minister said. (CM)