The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has slammed the announcement by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) that the National Minimum Wage is to increase by 2.2% for workers over 21 from 1st October this year.
HTA Director General, David Gwyther, said “We are dismayed and disappointed that BIS is to impose an increase of this magnitude at a time when businesses are struggling to find ways for paying for any increase in costs. We see most areas of the economy having to impose pay freezes at best and many facing pay cuts. Our members find this rise unbelievable.”
The BIS announcement will see the following rates take effect from 1st October 2010:
• £5.93 per hour for workers aged 21 and over (a 2.2% increase on the current £5.80 rate);
• £4.92 per hour for 18-20 year olds (a 1.9% increase on the current £4.83 rate); and
• £3.64 per hour for 16-17 year olds (a 2% increase on the current £3.57 rate.