National minimum wage to be increased
View(s):Sri Lanka’s national minimum wage per month for private sector workers is to be increased to Rs.12,500 from the current Rs. 10,000 with effect from May 1.
This assurance was given by Labour Minister Ravindra Samaraweera at a special meeting on Tuesday of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC). Thus, once the gazette is issued giving legal effect to the proposal, private sector workers will be entitled to a minimum monthly wage of Rs. 12,500 plus Rs. 3,500 currently given as a compulsory budgetary relief allowance, making it a total of Rs. 16,000.
Trade union leader Palitha Athukorala, present at the discussion, said that this move will mostly benefit the informal sector while formal sector salaries are normally higher than this level.
The Minister said he hopes to set up in future a tripartite Wages Commission for the private sector.