Phase in minimum wage rise, says CCI

THE 10% increase in the minimum wage which comes into effect in February should be phased-in over the next 12 months, the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland (CCI) said yesterday.

In the context of rising wage, insurance and stealth tax costs, the CCI president Mark Staunton said the concerns of small and medium sized enterprises are set to become more acute when the statutory minimum wage is increased further in February 2004," he said.

"We are calling for the introduction of the 10% increase in the minimum wage, which has been planned for February 2004, to instead be phased at 5% in 2004 and for the second 5% not to be introduced until February 2005," he said.