VANCOUVER – The BC Federation of Labour (BCFED) was outside the Walmart on Grandview Highway in Vancouver on Friday to drum up support for its campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
They were handing out pamphlets, and passing around petitions to get the B.C. Government to raise the minimum wage.
The BCFED started this campaign six months ago, with thousands already signing petitions and joining the cause.
The current minimum wage in B.C. is $10.25 an hour; for a liquor server and farm workers it is $9 an hour.
In September, the minimum wage will be raised to $10.45 an hour.
But that is not enough, argues the BCFED.
“That’s why we picked $15, it’s about 10 per cent above the poverty line.”
Lanzinger says tying the increased minimum wage to inflation, as the BC Government did when they announced the 20 cents an hour raise, would work if they raised it above the poverty line to begin with.
“But leaving it so low, $6,000 below the poverty line, and then tying it to inflation really just means that workers will live in poverty forever.”
The goal of the event on Friday was to raise awareness for the campaign.
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