The increase in the minimum wage to $15.75 on April 1, is too little too late for workers earning a low income. It won’t make the necessary difference to meet back-to-school costs.  Only the Living Wage will do that. With less than $20 extra per week, the increase fails to provide a living wage to meet the extra financial demands faced by families with children returning to school.  As we know, the current Living Wage is $19.80 and the 2017 rate is due to be announced on February 21.

Felicia Scherrer(pictured below) is currently working as a community organiser for the Living Wage Movement and reflects on the burden of low wages on families.  Read more…