Minimum wage rise out of step with public sector awards says ACS

Association of Convenience Stores Chief executive James Lowman says "To expect businesses to deal with these above inflation increases year on year is unacceptable. We support the principle of a minimum level below which wages should not fall, but the continual increases of this level are not sustainable or fair to businesses.

"This is particularly true in a year when the Government has received so much criticism from many different professions for their own low public sector wage increases. Teachers pay will increase by 2.45%, and police and nurses' pay will increase below the 2.2% inflation rate. If the majority of workers in the country are receiving inflationary rises of around the 2% mark then why should small businesses such as convenience stores that already have to deal with the burden of increasing regulation have to foot the bill? Why are we expected to afford pay increases greater than those the Government is prepared to pay itself?

"We have given evidence to the LPC face-to-face and in writing. While we believe this has helped to moderate the increase to a lower level than in some previous years, we remain disappointed that the NMW continues to rise at this rate."