Statement by Manitoba Federation of Labour President Kevin Rebeck in response to the announcement by the Government of Saskatchewan that Saskatchewan’s minimum wage will rise to $13/hr in October: 

The Government of Saskatchewan plans to increase its province’s minimum wage to $13, which means that Manitoba will drop to having the lowest minimum wage in the country later this year. 

That’s an embarrassment. And if Premier Heather Stefanson was concerned about the struggles facing low-wage workers in our province, she would be embarrassed too. 

Conservative governments in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have plans to substantially increase their provinces’ minimum wage this year. Instead of following their lead, Premier Stefanson is following in Brian Pallister’s footsteps and keeping thousands of minimum wage earners in poverty.

Working families are concerned about rising costs at the grocery store and the gas pumps, and these increased costs hit low-wage workers particularly hard.  

We think Manitoba workers are worth more than dead last in the country. It’s time for the Stefanson government to start working for working families and take immediate steps to make Manitoba’s minimum wage a living wage.