WHO MAKES MINIMUM WAGE AND LOW WAGES IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR?
According to Statistics Canada, 7.5% of the Newfoundland and Labrador labour force earned minimum wage in 2006 or 14,200 workers – 66.2% of whom were women. Tens of thousands more workers are working for wages just above minimum wage, which are still inadequate. For example, in 2005 16.7% of Newfoundland and Labrador workers earned $8 an hour or less, compared to 3.7% nationally and 27.9% of NL workers earned $10 an hour or less, compared to just 11.8% nationally – double the national average. Women make up two-thirds of minimum wage earners and the majority of low-wage workers. For example, in 2005, 8.8% of Newfoundland and Labrador male workers earned $8 an hour or less, compared to 2.9% nationally, but 27.1% of NL female workers earned $8 an hour or less, compared to 5% nationally – almost six times the national average. And 17.6% of Newfoundland and Labrador male workers earned $10 an hour or less, compared to 7.9% nationally, while 38.3% of NL female workers earned $10 an hour or
