MINIMUM WAGE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE IN 2021

By Aamon Butao

The Malawi Congress of Trade Unions—MCTU has disclosed that the planned minimum wage of Fifty Thousand Kwacha will be effective next year.

MCTU General Secretary Dennis Kalekeni said this in an interview with Timveni, as Parliament is expected to approve the measure this October once the budget is passed.

Kalekeni said implementation will however be delayed until next year to enable companies recover from the impact of COVID-19.

According to Kalekeni, the Ministry of Labor, the MCTU and the Employers Consultative Association of Malawi met and agreed to exclude some workers including maids from the minimum wage bracket citing employers’ lack of financial capacity.

Kalekeni said MCTU is keenly waiting for contents under the minimum wage provision considering that there were misunderstandings over inclusion of some workers in the minimum wage.

He however said once the minimum wage is implemented, it will improve the welfare of Malawians.

Among his achievements during the first One Hundred Days, President Lazarus Chakwera mentioned the increment in minimum wage.