By The Canadian Press

ALBERTA

Alberta is cutting minimum wage for young workers to $13/hr

May 28, 2019 | 5:56 AM

Alberta is proposing legislation to cut the minimum wage for young workers, and is making changes to overtime pay.

Premier Jason Kenney’s government has introduced a bill, which –if passed — will reduce the minimum wage for workers under 18 to $13/hr an hour from $15.

The change would begin a month from now, on June 26th.

The $15 rate, which is the highest in Canada, will remain in place for everyone else.

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Kenney says it’s a deal that is still a good wage for young Albertans, compared with other provinces, and it gives employers the resources to hire more of them.

Opposition Leader Rachel Notley says it’s unfair, since students may have as many financial obligations as adults and may be saving for their future education.

The bill also rolls back changes instituted by Notley’s government on overtime pay, allowing it to be paid out at straight time rather than time and a half.

Kenney says the change gives employers flexibility to give workers more hours and therefore more pay.

Notley calls it a major rollback of potential earnings for 400,000 workers, particularly in the oil and gas and construction sectors.