Law queries

* Are employers obliged to pay regular wage increases? We have not had our pay increased for two years now and our employers say that they don't have to increase pay. Is this right?

There is no legislation laying down when pay should be renegotiated or increased on a regular basis. In other words there is no statutory right to a pay increase, other than for those earning the statutory minimum wage whose pay must be increased in line with any changes announced by the government.

Unless your employment contracts contain a term that says that pay will be reviewed and increased any changes are entirely based on the agreement of the parties, normally through negotiation between the union and the employer.

More information: LRD booklet, Law at work 2001