Minimum wage call for apprentices
Updated on 07 August 2008
The number of apprentices who drop out of their training would be cut if they were all paid the national minimum wage, the TUC has suggested.
Ending the exemption of under 19-year-old apprentices and older workers in the first year of training from the statutory rate would improve the quality and reputation of apprenticeships, said the union organisation.
In a submission to the Low Pay Commission, the TUC said fewer than a third of apprentices were currently paid the minimum wage.
The introduction in 2005 of an £80 a week minimum weekly wage for apprentices in England had improved completion rates, but more needed to be done, said the report.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Apprentices need to complete their training if it is to fully benefit themselves or their employer, so increasing completion rates is absolutely vital to the success of apprenticeships.
"Ten years on from the minimum wage becoming law, millions of low-paid workers have benefited from better pay and protection from exploitation. It's now time for apprentices to benefit from these rights too.
"Apprenticeships are very different today from the traditional model, with many trainees finishing their programme within a year. This development must be reflected in their pay and conditions.
"Evidence from the UK and across the world shows that decent pay must be at the heart of any successful apprenticeships programme.
"The Low Pay Commission must use this evidence to bring all apprentices under the national minimum wage regime. At only a small cost to a minority of employers, this would help apprentices who are struggling to afford their training, particularly women."
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