Hay bale with the words "dead last" in the landscapeOn April 1, Saskatchewan now has the dubious distinction of having the lowest minimum wage in the country.

“With a minimum wage of $11.06 an hour, many workers in Saskatchewan are struggling to make ends meet,” says Tom Graham, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. “Raising the minimum wage is not just the right thing to do – it makes economic sense. More workers with more money in their pockets means more spending in our local economy.”

In Saskatchewan, 20% of the entire workforce earns less than $15 per hour.  Provincially, about 40% of all workers earning minimum wage are between the ages of 15 and 19. However, workers between the ages of 35 and 64 constitute the second-largest cohort of minimum wage earners at 30% of the total.

“CUPE Saskatchewan has joined with the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour to call for a $15 minimum wage – a policy that is now in place in BC, Alberta and Ontario,” said Graham. “Workers in Saskatchewan work just as hard as people in Alberta and we deserve the same minimum wage.

Learn more and sign the petition at: http://fightfor15sk.ca