INGSTON, Jamaica—The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) is welcoming Prime Minister Andrew Holness announcement that if returned to office for a third term, his government will double the national minimum wage from $16,000 to $32,000 on a phased basis.

“This is a bold and historic commitment. For decades, the call for wages that allow workers not just to survive, but to live with dignity, has been at the centre of the trade union movement. By moving to establish a liveable wage system, the prime minister has given clear recognition to the fundamental truth that the labour of our people is the backbone of national development,” said BITU president Kavan Gayle in a media release.

According to the BITU, a liveable wage system means more than a figure on a payslip but that workers can provide proper meals for their families, send their children to school, access health care, and participate in community and national life without being trapped in the cycle of poverty.

It noted that it is about restoring dignity to work, narrowing inequality, and ensuring that those who carry the heaviest loads in our economy are not left behind.

“This is the first administration in Jamaica’s history to commit to such a system. The BITU applauds this step and sees it as a watershed moment in advancing fairness and justice in the world of work. We stand ready to engage constructively in the design and implementation of the phased increases and the broader framework that will give real meaning to the promise of a liveable wage,” Gayle said.