London, April 1 (IANS) The new minimum wage came into force in Britain on Friday, ensuring 7.20 pounds sterling ($10.32) an hour to workers aged over 25 years.
This new minimum wage, which aims to compensate for cuts in some benefits, is an increase of 50 pence (about 72 US cents) over the current rate, Efe news agency reported.
The Conservative government of Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to increase the minimum wage to 9 pounds ($12.9) per hour by 2020, which is expected to positively affect about nine million workers, mainly from outside London.
The general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Frances O'Grady, welcomed the new figure because "Britain desperately needs a pay rise" but she stressed that it was "not fair" that it does not apply to workers under 25 years of age.
