Welsh Labour’s Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy is today celebrating the 10th anniversary of the enactment of legislation that introduced the National Minimum Wage.

He said that the introduction of the national minimum wage is what Labour politics is all about, and that the Labour Government in Westminster, in partnership with the Welsh Labour-led Assembly Government is working hard to create a fair and just Wales in a strong and confident Britain.

This coming week marks ten years since the UK Labour Government introduced the National Minimum Wage in 1998.

When it was introduced, the Tories said the minimum wage would cost the country two million jobs. The reality is totally different. An extra three million jobs have been created since then under Labour across the UK.

Nearly one million low paid employees, two thirds of them women, have benefited from the National Minimum Wage.

Welsh Labour’s Secretary of State for Wales PAUL MURPHY said:

“Just weeks after we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the National Health Service and the modern Welfare state, two of Labour’s finest achievements, I’m delighted to be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the national minimum wage - one of this Labour Government’s finest achievements.

“Gone are the days under the Tories where some in Wales, especially women, were earning as little as 92p an hour. Under Labour, from October this year, every adult in work in Wales, man or woman, will be guaranteed at least £5.73 an hour.

“This is what Labour is all about. Ensuring fairness and social justice for all, and the battle to ensure fairness and opportunity for all is one, and will continue to be one of our top priorities.

"And as a Labour movement, we have always fought for the rights of working people in this county. I’m particularly proud of our strong links with the trade union movement, and I pay tribute to them for all the work they do to represent workers right across Wales.

“Unlike the Tory party, who opposed the introduction of a minimum wage, the Labour government in Westminster under Gordon Brown’s leadership, working in partnership with the Welsh Labour-led Assembly Government here in Wales, under Rhodri Morgan's leadership is building a society based on fairness and opportunity for all, where every single individual is given the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

“The Tories voted against the minimum wage, and argued that the minimum wage would cost the country two million jobs. But the reality is very different. Employment is at an all time high. Unemployment is continuing to fall. Long-term Youth unemployment has been slashed considerably.

“We are increasing the minimum wage year-on-year, and are bringing in better safeguards in the workplace for thousands of welsh workers, such as better maternity leave and paternity leave for dads for the first time ever.

"Labour has come down hard on those employers who don't pay their workers the minimum wage, and there are even tougher penalties for rogue employers who con staff as part of Labour’s Employment Bill, which is currently before Parliament.

“As a Labour Government, we will continue to do all that we can to ensure that the workforce of this county is treated with dignity and respect.