(Transcript)-Minimum Wage

Slug: GoodallStudentWage,Feb710

Reporter: Joanne Goodall

Editor: Candice Whitman

Intro:

Minimum wage is going up in New Brunswick this year. Students will have less of a struggle financially. Or will they? Joanne Goodall has the story.

VO:

Jake Hodgin isn’t out partying like many students on Saturday nights. He is getting ready to work his evening shift at the King Street Irving. Though working part time as a store clerk isn’t strenuous, Jake finds it difficult to sleep and focus on his school work.

Jake Interview Clip:

“I work a lot. And that affects school, sometimes.” How does it affect school? “Um, sometimes I will be tired and just sleep all day. Skip class.”

VO:

Added stress about money has left Jake wondering if he should continue with his university studies. The rise in minimum wage has made him change his mind. The extra cash will help in many financial situations this year.

Jake Interview Clip 2:

“It will be easier to pay rent to get groceries. Maybe put extra on the side for tuition next year.”

VO:

Jake is worried that with wages going up, the cost of living in Fredericton will also increase. Though students will receive a raise, businesses will be left scrounging for money to pay them. Nicole Kadey’s wallet hasn’t grown since this past summer. She has been trying to find a job in Fredericton to help pay rent and her bills. Her search has fallen short.

Nicole Kadey Clip:

“Um, a lot of places have said that they just aren’t really hiring because it’s not in the budget basically.  I know the economy is apparently kind of crappy right now  and minimum wage just went up to so that doesn’t help.

VO:

New Brunswick has the second lowest minimum wage in Canada at $8.25 an hour. This figure will increase to $8.50 in April. September will see another increase to $9 an hour, April 2011, wages will rise to $9.50 with the final increase in September 2011 to $10.

Standup:

With the wage increase, New Brunswick will have the highest minimum wage in Canada, alongside Nunavut. The lowest minimum wage is in British Columbia where employees receive $8.00 an hour. Canada’s current minimum wage average is just under $9 an hour. Joanne Goodall for STU Journalism.