Minister of Transport and Works Kirk Humphrey has thrown his support behind the Protection of Wages Bill, calling it “fundamental to human dignity”.

Speaking on the bill’s introduction in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, Humphrey said the legislation was about far more than technical changes to labour laws, stating that it sought to protect workers’ rights in a rapidly changing world while ensuring they are treated fairly and with dignity.

Praising labour minister Colin Jordan for what he described as his commitment to strengthening workers’ rights through legislation, Humphrey argued that labour deserved special protection because workers depended on their wages to meet their daily needs: