It is unacceptable that the minimum wage was calculated once in 1972 on assumptions that were valid then and has never been revised since, AD chairman Arnold Cassola said during a meeting with activists from the Kampanja Paga Minima Diċenti.

"Caritas’s work on the issue is commendable. Their study shows how it is impossible to make ends meet on the minimum wage. AD stresses that the minimum wage should be revised periodically. A strong economy at the expense of workers working for poverty wages is not acceptable for us," he said.

AD secretary general Ralph Cassar added that it was not true that an increase in the minimum wage meant that workers would lose their jobs.

"Work that does not pay enough for a decent quality of life means dependence on charity or welfare and is certainly not beneficial for the economy.

"Even from a purely economic point of view, an increase in the minimum wage means more cash in hand for workers with lower wages, who will spend more on essential commodities and services. In a nutshell, an increase in the minimum wage will serve as an economic stimulus," he said.