Catalogue description Department of Employment and predecessors: Trade Boards and Wages Councils, Minutes and Papers

Wages Councils are statutory bodies contained or established under the Wages Councils Act 1959. Prior to 1945 most Wages Councils were known as Trade Boards. One of the main functions of a Wages Council was to prepare and submit to the Secretary of State for Employment proposals for fixing the statutory minimum remuneration to be paid, either generally or for any particular work, and also the holidays to be allowed and holiday remuneration to be paid by employers to all or any of the workers in relation to whom the council operated. Such minimum remuneration, holidays and holiday remuneration, when made effective by the secretary of state, were observed by all employers of the workers concerned and were enforceable at law.