The American Samoa Congressman, Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, has criticised the canneries for failing to provide necessary data about their profitability.
The information was needed to determine if further increases in minimum wage would result in lay-offs or closure.
The U.S. Representative George Miller and U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy wrote to the Secretary of Labor and Faleomavaega's Office expressing their disappointment in the Department of Labour's report assessing the impact of the minimum wage increases in the territory and CNMI.
Faleomavaega said because appropriate data about the canneries profitability wasn't provided, it was decided that they cannot hold off further minimum wage increases at this time.
Faleomavaega said it's his understanding that StarKist Seafood Inc., which includes StarKist Samoa, is up forsale, which further complicates matters.
