The US Department of Labor's impact study on the recent minimum wage hikes in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas is well under way with a draft report expected in November.
American Samoa Congressman, Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, met a senior American government economist, who indicated that data had already been collected from the tuna canneries, the territorial government and the Interior Department.
Faleomavaega says the Labour Departments findings will be critical in determining whether American Samoa and the CNMI will be able to end so-called escalator clauses which require that minimum wages be increased annually by 50 cents an hour.
The next rise is set for May 2008.
