The union representing employers says criticism of the 50 cent minimum wage rise is unfair.

The adult minimum wage will rise to $14.75 from April 1.

The Employers and Manufacturers Association's Kim Campbell says criticising the minimum wage is misleading.

"If this isn't a general wage board it's the minimum wage - it's putting a floor on how low you can pay people.

"And people can pay more - there's no law that says you can't pay more and most people do."

Campbell says unionists shouldn't keep pressuring the Government to raise the minimum wage.

"It is unfortunate we do have rather a lot of healthcare workers and so on who are on the minimum wage.

"And it is a low figure that we should use government intervention as a wage setting mechanism."