Patricia King said political parties have questions to answer about fast and furious promises they are making about future prosperity, jobs, and tax cuts. Fine Gael says they will create almost 200,000 additional new jobs by 2020 and will put more money in people's pockets.
But General Secretary of Congress Patricia King said the job promises do not stand up to scrutiny. She said 'the number of people in work today is at an all-time record high, but the economy is not working for many low paid workers. For example, 7 in 10 workers in the accommodation and food sector earn below €400 per week. Were it not for the half a billion euros spent annually on welfare top-up's the rates of in-work poverty would be considerably higher".
The General Secretary said, "decent jobs are fast becoming a relic of the past in certain trades and professions due to the practise of some employers misclassifying their workers as self- employed and they lose out on social welfare benefits and employment rights".
Patricia King said workers need to take time to reflect on grandiose political promises and the reality of life today for many and issues workers face including, housing, the hospital crisis, and the plan to raise the pension age from 66 to 67 in 2021.
