Commenting on the ESRI/Low Pay Commission report on the impact of minimum wage increases on employment, Irish Congress of Trade Unions General Secretary Owen Reidy said:
“We welcome this report from the ESRI and Low Pay Commission, which finds no evidence that recent minimum wage increases increased the likelihood of minimum wage employees losing their jobs. This is an important and timely piece of research that should inform future policy decisions on low pay.
“It is clear that the fear-mongering from employers in relation to an increase in the minimum wage is unfounded. In this context, it makes last year’s decision by the Government to kick out the timeline for moving the minimum wage to a 'living wage', equal to 60% of median income, even more unacceptable. This is not the first time such warnings have proven to be without basis, and workers should not have their pay held back on the strength of baseless claims.
“It also clear that sub-minimum wage rates of pay for younger workers have had their day. It is grossly unfair to those workers who are doing work of equal value to receive lower pay purely due to their age and to good employers who are put at a competitive disadvantage. Maintaining sub-minimum youth rates also puts the Government in breach of the EU Adequate Minimum Wage Directive.
“In the current economic uncertainty, with inflation increasing, vulnerable workers deserve certainty and security. Trade unions will reflect this in upcoming negotiations, and in forthcoming engagement with the Low Pay Commission on the appropriate minimum wage rate for 2027.”
