A majority of Irish workers believe their pay does not fairly reflect the skills and effort they bring to their jobs, according to new polling published today by the Irish Congress of Trade Union.
The IrelandThinks poll of 1,850 people reveals that 52% of workers say their current pay fails to match their contribution to their job, compared to just 44% who feel fairly compensated.
The sense of unfair pay is compounded by workers' lack of influence in the workplace. A striking seven out of ten (68%) workers polled feel they do not have the same level of power as their employer when negotiating terms of employment. Just one in four workers (24%) believe they can negotiate on equal footing with their employer.
The polling reveals particularly sharp disparities across groups:
- Women are significantly more likely than men to feel shut out of workplace decisions, with less than half (48%) saying they have a meaningful say, compared to 60% of men.
- Younger workers aged 18-34 are least likely to feel they have equal negotiating power with employers (17%), compared to 37% of those aged 65+.
- Workers who identify as working class are more likely to say their pay is unfair (66% say No) compared to middle class workers (40% say No).
The findings come as the Irish Congress of Trade Unions launches its Good Jobs report, calling on the Government to raise employment standards. The report follows similar proposals from the European Commission and the Northern Ireland Executive, as well as a new Employment Rights Act recently passed into law in Britain.
Among other measures, the report calls for Government to:
- End the employer veto and ensure workers have a legal right to engage in collective bargaining through a union.
- Raise minimum employment standards, by increasing statutory sick leave, and bringing the minimum wage into line with the living wage.
- Provide better work-life balance through pay-related family leave benefits and flexible working arrangements.
Commenting on the findings, Congress General Secretary Owen Reidy said:
“Irish workers are being short-changed - and they know it. The Government has given big business tax cuts and weaker workers’ rights, while people are struggling with pay that doesn't match the work they do.
“People don’t feel they can negotiate with their employers, or that their voice is valued at work. Trade unions solve these problems. A clear right of access for trade unions along with the right to collective bargaining can raise employment standards, and support people get the pay they deserve.
“The Government shouldn’t be content with an unambitious, bare-minimum approach to jobs. Our Good Jobs Report sets out clearly what the Government and employers can do to make sure everyone has decent pay, a secure job, and a say in their work.
“These policies are the norm across much of Europe. The British Government has just passed the most significant Employment Rights legislation in decades. The Northern Ireland Executive has proposed its own Good Jobs Bill. The European Commission is proposing a Quality Jobs Act. Unfortunately, workers in Ireland are being left behind by their own government.”
'Good Jobs and Quality Employment: The first steps to a new economic model' can be read here.
