Irish Congress of Trade Unions notes the decision by the Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphries to implement the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission to increase the national minimum wage by 10 cent per hour.
Congress representatives withdrew from the Low Pay Commission as they could not in conscience be a party to any recommendation that did not afford the lowest-paid workers in the country an increase at least similar to that applicable in other sectors of our economy.
The General Secretary Patricia King said "many of the workers on the minimum wage form part of the group of essential workers who have helped keep our economy going through this Covid-19 pandemic. It is therefore completely unacceptable that they and other workers who are the lowest paid in this state would not be afforded decency and fairness by receiving an equitable increase in the minimum wage".
