IBEC urges restraint in minimum wage review

THE employers’ organisation, IBEC, has urged the Labour Court to take into account that some economic sectors are particularly exposed to increases in the national minimum wage during a review of the existing €7 per hour rate.

It comes as a new study shows that just 2.1% of full-time employees in the Irish labour force are paid the minimum wage one of the lowest percentages within the EU. In contrast, 14% of the workforce in France earn the minimum wage.

IBEC's director of human resources Brendan McGinty said such figures disguised the fact that some sectors were disproportionately affected by increases in the minimum rate, which has risen by 25% since its introduction in 2000.