Workers ‘would take pay freeze’ in return for halt in price hikes

ALMOST three out of four Irish workers would accept a pay freeze if the Government took action to halt price increases on all goods and services.

The results of a survey conducted by Berkley Recruitment of 2,500 Irish workers showed that workers would be willing to take a pay freeze which would ease inflationary pressures.

“The results show that Irish professionals are prepared to show restraint in order to keep the multinational employers in Ireland, while also giving the small and medium enterprise market some breathing space.

“This is an excellent, positive finding for any new employers looking at Ireland, where our workforce are extremely conscious of our need to be competitive, and if extreme measures are needed then the workforce will absorb it in order to preserve their careers,” said director of Berkley Recruitment, Fergal Brosnan.

The survey also showed that three out of four people felt there were enough opportunities in the Irish jobs market, while one in 10 was worried about job security.

Half of respondents said they favoured career progression over money and job location, while three quarters said they would go back to education full-time in order to progress their careers.

Mr Brosnan said he was very surprised with the results of the survey, adding that in order to stay competitive the Government needs to do something soon.

“The results of the survey were very encouraging and they highlight that people are becoming less selfish and greedy in their attitude to jobs,” he said.

“It shows the maturity of Irish workers who are prepared to show realistic restraint with a long-term goal of keeping the economy competitive,” he added.

The purpose of the survey, according to Berkley was to ascertain the current market sentiment on the job market and the economy.