Union calls for wage increases for lower paid

ONE of the country’s leading trade unions has called for substantial flat rate pay increases for low-pay workers as new research shows 30% of retail workers are earning less than €10 per hour.

Mandate, which represents 44,000 workers in the wholesale, bar and retail trade, warned the Government that it would resist any calls for wage restraint for low paid workers as part of the ongoing national pay talks among the social partners.

The union’s general secretary, John Douglas said yesterday that Mandate would oppose any new national wage agreement which would further disadvantage the position of lower income families.