Lidl announces €11.50 hourly ‘living wage’

Lidl Ireland has become the first large employer to announce a “living wage” of €11.50 per hour for all its employees here. And it will pay a rate of £8.20 per hour for employees in Northern Ireland following a campaign by Unite, the union of retail workers.

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton and Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash attended a branch of Lidl in Terenure for managing director John Paul Scally’s announcement in support of the living wage.

Last September Lidl pledged to pay the UK living wage of £8.20 per hour to workers in England, Scotland and Wales but not to workers in Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland was also excluded from the company’s pledge.