Mandate calls for retail wage increase

A union representing 40,000 retail and bar workers wants its members to be paid a minimum of €15 per hour — more than 50% higher than the national minimum wage.

In a speech to his union’s biennial conference in Wexford, Mandate general secretary John Douglas said “no retail worker in Ireland should earn less than the living wage”, which is currently set at €11.70 per hour.

He said the “union rate” should be “at least 30%” above the living wage, which equates to €15 per hour.