Irish workers paid considerably less than European counterparts

COMMENTARY by employers’ groups and conservative pundits on wage levels in the Irish economy usually boils down to allegations that wages are ‘too high’, ‘growing too fast’, ‘undermining our competitiveness’, etc.

The Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union (ATGWU) published an analysis of Irish wages to correct distortions surrounding wage levels.

Drawing on data from the Central Statistics Office, the EU Commission, the OECD, US Department of Labour and private surveys, the union’s analysis shows that Irish wages in the private sector are low by European standards and that Irish workers are paid considerably less than most of their European counterparts.