Labour Youth Wants to End Pay Discrimination
Labour Youth is launching a new campaign to end pay discrimination.The aim of this campaign is to end the sub-minima rates of minimum wage for young people, which sees young people paid a lower rate of minimum wage solely on the basis of their age. It also wishes to tackle the entry level pay for public sector workers.
National Chairperson, Grace Williams commented, “It is imperative that the issues of fair work and decent pay is kept at the top of the agenda. Currently, under National Minimum Wage legislation, workers under the age of 18 are only entitled to 70% of the minimum wage, with workers over 18 only being entitled to 80% and 90% of the minimum wage in their first and second years of employment. These rates of pay are based solely on age.
“We also want to reverse the cut to public sector pay introduced in 2009 which saw a 10% cut in wages for new entrants. We must end these discriminatory pay rates for our nurses, Gardaí and teachers.
“In the last government, Minister Ged Nash tasked the Low Pay Commission with reviewing the youth minimum wage rates. We must ensure that the work of Labour in the last government in improving workers’ rights is continued, allowing workers of all ages to be paid equal wages.
“Labour Youth will be fighting to keep this issue as a priority and not let it be forgotten by those who would rather not address it.”