Nash welcomes new ERO for security workers
Labour’s Workers’ Rights spokesperson, Senator Ged Nash, has welcomed today’s pay hike for 17,000 security officers across the country.
He said:
“This new legal minimum rate of pay in the security industry was made possible under the legislation the Labour Party introduced in government to restore the Joint Labour Committee that was struck down by the Supreme Court.
“The security sector is one that has been synonymous with low pay and poor working conditions.
“Thanks to the efforts of SIPTU and progressive employers in the sector, a new Employment Regulation Order is now in place that not only increases the basic pay of security officers to a legal minimum of €11.05 per hour but provides for a guaranteed minimum of 24 hours work per week after six months service.
“In addition, the Order will ensure that over the lifetime of the agreement security workers in Ireland will earn a basic hourly minimum in excess of the hourly living wage rate.
“Ireland is the only country in the world to have introduced progressive collective bargaining legislation of this nature over the last few years allowing low paid private sector workers to come together to bargain collectively through their trade union and win better pay and conditions.
“This is real and concrete action for people who get up early in the morning.”