MANDATE criticises ‘opportunist’ and ‘cowardly’ timing of JLC announcement

Thursday 28 July 2011

MANDATE trade union has today described the Governments timing of the announcement of the new wage-setting system for low-paid staff that will allow employers to claim an inability to pay the rates agreed and scrap Sunday premium pay as opportunist and cowardly.

Mandate General Secretary John Douglas said: “The Government has failed in its obligations to protect the lowest paid workers in our society today. The timing of this announcement means we will now have to wait until the autumn for legislation to protect the lowest paid. This is scandalous and provides worrying delays for these workers and their families that some employers will seek to exploit.

“The agreement to scrap the Sunday premium pay for those covered by the Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) and the inability to pay clause will leave thousands of low-paid workers vulnerable to having their pay cut.”

He continued: “This Fine Gael/Labour Government seems more concerned with delivering for vested interest groups and business interests than they are in listening to and acting on behalf of working people and their families.

“The Governments attack on low paid workers as the Dáil breaks for the Summer holidays is a sad throwback to the despicable actions of the previous Government. These actions if nothing else prove that very little has changed in terms of who really matters to those in power.”

“This new system creates a situation where thousands of the most vulnerable workers in retail, hotels and restaurants will have their wages targeted by unscrupulous employers – that is the reality,” Mr Douglas concluded.