Mandate call on Government to Abolish the Sub-Minimum Wage Rates for Young Workers
Wednesday 19 June 2024Workers under 20 years of age are paid substantially less than the National Minimum Wage
Mandate Trade Union is campaigning to end discrimination against young workers by abolishing the Sub-Minimum Wage, which is below the National Minimum Wage.
This mechanism creates an unfair, unequal, discriminatory treatment and exploitation of young workers, according to the Union.
The Sub-Minimum Wage directly discriminates against young workers as it provides for young workers to be legally paid significantly lower rates of pay than that the National Minimum Wage of soley based upon a Young Workers age.
The current National Minimum Wage is €12.70 per hour. However, a worker who is 19 years of age can be paid €11.43 per hour; 18 years of age €10.16 per hour; and under 18 years of age €8.89 per hour.
Greg Caffrey, Mandate Divisional Organiser said:
“These young workers are tasked with the same duties as their comparable employees so there is no rationale for these rates of pay. One can only conclude the rationale for this is to make exploitation & discrimination of young workers legal within the Irish state which we define as an unacceptable practice which should be ended with immediate effect.”
He added, “Our call is in line with the recent recommendation from the Low Pay Commission (LPC). On the 11th June the LPC released a report urging the Government to abolish sub-minimum rates for young workers.”
Mandate Trade Union is calling on An Taoiseach, Simon Harris, to immediately abolish the statutory provisions facilitating the Sub-Minimum Wage rates.
Mandate is also calling for a Living Wage for all workers irrespective of age.
Mandate Trade Union along with the Mandate Youth Committee are calling on all workers & likeminded Organisations to join us outside Dail Eireann at 1pm on the 19th of June 2024 for a Public Demonstration calling for the Abolishment of Sub-Minimum Wages for The Young Workers of Ireland.
