12/08/2015

Living Wage Forum To Explore Introduction To Ireland

Irish companies have been invited to attend a Living Wage Forum being held in September, to explore the introduction of a Living Wage Campaign to Ireland.

Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash, is calling on companies to register their interest in attending the forum on 30 September in Dublin Castle.

A Living Wage is an independently assessed and agreed measure of the income necessary to meet basic needs like housing, food, utilities, clothing, transport, health care and minimal recreation.

A Living Wage Technical Group has calculated that the hourly Living Wage rate in Ireland should be €11.50 per hour.

Minister Nash said: "Progressive employers and workers have approached me asking how to become involved in supporting or exploring the concept of a Living Wage here in Ireland.

"As a result, I have decided to host a Living Wage Forum on the 30 of September, to bring together interested people with a view to examining the positive impacts for employers, employees and society from the introduction of a Living Wage Campaign here."

Representatives from Living Wage Campaigns in London and Scotland will give an insight into how the campaigns were successfully introduced at the Forum, while large businesses from the UK will explain why they became Living Wage employers and the impact this has had on their business.

Employers, trade unions, workers, civil society groups and other interested parties are being invited to register their interest in attending the Forum by emailing livingwage@djei.ie.

(MH)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

13 August 2015
SIPTU Announce Support For Forum On The Living Wage
SIPTU has announced its support for the Forum on the Living Wage, announced by Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash. Minister Nash announced the forum earlier this week, inviting businesses across Ireland to discuss how the Living Wage could be introduced to Ireland.
03 July 2019
Housing Crisis Results In Increase Of Living Wage Rate
Ireland's Living Wage rate is to increase by 40c to €12.30p/h, the Living Wage Technical Group (LWTG) has announced. The LWTG said that the current housing crisis, and associated increases in rent levels, continues to be the main driver of the wage rate increasing.
10 December 2015
SSE Becomes Living Wage Employer
SSE has announced it is to become a Living Wage employer. From 1 January, 2016, all of the firm's employees will be guaranteed a Living Wage of at least €11.50 an hour. Almost 750 staff across SSE's businesses in Ireland – including SSE Airtricity – will receive at least the Living Wage rate.
20 December 2019
Workers Deserve Living Wage - SF
A small increase in the minimum due to be introduced in February has been been described as "not enough" by Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Jobs, Workers' Rights and Pay Equality, Maurice Quinlivan.
13 January 2016
Sinn Féin Calls On Govt To Become 'Living Wage Employer'
Sinn Féin has called on the government to become a "living wage employer", while raising concerns over state contracts being awarded to companies that don't support the initiative.