SIPTU has called on the Government to ensure that all workers in low paid industries benefit from a new floor on annual salaries for holders of non-European Economic Area (EEA) employment permits, warning that the Union will not accept a situation where workers already living and working in Ireland are paid less.
SIPTU Deputy General Secretary for the Private Sector, Greg Ennis, said: “Our Union welcomes the increase in the minimum salary for non-EA employment permit holders. For meat processors, horticultural workers, healthcare assistants and home carers, this will see minimum salaries rise from €30,000 to €32,691 on 1st March. However, it is unacceptable that some workers already employed in Ireland should receive less than this minimum salary floor while carrying out the same role as permit holders.
“Such an anomaly does not make economic or social sense. It also further highlights the need for the Government to act quickly on its Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining and to implement Sectoral Employment Orders in more low-paid industries. Action is needed to provide this minimum salary floor to all workers in these sectors. It would be politically unfeasible to do otherwise.
“A situation where workers would be recruited from outside of the European Economic Area on superior contracts to existing Ireland-based workforces is not credible. Low pay across our economy is a drag on economic development and needs to be tackled in a holistic manner, not one that creates unfairness or could discriminate against workers already employed in these sectors.”
He added: “SIPTU will seek to ensure the Government resolves this situation by instituting SEOs for the sectors impacted, which are inclusive of the new wage floors, or through its Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining by providing workers with the ability to negotiate the necessary wage improvements themselves through their trade union.”