Thousands of State workers paid less than the living wage
THOUSANDS of State employees are being paid below the ‘threshold of decency’, a report has revealed.
Amidst fractious negotiations between the State and public sector unions, new figures show more than 2,000 State employees earn less than what is termed a ‘living wage’.
The employees on low salaries are spread across State agencies from museums to the Revenue and even the accountancy watchdog, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CPAG).
Responding to questions from Independent TD Carol Nolan, it was revealed that the number of HSE staff employed who are paid below the living wage threshold of €12.30 per hour is 896.
When it came to the 2,311 low-paid workers within Government departments, Agriculture (305) emerged as the highest employer paying less than €12.30 per hour.
But there could be thousands more as several departments did not answer when it came to State agencies nominally under Government control. Ireland’s notoriously poorly-paid soldiers were also not included.
Outside of Government departments, the low-paid workers include employees of such institutions as the Central Bank (41), the National Museum (14), the Chester Beatty Library (2), Enterprise Ireland (10), IDA Ireland (7), and the Revenue (814). The CPAG also did not pay 16 employees the living wage.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar responded, noting that: ‘Currently there is no official living wage in Ireland. The Living Wage Technical Group... calculates a living wage by estimating the cost of a basic basket of goods, services and expenses required to maintain a “minimum essential living standard”.’
He added: ‘Last year, I asked the Low Pay Commission to examine and make recommendations on the best approach to achieving the Programme for Government commitment to progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government.’
The Low Pay Commission has recently submitted its report on the living wage which Mr Varadkar is currently reviewing.
The Tánaiste pledged: ‘I will also consider the next steps required in the progression to a living wage, such as the publication of the Commission’s report and the accompanying research report, and consultation on the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations.’
He also noted that based on the Civil Service 37-hour standard net working week, an hourly wage of €12.30 essentially equates to an annual salary of €23,747.
Other Government departments with low paid workers were: Defence with 52; Transport with 52; Environment with 51, and Arts and Culture with 40. The numbers were minimal in departments such as Housing (6), Education (1), Public Expenditure and Reform (1), and Mr Varadkar’s own Department of Enterprise (3). The departments of Justice and Children’s Affairs were unable to provide figures in the time allocated.
Responding, Ms Nolan said: ‘The unwillingness of the State to pay a living wage to its own workers sends a very bad and dispiriting message to staff... Though it isn’t a legal requirement it should be a moral one that the State pay its own workers enough to live on. Apart from anything else, it would send a very important message to the private sector that there should be a threshold of decency.’
A spokesperson for Forsa, the representative trade union for lower-paid workers, said: ‘Public service unions have sought to recommence talks on a public service pay deal, because in the last round of talks the Government failed to make a credible offer.’
They added: ‘Forsa fully supports the Irish Congress of Trade Union’s position that the new living wage rate recommended by the Low Pay Commission should be applied to all workers, including young workers who do the same jobs, pay the same taxes, and have similar food and rent costs.’
Paying less than €12.30 an hour ‘Sends a bad message’