Apprenticeships key to unlocking housing crisis
The provision of minimum wage to all apprentices is being sought in a bill introduced by the Labour Party on Wednesday, with Labour workers’ rights Senator, Marie Sherlock putting forward the bill during Private Members’ Time in the Seanad.
Without fair pay for fair work, local councillor John Pratt said we will not be able to skill up Ireland’s indigenous construction workforce.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Tallow councillor said that the legislation is aimed at ending ‘ discrimination against apprentices’ by providing all apprentices with minimum wage.
“No working person should be paid less than minimum wage. Yet our apprentices, those learning the vital crafts and trades that help build homes and keep the roofs over our heads, are currently paid less than minimum wage.
“It’s no wonder there’s a crisis in the construction sector. Under Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, our young people are fleeing from apprenticeships, opting to enter properly paid employment,” Cllr Pratt said.
‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’
According to the councillor, last year saw a drop of more than 300 apprenticeship registrations as compared to 2021.
“From speaking with contractors in Waterford City and county, I know that they are finding it really difficult to find and retain apprentices. This is confirmed by Connect Trade Union who have said that excluding apprentices from being paid the minimum wage is forcing young workers out of the crafts.
“From talking to apprentices, many of them, who are building homes for others, have deep fears about their own living situation. Due to extortionate rents, high interest rates and a genuine inability to save money for a mortgage, many are fearful of entering homelessness themselves as they struggle to make their wages stretch to the rents they’re charged. Others in Waterford report friends and former colleagues who feel they have the right skill set, but just can’t forgo a proper wage while undertaking an apprenticeship - and why should they have to?
“It’s simply not good enough to pay apprentices sub-par rates and make them struggle until they are licensed. Paying minimum wage will also be of massive benefit to the many corporate construction companies in Ireland who constantly report their struggles to recruit. You can’t expect to recruit when paying meagre wages for meaningful work,” Cllr Pratt added.
Cllr Pratt went on to note that there is currently a generation of young people ‘ who feel totally locked out of home ownership’.
92% of 18 to 24-year-olds, he said, are concerned that they’ll never own their own home, yet, preliminary Census data shows over 166,000 properties lie vacant or derelict across the country.
“It’s outrageous. We need to encourage young people in Waterford into apprenticeships like building, but of course in other industries from horticulture to media, to address the labour shortages that are holding back the building of homes. It’s time to make apprenticeships a viable alternative to higher education and provide fair pay to apprentices.
“We have record levels of homelessness, families in Waterford are stretched beyond their means just to keep a roof over their head, young people leaving our shores once again. Investing in apprentices in Waterford could unlock a long-term solution to the labour shortages that are causing delays in delivering homes. Apprenticeships play a crucial role in Ireland’s economy. We simply can no longer continue to undervalue them. That’s why Labour is committing to pushing Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens to do something about it,” Cllr Pratt concluded.