Government proposal to cut wage rates for retail, hotel and catering workers a disgrace

Published: Sunday, January 24, 2010

"Attacking low paid workers is yet another example of Government's broken promises to protect the most vulnerable in the recession", stated NWCI Head of Policy, Orla O'Connor.

The NWCI to-day expressed its anger at the proposal by Government to introduce legislation to cut the pay of workers in the retail, hotel and catering sectors. "This cut to wages will particularly affect women as approximately 60% of all those employed in the hotel and catering sector are women" added Ms O'Connor.

"It will disproportionately affect migrant workers who make up approximately 36% of hotel and catering workers in this country, double the number of migrant workers in any other service sector. The introduction of specific minimum wage rates for these sectors was recognition of their low paid status and the vulnerability of workers in these sectors to exploitation. The rates also contributed significantly to reducing the pay gap between women and men in Irish society", she said.

The NWCI today urged Government not to move forward with this anti - women, anti- migrant proposal.