Dismay as low waged workers are left in a limbo

Published: Thursday, July 07, 2011

Yesterday's decision by the High Court that the JLC (Joint Labour Committee) system for setting wages is unconstitutional has been widely condemned.

Among the 200,000 effected by this ruling, the implications for women in Ireland will be serious.

"Failure to protect the JLC system hits women and poor families the hardest", said Orla O'Connor, Head of Policy at the National Women's Council of Ireland. "The majority of low waged workers are women struggling to help their families survive. Unless we see decisive action to protect their incomes and conditions of work government sentiments about valuing all workers equally will amount to nothing more than empty rhetoric."

Click here to read the full press release from the Coalition to Protect the Lowest Paid.

Today, the Government is considering emergency legislation to protect those most vulnerable.

Enterprise Minister, Richard Bruton is considering the options but has not yet committed to anything concrete.

Click here to read an article from the Journal.ie.