Coalition to Protect the Lowest Paid
The Coalition to Protect the Lowest Paid is made up of workers, trade unions and community organisations including SIPTU, Mandate, Communications Workers' Union, UNITE, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, Poor Cant Pay Campaign, Community Platform, the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland and the National Women's Council.
The broad-based coalition has come together to defend the pay and conditions of thousands of the lowest paid workers in Ireland such as cleaners, hotel and restaurant workers, security guards, farm labourers and shop workers. The NWCI is a member of the Coalition because the majority of workers protected by Joint Labour Commitees, Employment Regulation Orders and Registered Employment Agreements are women.
The Joint Labour Committees which establish the minimum rates and conditions of employment for workers in these low-pay sectors have come under review as a commitment made by the previous government under the joint EU-IMF Programme for Ireland. The Coalition intends to ensure that any changes to pay and conditions of the lowest paid and their families are fair, equitable and only made following a careful consideration of the facts. Low paid workers are a key driver and contributor to the Irish economy and any actions taken to reduce their incomes will have a profound impact both socially and economically.
The Government commissioned an independent review of JLCs and REAs conducted jointly by Mr Kevin Duffy, Chairman of the Labour Court, acting in an ad hoc capacity, and by Dr Frank Walsh, Lecturer, School of Economics, University College Dublin. Their review was conducted from February to April 2011 and was published by the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD, on 24 May 2011. The NWCI made a submission to the Review and have also broadly welcomed its findings which confirms that lowering the incomes of low paid workers in these sectors will not create jobs. In addition the report rejects the calls from employers to abolish the Joint Labour Committees (JLC) altogether but recommends that they be reformed. The report recognises the importance of JLCs in ensuring decent minimum terms and conditions for lower and middle-income workers, thereby helping to tackle income poverty.
To get involved in the Campaign please click here.
To read our press release concerning the Campaign, please click here.
