Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 9:

In page 14, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following:“(e) the percentage of workers in the identified economic sector earning two-thirds or less of median income;

(f) the pervasiveness of part time and/or short hour contracts in the identified economic sector;”.

Much of the focus of the debate has been on the fact that many workers are not getting a decent wage. There are many people going out on a daily and weekly basis and working hard but not coming home with proper remuneration. Accordingly, they cannot pay for the normal items that families are entitled to, such as housing, food, clothing, health and education. Section 15 provides that when the Labour Court makes a recommendation to the Minister it shall have regard to several factors, such as the potential impact of levels of employment, unemployment, etc. I agree there is necessity that these factors be included when people are deciding on a process.

These provisions reflect similar factors the Low Pay Commission must also consider when making a recommendation to the Minister. There is an imbalance in the considerations which weighs heavily in favour of employers and encourages increasing levels of sharp practice in the economy. We have asked for these elements to be included so we have a society which treats people correctly and ensures people get proper wages. This simply deals with the percentage of workers in the identified economic sector earning two thirds or less of median income and the pervasiveness of part-time and-or short hour workers' contracts in the identified economic sector.

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