TRADE union officials and political activists have been asked to lead a campaign for Limerick to become Ireland’s first Living Wage City.
The call came from Limerick Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan who said that every employee should be earning an hourly rate of pay at least equivalent to the current Living Wage of €13.85 per hour.
“We are in the middle of the worst cost of living crisis for 40 years. Working families are struggling like never before to makes ends meet, especially those who have to rent accommodation,” he explained.
“I want to see Limerick City and County Council work with other local institutions such as University of Limerick and University Hospital Limerick to ensure that any work undertaken either directly or by contract requires employers to pay the current living wage.”
“This would be a concrete means of ensuring that the lowest paid workers in our city and county can at least afford a standard of living for the health and well-being of themselves and of their families including food, clothing, housing and medical care.
“There’s been a lot of talk about a Living Wage for several years but what has been missing is any political will at government level to make it a reality. In fact the gap between the Living Wage and the minimum wage actually grew this year.
“Another reality is that Ireland currently has one of the largest proportions of low paid workers in the EU.”
“ A core principle of any decent society is that those who work for a living should be able to earn a living. This is what a living wage is all about,” Senator Gavan added.
