Conference on good jobs hears Government’s abandonment of living wage ‘shameful’
The Government’s abandonment of its commitment to adopting the living wage as the minimum that can be paid to adult workers has been described as “shameful” at an event organised to highlight the importance of “quality jobs”. Minister for State with responsibility for Employment Alan Dillon told the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) event in Dublin that the challenge “was no longer simply how many jobs we create”. It was whether they were “good jobs that pay fairly and provide workers with opportunities to learn, develop and progress ... jobs that give people confidence about the future”, he said. Dillon said several measures had been introduced to make work “more inclusive and sustainable” and that “we’re also very much committed to improving wages”. He noted a recently announced 5 per cent increase to the National Minimum Wage, which is to rise to €14.94 per hour in January. The related…