Paul Murphy criticised the failure to match wages with rising inflation and highlighted teachers' unions calling for substantial pay increases. He pressed the Taoiseach on whether the government will make a meaningful pay offer, raise the minimum wage to 15 euros an hour, and back private sector workers taking action.
Teachers unions and TUI motion
The speaker said teachers' unions held conferences over Easter and consistently called for substantial pay increases to compensate for the rising cost of living. He noted the TUI conference passed a motion that if a meaningful pay offer is not made by the end of the school or academic year, the TUI should initiate a ballast for a campaign of strike action.
Questions to the Taoiseach on pay and the minimum wage
Paul Murphy asked directly whether the government will make a meaningful pay offer to public sector workers, whether it will increase the minimum wage to 15 euros an hour to help private sector workers, and whether it will support private sector workers who take action to prevent a real reduction in their wages.
Social dialogue and proposed talks
The speaker referenced ongoing social dialogue, saying there was agreement to explore a broad range of issues around inflation and cost of living and to enter into expiratory talks aimed at an inclusive strategic response in the public interest. He said pay is an issue within that agreed dialogue with LEAF.
Government procedures and pay figures cited
A reply in the transcript noted past average pay increases of about 4.7 percent in 2021 and 5.2 percent in 2020, and that the minister for public expenditure has invited congress or the public service union for talks regarding the existing agreement. The minimum wage was described as subject to an established independent process and procedure to advise government on general increases.
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Thanks. The teachers unions had their conferences over Easter and one message was very clear right across the conferences was the need for substantial pay increases to compensate for the rising cost of living the TUI conference went so far as to pass a motion which said that unless a meaningful pay offer is made by the end of the school or academic year which provides for increases that keep pace with the level of inflation will then that the TUI should initiate a ballast for a campaign of strike action they're absolutely right if they don't get a pay increase that's higher on the rate of inflation in reality they're going to experience a pay cut and that goes not just for teachers not just for all public sector workers but all workers right across the board so the question the Taoiseach is will the government be making a meaningful pay offer to public sector workers will they increase the minimum wage to 15 euros an hour to accommodate private sector workers and will they support other private sector workers who take action to ensure that they don't experience a reduction a real reduction in their wages In terms of deputy Murphy in terms of the teacher unions I did say earlier that and deputy Batchik raised this as well in terms of the social dialogue that we're having with LEAF we did agree that we would explore the broad range of issues around inflation cost of living um and that we would enter into expiratory talks um and that we would enter into expiratory talks with a view to having an inclusive strategic response to these issues that would be in the best interest of society as a whole obviously pay is an issue in that respect in 2021 the average increase in pay was about 4.7 percent in 2020 the average increase in pay was 5.2 percent the minister for public expenditure has invited congress for talks or the public service union for talks in respect to the public service um in respect of the existing um agreement um and um and that is that that will commence um and uh your your points deputy Batchik then about uh low wage economy or sorry but the minimum wage minimum wage there is a process and a procedure for that uh i think we're best placed to stick with that um but again we will you know hear what people have to say in respect of presentations on that but there are established independent mechanisms that are there to advise government and advise on general increases in the general increases in the minimum wage i think i've covered all that please you
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