A trade union representing almost 30,000 workers in the retail, bar and administrative sectors has called for the introduction of price controls on both domestic and commercial energy supply in Budget 2023.
Mandate Trade Union, in its pre-budget submission, said these should include the reduction of prices to the cost of production for the duration of the crisis.
The union also said Budget 2023 should increase the minimum wage to €14 per hour and enable workers to access more hours at work.
It called for the removal of sub-minimum rates of the minimum wage, a reduction in public transport fares of 50 per cent and a reduction in childcare fees of 50 per cent.
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Mandate assistant general secretary Jonathan Hogan said: “Our members are being squeezed very hard right now between low wages and a high cost of living. The only viable solution is to increase incomes and reduce the cost of essential services workers rely on.
“To ensure our most vulnerable workers have an adequate income, we need the Government to increase the national minimum wage to a living wage, which we believe is €14 per hour.
“We should also enable workers to improve their own wages directly with their employer and the best way to do this is through enhanced collective bargaining rights.
“Increasing the hourly rate of pay for a worker is irrelevant if their employer cuts their hours or refuses to give that worker extra hours.”
On housing, the union called on the Government to declare an emergency and to introduce an immediate rent freeze and new rent controls.
It also called on the Government to double its investment in housing and support a major State-led housing programme for the provision of public, affordable and cost-rental homes for all.
On childcare, the union called for an investment of €350 million for a wage subsidy scheme and to ensure the subsidy is passed on to parents in the form of a 50 per cent cut in fees.
Mr Hogan said: “Two years ago our members who are essential workers were being hailed, quite rightly, as heroes for putting their health at risk during the pandemic.
“Now it appears normal service has resumed, where retail and other essential workers are expected to survive on low wages with inadequate social services and sub-standard trade union rights. This is simply not good enough.”
Separately, Dundalk Chamber of Commerce has called on the Government not to increase VAT or excise in isolation from Northern Ireland, and to introduce specific supports to families and SMEs in terms of the energy crisis.
