McAteer commends campaign for better wages | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

McAteer commends campaign for better wages

SDLP Councillor Kevin McAteer has welcomed the involvement of local Trade Unions in the campaign to provide better wages, particularly for young people.

Councillor Kevin McAteer

Speaking to Newry Times, McAteer, a youth worker himself, said, “I want to welcome the involvement of local trade unions in the campaign to provide better wages for young people.

“This highlights an incredibly important issue, not just for young people but for all workers. For far too long, the minimum wage has been used as a standard for a low wage profile across the North.

“It provides an unsustainable base for people to survive on and that’s why the SDLP supports the introduction of a living wage. Unite should be commended for their part in the campaign which wants to see the basic minimum wage for 16 and 17 year olds raised from £3.79 to at least £4.88.

“The low wages currently being offered by employers make young people particularly vulnerable to exploitation,” he insisted. “This must be addressed immediately and Unite will have my full support.

The local Councillor added, “I also intend to raise this issue at council. The SDLP has already ensured the North has the first living wage councils in Ireland. It’s important that we look after our own employees as we campaign for workers rights across the region.”

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=49005

Posted by on Feb 13 2015. Filed under Community, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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