Mayo appeal for pay rises due to spiraling living costs

Workers need a substantial pay rise in 2022, People Before Profit Mayo spokesperson Joe Daly has stated.

According to the Consumer Price Index the cost of eating, heating, lighting and driving are set to increase by €2,000 in 2022 for an average household.

When tax is included this means workers will have to earn an extra €4,000 just to cover these increases.

Mr. Daly stated: “Despite this the government has refused to impose maximum price orders to stop these rising prices and because of this lack of action workers will need to put in pay claims to defend their living standards.

“Some economists have claimed that we shouldn’t worry because the price hikes are ‘transitory’. Yet there is no sign that inflation is declining and instead price hikes have hit a 20-year high and are expected to rise further.

“Nor should we accept the argument that a wage rise will lead to an ‘inflationary spiral’. Inflation did increase because workers were pressing for more wages, quite the opposite in fact.

"We've had 12 years of wage restraint below the rate of inflation. So instead of constantly looking for wage moderation, maybe it is time we had some ‘profit moderation’ to help curb rising prices.”

He continued: “Workers need at least a 6% increase – not just a few euros. And while working families struggle to make ends meet just look at how the elites are behaving.

"Robert Watt, the secretary-general of the Department of Health, got a €2,920 top-up in October. He is now earning a staggering €294,920 a year. This is obscene.

“We call on workers to join a union and organise themselves to demand a proper pay rise to protect their living standards.”