Call for trade union campaigns so “workers can live, not just exist”

New data from the European Trade Union Confederation has found that almost 15% of Irish workers could not afford a week’s holiday either in Ireland or abroad in 2022.

This was an almost 4 percentage point increase on the previous year’s figure and was the highest percentage point increase in the EU.

People Before Profit Councillor (Ballymun-Finglas) and Dublin North West area representative, Conor Reddy, said many workers are barely getting by.

“In 2022 more than one in every seven workers could not afford an annual week’s holiday, either in Ireland or abroad,” Cllr Reddy said.

“The situation is likely to have been even worse in 2023 as inflation further eroded real incomes and the cost of holidays increased last year.

“Much is made of low unemployment in Ireland, but this new data demonstrates again that alot of employment is low paid and precarious.

“As a young worker on low pay I know from personal experience how many workers are left with little if any income after paying rent and for the bare necessities”.

“There is immense wealth in Ireland, but extreme inequality means that while there are good times and limitless holidays for the wealthy few, many workers are barely getting by.

“We have crises in housing, health and our public services that make life difficult for workers at all levels, not just those on low pay.

“This new data illustrates again how living standards are going backwards. Trade Unions should mobilise campaigns for real pay increases so workers can live, not just exist.

“The wealth is there to do this, it needs to be returned to the workers that have created the wealth”.