A survey of approximately 1,000 workers from 200 companies by Mandate Trade Union has claimed that workers in unionised employments in the retail sector earn 30% more than workers in the non-union sector.
The survey also claims that union workers in the retail sector tend to have more secure hours and better contracts of employment.
According to the study, retail workers in unionised employments earn an average of €13.03 per hour, compared to €10.04 for non-union workers. It says that only 14% of non-union workers have pay scales with service increments, compared to 100% of unionised workers.
The average minimum hour contract for retail workers in unionised employments is 24, compared to 16 hours in non-union employments, the union claims. Notably, it says that one in six workers in the non-union sector say they work under zero hour contracts, whereas there is no evidence of zero hour contracts in the unionised retail sector.
Speaking at the Mandate Trade Union Biennial Delegate Conference in Galway, General Secretary of Mandate John Douglas said; “The retail sector is one of the most precarious industries in Ireland, with a high prevalence of low-pay and insecure work. However, the results of this survey show that if you are in a union, you do better in almost all categories of employment.
“Union workers earn more, they have more secure hours, have better pensions and most importantly, they have a voice at work,” he added.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan