A Living Wage Will Cost Jobs

The proposed program for government is calling for progress towards a living wage. The figure bandied about is around €12.50 per hour. The existence of a minimum wage is bad enough, but to add in a so called "living wage" which will be constantly added to by generous politicians seeking popularity at the expense of employers, will cause severe damage to our economy and cost jobs.

It would

- close many small employers

- drive up the cost of living

- push workers into the tax net

- ruin competitiveness

- effect efficiency of many businesses

Also the whole concept of a "living wage" is to be decided by who ? One persons living wage may be significantly higher or lower then someone elses eg a teenager working a part time job, living at home won't need as much as an older person with a family. A one size fits all approach is poorly thought out .

Large employers are already paying well above the mentioned rates, they won't be effected and it's clear government only listens to them and the Trade Unions who are driving this agenda. But thousands of SME's across the country will not be able to afford continued "generosity" by government with their hard earned money and will simply close their doors. FDI strongly oppose further hiking of minimum wage towards a so called "living wage" a living wage will simply result in more living unemployment and lost opportunities for many workers especially young people trying to start in the workplace