After 5 year in power, Labour promises Living Wage – 'next time'

THE ELECTION PROMISE by Tánaiste Joan Burton's Labour Party to inroduce a Living Wage despite having been in Government for five years has been described by an angry Sinn Féin Senator David Cullinane as “crass electioneering” and a disgrace.

The Tánaiste (pictured) had called two years ago – in pre-publicity for the Labour Party conference – for a Living Wage to be “considered”. Now, with an election looming in the coming months, she has promised to do something about it if Labour is re-elected with Fine Gael.

Waterford Sinn Féin Senator David Cullinane, the party's sppokesperson on Workers' Rights, slammed the Labour pre-election pledge after all this time in power as “fake concern” fooling no one.

He said that Sinn Féin agrees that, as the largest employer in the state, the Government should lead by example.

“However, for Joan Burton and the Labour Party to use low-paid workers as part of a slick campaign to get back into power is shameful.

“If they were really serious about tackling low pay, they had numerous opportunities during their almost five years in Government to do so.

“Instead, they set up the Low Pay Commission that recently gave a miserly 50 cent increase to workers on the minimum wage of €8.45 an hour.

“Not only did they introduce five Budgets that did nothing to address the issue of low pay and in-work poverty, they stood over draconian cuts to public services and social welfare payments.”

He added that Labour is a party that refused to introduce legislation during the Dunnes Stores dispute that would have protected vulnerable workers from ruthless employers. It is the party that will not and cannot, deliver collective bargaining making trade union recognition mandatory.

“All Joan Burton’s Labour Party delivered for working people was austerity, homelessness, and a public health system that is in crisis,” David Cullinane said.

“It says a lot about Ms Burton and the Labour Party that they think it’s acceptable to use low-paid workers to get back into power.

“Labour’s days are numbered and their fake concern for workers’ pay and conditions is fooling no one.”