Calls for government to legislate for a living wage
People Before Profit Social Protection spokesperson, Paul Murphy TD, has called on the government to retain the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) payment and to make €350 the basic social welfare rate.
He said: “The government must retain the PUP at its full rate instead of moving to cut it when hundreds of thousands are still reliant on it. Instead of the government signalling arbitrary dates for the cutting of the Pandemic Unemployment Rates they should first of all look at the data of infection and presence of the virus in this country and around the world.
“Furthermore, the government now needs to make €350 the basic social welfare rate as it is clear that the current rates are not anywhere near what a person needs to survive.
The TD for Dublin South West also called on the government to legislate for a living wage.
He said: “Instead of dancing to the tune of low pay employers who want the PUP reduced in order to force people back to low pay work, all workers should be guaranteed a decent income. It would be appropriate for the government to legislate for a living wage now. Low paid workers have gone above and beyond in keeping the country going during the pandemic – retail workers, cleaners and many more low paid workers need to be paid properly for the work they do.”
