The Mandate trade union is calling on the Government to abolish sub-minimum wage rates for young workers.
The current national minimum wage is €12.70 per hour.
However, the minimum wage for those aged 19 is €11.43, 90% of the prevailing rate; for those aged 18 it is 80% or €10.16; and for those aged 17 and under it is 70% or €8.89 per hour.
Mandate said the mechanism creates unfair, unequal and discriminatory treatment and exploitation of young workers.
“These young workers are tasked with the same duties as their comparable employees so there is no rationale for these rates of pay,” said Greg Caffrey, Mandate Divisional Organiser.
“One can only conclude the rationale for this is to make exploitation and discrimination of young workers legal within the Irish State, which we define as an unacceptable practice which should be ended with immediate effect,” Mr Caffrey added.
The union will hold a demonstration outside Leinster House today calling for the scrapping of sub-minimum wage rates.
Last week, the Low Pay Commission recommended the abolition of all sub-minimum rates of pay for all employees.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke said his department will now commission an economic impact assessment and seek legal advice on the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations.
“A Government decision on the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations will then be made in due course,” Mr Burke said.
“In doing so we will have recourse to the SME test which is a key element of my 15-point business supports package announced last month,” he added.
