1. Low Paid Work in Ireland Tom Turner and Michelle O’Sullivan ICTU Seminar on Low Pay and Decent Work January 2013 michelle.osullivan@ul.ie

2. Low pay & decent work Links between low pay & precarious work –Income –Quality –Security –Control

3. Objectives 1. Provide a picture of unionisation, collective agreements & pay 2. Structure of earnings of low paid work –overtime earnings, shift allowances and bonuses

4. Data 2007 & 2008 National Employment Surveys (NES) Matched employer-employee survey Grossed up to the employed labour force

5. Unionisation & CAs Covered by CANot covered by CA Union Members84%16% Non-members27%73% Total47%53%

6. Private Sector Unionisation Covered by CANot covered by CA Union members68%32 % Non-members19 %81 % Total30 %70 %

7. Earnings distribution All employeesPrivate sector Low paid20%26% Up to median earnings 30%34% Above median earnings 50%40%

8. Male/Female FemaleMale Low pay16%15% Up to median32%27% Above median55%40%

9. Low Pay & Union Membership Membership% Low Paid All employees % Low Paid Private sector Union members8.816.9 Non-members25.828.6

10. Pensions Union Non-union (%) Health Insurance Union Non-union (%) Low paid56312213 Median76553126 Above median 88753544

11. Union Members No CA Non-members With CA Low paid27%22% Company sizeSmallerLarger Sector Industry; construction/ transport; health/education Industry; construction/ transport; finance

12. Low pay & Nationality IrishAsia/AfricaEast European EU Developed All employees 18%25%45%21% Private sector 24%31%45%25%

13. Low Pay & Nationality (private sector) IrishAsia/AfricaEast European EU Developed Union members 16%23%36%13% Non- members 27%33%47%26%

14. Number of JLC Workers

15. JLC Workers 1. Who are workers paid at JLC levels? 2. What is the structure of their earnings? –Economic crisis & High Court case –Arguments that JLC pay rates were “costing jobs” –Particular emphasis on overtime pay

16. Earnings range Median hourly earnings - €16.29 Low pay work - €10.86 or less JLC range - €8.23 to €9.68

17. Low pay earnings Low pay in Private sector % of private sector Less than €8.2310%2.5% JLC: €8.23-€9.6852%13% €9.69 – €10.8638%9.5% 100%25%

18. Who are paid at JLC levels? FemaleManual/routine work Less educatedNon-union Part-timeLow service Under 25 yearsHotels/restaurants; Wholesale/retail Non-Irish

20. Selected characteristics of workers covered by JLC rates

21. Distribution of overtime hours, earnings and shift allowance

23. Results summary Low levels of Sunday premiums, shift allowance and over-time payments Workers who work no overtime and receive no shift allowance or bonuses more likely to be covered by JLC rates Relatively high proportion of low paid workers; lower benefits Collective agreement coverage important

24. Commentary Similarities internationally regarding low paid sectors & employees But differences in shares of low paid work Influenced by: –Collective bargaining coverage –Union strategies on low pay –The MW increase formula –Models of ‘avoiding’ or ‘accepting’ low paid work (Bosch)