Irish get minimum wage before brits

By Helen Conway

A minimum wage for catering workers in Dublin could be in force by Christmas, while reports this week indicated that a British minimum will not be implemented until spring 1999 at the earliest.

Negotiations between the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) and the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) to set a minimum wage level were due to end this week. Any agreement reached will go forward for ratification by the Irish Labour Court.

In the UK, the Low Pay Commission is to embark on a series of visits to canvass workplace opinion around the country.

RAI chief executive Henry O'Neill said his organisation was not against a minimum wage in principle, but added it was scarcely required in Dublin where there is a serious staff shortage.

"We cannot get enough people to work in the industry at the moment, no matter what we pay them. Market forces are determining wages at the moment," said O'Neill.

"I can't speak for all restaurants, but members of our association are paying an average weekly wage of £250 gross."

O'Neill said the average wage for catering workers outside Dublin, where there is already a minimum wage agreement in force, was about £200 a week.