Employers do not want to pay the full minimum wage to inexperienced teenagers are already “effectively having to pay to babysit someone”, a CEO has claimed. 

Currently, the national minimum wage is set at €12.70 per hour but employers can pay people under the age of 20 less. 

A nineteen-year-old can be paid €11.43 an hour, an 18-year-old €10.16 an hour, a 17-year-old or under it is €8.89 per hour. 

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has long called for sub-minimum wage rates for young people to be abolished but Isme CEO Neil McDonnell said anyone unhappy with their wage should negotiate a higher one with their employer. 

“If you want to get paid the minimum wage or higher, go out and negotiate that rate of pay,” he told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“And fair play to you, show your experience, show what you’ve done and get a higher rate of pay. 

“I’m well aware of 17-year-olds who are getting paid significantly in excess of the minimum wage because they’re able to demonstrate they have the skills.” 

Mr McDonnell described it as a “vendors’ market” with the economy at full employment and said anyone “worth their salt” would not be paid the minimum wage for long. 

He also said the reason sub-minimum wage rates exist is to encourage employers to hire young people who lack the experience and skills of older workers. 

“There’s a lot of us going into the retail forum today, I’m going in with a lot of retailers who are saying, ‘If I’m forced to pay the minimum wage to 16, 17, 18-year-olds who are totally inexperienced and I’m effectively having to pay to babysit someone, I just won’t do it,’” he said.

Confidence

Youth activist Adam Ó Ceallaigh described Mr McDonnell’s reference to babysitting as a “horrible statement” to make and said most young people would lack the confidence to negotiate a higher wage. 

“I do have the lived experience of working on subminimum wage when I was 18 a couple of years ago and it was with those large retailers,” he said. 

“Unfortunately, I think we’re in a situation where a 16, 17, 18-year-old might not have the confidence to negotiate that.” 

Mr Ó Ceallaigh said it is “mind boggling” that there is not parity of pay and described it as “such a basic ask”. 

“18-year-old Adam could have the exact same experience with regards to the cost of living crisis,” he said. 

“They could be completely moved out of home, completely living independent of any support from their family and currently being paid €10.16 while full minimum wages earners could be at €12.70.”

Anyone not paid the minimum wage can request investigation by an inspector from the Workplace Relations Commission.

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Main image: Teenagers working in France. Picture by: Alamy.com