The trade union SIPTU has called for the minimum wage to be increased from €9.80 to €10.20 next year.

It has suggested the increase in a submission to the Low Pay Commission, which was presented at a public hearing at the Waterford Institute of Technology on Wednesday.

SIPTU's head equality and policy, Marie Sherlock, said: "Our union believes that the NMW rising from €9.80 to €10.20 per hour in 2020 is the very minimum of an increase needed.

"We know from extensive research undertaken by the Vincentian partnership, that the hourly minimum wage based on full time hours required to deliver a minimum essential standard of living was €11.90 in 2018.

"This figure was based on a worker with no dependents and with regional variations in the cost of living averaged out."

She added that an increase in the minimum wage to €10.20 per hour was essential because of research indicating a lack of "wage progression" for low paid workers, unacceptable levels of in-work poverty and that such an increase could be paid by employers due to the improving economy.

National minimum wage rates on or after March 4th 2019 | Source: Citizens Information

The public hearing also heard testimony from SIPTU activists in the union's Waterford District Council who work in lower paid sectors of the economy.

Linda Hoolmaa, a chef, said some chefs are paid just €0.04 above the minimum wage.

She added that most catering assistants faced in-work poverty due to being paid only the minimum wage without any other key benefits.

Security operative John Cotter explained that while workers in his sector were not highly paid, they did benefit from an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) which guaranteed them a range of allowances including a sick pay scheme and a death in benefit payment.

Since January 1st 2019, the national minimum wage has been €9.80 per hour - as set out in the National Minimum Wage Order 2018.

And since March 4th, wage rates are solely based on age.

For those who believe they are not receiving the national minimum wage, they can complete an online complaint form.