Nearly 200,000 key workers in Wales are paid less than 拢10 an hour, according to new research by聽 Wales聽TUC.
It shows that:
- Nearly 4 in 10 key workers in Wales 鈥 an estimated 187,000 people 鈥 are paid less than 拢10 an hour.
- Women are much more likely than men to be key workers and, when they are, are much more likely to be on low pay.
- In social care, almost 6 in 10 care workers earn less than the Real Living Wage.
TUC Wales said that many key workers are also trapped in insecure work, without guaranteed hours and often missing out on basic rights like sick pay. For example, almost one in 10 retail workers are employed on zero-hour contracts, which mean their hours of work and pay packets can vary significantly.
In recognition of the contribution of key workers during this period, the聽TUC聽is calling on the 海角视频 Government to:
- Increase the minimum wage to 拢10 an hour for everyone now.
- Deliver fair pay rises for our key workers and rewards for workers across the economy that restore what they've lost聽through ten years of cuts and slow growth.
- Ban zero-hours contracts and stamp out false self-employment.
- Increase sick pay to the real living wage and make sure everyone can get it from day one.
- Bring outsourced workers back into the public sector on public sector terms and conditions.
Wales聽TUC聽general secretary Shavanah Taj聽said: 鈥淓veryone who鈥檚 kept Wales going through this pandemic deserves a pay rise.
鈥淔rontline workers are putting their own health on the line to look after the rest of us. They鈥檙e caring for the sick and vulnerable, getting us to work, keeping our shelves stocked and our vital services running.
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 time to give key workers a proper thank you. And that means getting money into their pockets now.
鈥淎ll key workers must get the pay, conditions and respect they deserve. That鈥檚 how to really thank the people who got us through this crisis.鈥
Trade unionists are marking May Day 鈥 also known as International Workers鈥 Day 鈥 with an online #ThankAWorker / #GweithwyrGwych action, expressing gratitude to key workers who have made a difference to them during lockdown.
