by HRHQ Editorial Team
A new national survey suggests a deep frustration is taking hold among Irish workers, with many feeling undervalued and sidelined in decisions that shape their working lives. The research, commissioned by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) and carried out by Ireland Thinks, paints a picture of a workforce that believes its contribution is not being matched by fair pay or meaningful influence.
More than half of the 1,850 respondents said their wages do not reflect the effort or expertise they bring to their roles. Women and younger workers were the most likely to feel short-changed, highlighting persistent inequalities across age and gender. A similar pattern emerges when workers are asked about their voice in the workplace: four in ten say they have little or no say in decisions affecting their conditions, with women again reporting the highest levels of exclusion.
The findings accompany a new policy paper from the Nevin Economic Research Institute (Neri), Quality Employment and Good Jobs, which argues that improving job quality is not only socially necessary but economically beneficial. Neri points to rising insecurity in sectors such as retail and manufacturing, and ongoing low pay in care roles, as evidence that the labour market is failing too many people.
Ictu says the Government should respond with stronger rights to collective bargaining, better sick pay, improved work–life balance supports, and a minimum wage aligned with the living wage, currently estimated at €15.40 an hour. General secretary Owen Reidy argues that workers “know they are being short-changed” and warns that Ireland risks falling behind European standards unless job quality becomes a political priority.
