Sinn Fein candidate Liam Friel.
Derry Sinn Fein local government election candidate Liam Friel has called for a “living wage” for workers rather than a minimum wage
Mr Friel said it was “vital” that in 2014 workers in Derry and across the island received a “decent wage for their time and commitment.”
He added: “It is important that people are paid a decent wage for a decent day’s work and I believe introducing a living wage structure would ensure that the lowest-paid workers across all sectors would enjoy a better quality of life.”
He said it was “not unusal” for many workers in Derry to rely on benefits to make up part of their weekly income.
He added: “While it is important that we have a minimum wage, this is a very basic salary that leaves many people within the ‘working poor’ bracket and we need to move towards ensuring people get proper reward for their work.”
Mr Friel concluded: “Sinn Féin is determined that people are paid a wage that reflects their work and allows people to move out of the poverty bracket.”
