Youth Connect had the pleasure of visiting Transition Year students in Kylemore College, Ballyfermot, Co. Dublin. The talk was of great relevance to this group as they had completed 2 sets of work experience during the year. I was very impressed at the range of experience gained by the students, including retail, office and factory work – a great credit to both them and their teachers!
Today’s talk included a discussion on the rights of young workers. We learned that, even during a recession, young workers have a basic set of rights which they are entitled to, including the right to….
• Join a trade union
• Earn a minimum wage (€6.06 for under 18 year olds!)
• A Contract
• A Payslip (as proof of legal employment)
• Dignity & respect and not to be discriminated against!
• A Safe working environment
• Rest periods, holidays, max hours. Rest periods for workers aged under 16 are 30 minutes every 4 hours and for 16 & 17 are 30 minutes every 4.5 hours.
Remember, the worker rights listed above are a MINIMUM STANDARD for all young workers. YOU TOO should be receiving a contract and a payslip for paid work and be earning a minimum wage of €6.06 per hour. You can of course receive more and, ideally you will be!
The talk also included a discussion on Trade Unions. Simple put, a Trade Union is a collection of workers from a particular profession (e.g., teachers, nurses, construction workers) who have come together as a group or union to ensure their worker rights are upheld. Examples of Trade Unions include Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU); the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU). If you are interested in finding out more information about Trade Unions and how to join, why not click here!
I would like to thank all those involved in today’s talk in Kylemore College. Please remember to check out our excellent new student ID and discount card – The iConnect Card. Currently, there is a fantastic offer to get a FREE SAMSUNG COCONUT along with €120 EURO OF FREE CALL CREDIT if you sign up to the iConnect card before May 31st 2012. Sound Good!? Why not click here to find out more about the iConnect Card and here to apply!
We hope to see you all again soon!
Have a great summer!
David.