Workers in the contract cleaning industry are to receive a pay rise from 1 June this year, after the approval of an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the sector.

From 1 June, all workers aged 18 and over in the industry are entitled to a minimum rate of pay of €13.30 an hour – up from the previous rate of €12.70.

The order maintains all other current terms and conditions as provided for in SI 110 of 2022.

‘Commonality of purpose’

It amends the previous ERO that was signed in 2022.

Emer Higgins (Minister of State for business, employment and retail), who signed the order, said that the Contract Cleaning Joint Labour Committee (JLC) was a good example of how effective the system could be when representatives of employees and employers could agree “a commonality of purpose” in a sector.

JLCs are bodies established under the Industrial Relations Acts to provide a process for fixing statutory minimum rates of pay and conditions of employment for certain employees in particular sectors.