The NERI webinar 'Low Pay and the Living Wage: Investigating the Issues' took place on Wednesday 23rd June, 2021 at 11:00. Fran Bennett, Honorary Researcher, Oxford University and member of the Policy Advisory Group & Women's Budget Group was the presenter and Dr Micheál Collins, Assistant Professor of Social Policy, UCD was the respondent.
Abstract:
Trades unions and others have conducted many campaigns in recent years on low pay and in-work poverty. This has been one impetus behind the re-emergence of the 'living wage' as a policy demand, in the UK and elsewhere. Disentangling these persistent problems, and the range of policy measures required to resolve them, is crucial to the success of such campaigns. And shifting our focus from a snapshot of household income to individual income over the life-course helps to highlight the centrality of gender to what is going on and what should be done about it. Fran Bennett will draw on her work with the Women's Budget Group, and as a researcher with a background in academia, pressure groups and the trades union movement, to discuss these topical and critical issues.
Webinar format:
Fran Bennett began the webinar by discussing Low Pay and the Living Wage. Following the initial presentation the discussant, Dr Micheál Collins, UCD commented and analysed different aspects of the presentation with the hope of opening up a more engaged discussion on the issues raised. It finished with a Q & A section being put forward through the chairperson, Dr Lisa Wilson, NERI.