Difficult Times For Firms on Both Sides of the Border

A North/South survey carried out by Millward Brown has revealed that more than one in four businesses are planning to further cut their wage bills in 2010. The firms are planning to use either pay freezes, pay buts or reduced working hours to achieve this.

1,000 private sector firms took part in the survey, 500 from the Northern and 500 from the South as part of an ongoing monitoring exercise of business by InterTradeIreland.

The survey also revealed that people in the South were generally more pessimistic  about jobs and wages than their colleagues in the North. Around twice the number of firms in the South were predicting wage cuts or reduced working hours for their staff, when compared with their Northern counterparts.

Employees who are concerned about pay cuts, freezes or a reduction in their working hours and who would like further information about their employers rights and responsibilities should make an appointment at their local Citizens Advice  Bureau or Citizens Information Centre. Your local office can be found by visiting www.borderwise.ie/en/WOALP/Web-of-Advice/Ireland-Map/  and clicking on your area.

Answers to some frequently asked questions can also be found on our website at  www.borderwise.ie/en/Advice-and-Information/FAQ/.