Almost two thirds of Irish workers are not members of a trade union or staff association, according to a national workplace survey published today.
Only 15.9 per cent of under-25s are union members, down from 27.8 per cent when the previous survey was conducted in 2003, and less than a quarter, 24.9 per cent, of private sector works are members, compared to 30 per cent in 2003.
The ESRI survey of more than 5,000 employees and 3,000 employers shows that union membership among public sector workers remains strong at 68.7 per cent.
However, the percentage of construction (22 per cent), manufacturing (33 per cent) and retail workers (21 per cent) paying dues fell significantly.
The survey also shows that employees are more willing to work harder to keep their jobs, with 61 per cent of businesses having reduced their workforce in the previous two years.
Some 54 per cent of workers say the pressures under which they are working have increased, while 33 per cent say their level of job security has fallen.
Three fifths of workers say their responsibilities have increased in the last two years, while 52 per cent say they are now expected to make more decisions than in the past.
One fifth of workers had experienced a fall in their hourly earnings in the previous two years, with public sector staff (37 per cent) more frequently reporting a reduction than those in the private sector (21 per cent).
The survey was conducted following the imposition of a pension levy on public sector workers but before a pay cut introduced in the budget came into effect.
The ESRI said: “Our workers are more committed than ever; they are more willing to accept change and to take on more responsibility; they are registering higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment and are more involved in decision-making.”
According to the survey, the average worker earned €707 a week between March and June of last year.
Men earned an average of €808 per week - about one third more than women.
Workers in the private sector earned an average of €678 weekly, compared to €792 for those in the public sector and €809 for those in commercial semi-state organisations.
