The Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation (Habic) and the Irish Hairdressers Federation (IHF) are supporting the new SaveJobs campaign in Ireland.
Isme (Irish Small and Medium enterprise Association) and a number of other trade organisations have launched the major nationwide initiative to address rising labour costs.
The groups are also calling for greater representation for small businesses on the Labour Employer Economic Forum and the Low Pay Commission.
As part of the campaign, the organisations say they want a permanent 9% VAT rate for the food service, entertainment, experiential and grooming sectors. They are calling for wider support on reform of the national minimum wage, tax reform and industrial relations reform.
When it comes to the minimum wage, Isme said small businesses cannot afford to be benchmarked against higher wages in large firms and the public sector.
“It is ridiculous to benchmark SME pay against public sector pay in Ireland,” said Isme CEO Neil McDonnell. “Average public sector pay significantly exceeds that in the private sector – even in multinational companies.”
As part of the new campaign, the website SaveJobs.ie is now live and includes an option to ‘sign the pledge’.
Posting on social media, Habic told its followers that by joining the campaign, they can make a real impact on the future of Irish SMEs. “Help us advocate for policies that support entrepreneurship and promote economic growth. Sign up today and join the fight to reduce the cost of doing business!”
The industry body is asking members to sign the pledge on the website, and contact their local minister, TD, senator or councillor to let them know the issues that affect their business.
The IHF has also urged its members to sign the pledge. “Together, we aim to reduce the cost of doing business, create more jobs, and help small businesses thrive by advocating for supportive policies and relieving burdens imposed by Government policies,” it said.