The Private Sector Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has described the Government’s failure to transpose the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive into Irish law by today’s deadline (15th November) a disgrace and unacceptable and has vowed to do whatever is required to ensure full transposition.
Owen Reidy, General Secretary of the ICTU said:
“The government voted for this directive in Brussels over two years ago but has ignored it and obfuscated in Dublin ever since. The Directive is about the state being obliged to promote collective bargaining so workers and employers can negotiate in the workplace and at sectoral level to improve living conditions. The cost of living is, and remains, a critical issue for workers and the electorate. Collective bargaining is the answer. We expect and will demand that the next government transpose this crucial Directive and the Irish trade union movement will not rest until it is fully and properly transposed.”
Neil Mc Gowan, Divisional Organiser with SIPTU and Chair of the Committee said:
“We know from academic research that there are hundreds of thousands of workers in Ireland who want to access collective bargaining - they want a voice in their workplaces. That’s what a proper transposition of the Directive would achieve. It is the norm in the rest of Europe but deemed beyond the pale for workers in Ireland. This is unacceptable. States that promote collective bargaining are better for workers, employers and the economy at large. The government and the employer unions need to face this reality. Collective bargaining is essential for a viable Irish economy going forward.”
Fionnuala Ní Bhrógáin, National Officer with the CWU and Vice-Chair of the Committee said:
“We have the spectre of the far right across Europe and other parts of the developed world getting into government and becoming more popular. There is a direct link between this and the gradual hollowing out of collective bargaining across most parts of the western world. The Directive was the response to arrest this decline. If the incoming Irish government want the ‘centre to hold’ as we hear so often then they need to promote ambitious policies for workers, remove the employers’ veto and ensure that any worker who wishes to access collective bargaining in the private sector can do so without fear of reprisal.”
Note to Editor – The Private Sector Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions represents approximately 300,000 workers in the Republic of Ireland across a range of diverse sectors including transport, energy, aviation, construction, communications, financial services, gaming, ICT related, logistics, wholesale, retail, pharma and medical devices, security, catering, contract cleaning, private health services, agri-food, drink, electronics and engineering, media, industrial production, arts, culture, sports and hospitality to name a few.
ICTU’s manifesto for the general election focuses on Ireland’s commitments and obligations to promote collective bargaining over the next five years under the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive but also other EU law to be implemented over the coming years, including the European Social Fund, the Pay Transparency Directive, the Platform Work Directive and the Strengthening Social Dialogue Recommendation, as well as under the Final Report of the LEEF high level group on collective bargaining.
