The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has described new draft legislation on collective bargaining as "progressive" and said it had the capacity to 'significantly improve the rights of workers seeking to negotiate collectively with employers, through their unions."
Responding to the publication of the bill, Congress General Secretary Patricia King said: 'this is progressive legislation that is capable of addressing most of the deficits exposed by the 2007 Supreme Court ruling and bringing union rights in Ireland into line with international norms.*
"It provides an avenue for workers, through their trade unions, to secure improvements in pay and conditions, when an employer refuses to engage in collective bargaining," Ms King said.
'the legislation contains some significant advances, in terms of the establishment of collective bargaining rights and the exercise of those rights.
"It allows for the Labour Court to make a determination in a dispute, which can then be enforced by way of a Circuit Court order."
"Critically, it also contains measures to prevent workers from being victimised through dismissal, specifically the right to seek injunctive relief prior to any attempted dismissal taking place," Ms King explained.
She said the inclusion in the legislation of measures to provide for the establishment of Registered Employment Agreements was "very helpful", but said Congress would be seeking amendments in relation to the non-compliance provisions it contained.
*A 2007 ruling from the Supreme Court - in a case involving Ryanair and Impact - rendered existing legislation on collective bargaining inoperable, in the view and experience of trade unions.
