Congress General Secretary David Begg has warned that the systematic dismantling of workplace rights is one of 'the most serious problem faced by the trade union movement in Ireland today."
Speaking in a debate on collective bargaining and trade union rights at the Congress Biennial Delegate Conference in Belfast, Mr Begg said that workplace rights which enhanced protection and people's right to representation, had been systematically dismantled in recent years.
'the picture is of a tapestry of rights and protections built up over many years being dismantled and stripped away."
He said this was happening in the context of pressure to devalue and drive down wages in a "false belief" that lower standards would somehow spark a recovery.
Mr Begg expressed confidence that the current government would deliver on the commitment contained in the Programme for Government on legislating for collective bargaining.
"Ultimately, it is a matter of political choice," Mr Begg said.
Separately, Congress Legal Affairs Officer Esther Lynch has welcomed the expected publication of proposed new legislation to protect whistleblowers.
Ms Lynch said the legislation was long overdue and resulted from a commitment made to Congress by government.
However, she warned that it would have to "include real protections to prevent reprisals and ensure workers are not dismissed or threatened with dismissal simply for exposing wrongdoing in the workplace.
"For example, the protections have to be in "real time" as opposed to a worker being dismissed and compensated a number of years later. Retrospective vindication is of little use to someone who has been penalised and lost their job." Ms Lynch said.
'to be effective the legislation must allow for protective orders to prevent dismissals in cases of whistleblowing.
"It must also ensure that the evidential bar is not set too high, which would make the proposed legislation unworkable and stop people with knowledge of wrongdoing in high places - such as our financial institutions - from coming forward." Ms Lynch said.
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