Ms Edel McGinley:

That is the nature of our work permits system. If members want to change the system, they must highlight the issue. We have been banging on for years about the practice of tying workers to employers.

We appeared recently before the joint committee to discuss the issue of banded contracts. There is a serious problem in that there are no criminal sanctions applied when employers take money out of employees' pockets. The National Minimum Wage Act provides a criminal sanction but it is very difficult to trigger. If an employer puts his hand in the pocket of a worker and robs him or her, as is happening here, the employer does not face criminal sanction. The legislation presents an opportunity to introduce criminal sanctions for those who rob workers' wages.