Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Dr. Curran and our other guests. As they are aware, we have been engaging for some time on this issue. We invited the union representatives back because we are currently writing, and will be publishing, our report on working conditions in the industry. We want to get as much information as we can from the witnesses.

If the Chairman is agreeable, I will ask all my questions and then get the answers from our guests. My first question is to Mr. Hynes of SIPTU. Will he talk us through what exactly is required to re-establish the JLC for hospitality workers? He said people are in place and have not budged for a decade. He also said the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act makes provision for reinstatement. Is the issue solely the veto employers have? If the issue is intransigence from employers, is the legislation not robust enough and are changes needed to remove that veto, or is the problem a weakness in terms of the unionisation of the sector?

I would like a response from the representatives of the three unions and from Dr. Curran to my next question. As it stands, workers have a right to join a union but the employer does not have to recognise that union. That amounts to lightweight legislative protection.

This does nothing to enhance a worker's rights. Someone said that workers in the sector will not talk to a union. Perhaps workers will not talk to the union because their employer does not have to recognise that union. If the legislation is that lightweight, would the witnesses be in favour of changes that would strengthen workers' rights in that legislation but putting an onus on employers to recognise unions?

The other question is for Dr. Curran. Her research shows that workers in hospitality feel that the working conditions in tourism and hospitality have grown poorer since emerging from the pandemic. Will Dr. Curran expand on that? All we hear about is the staff shortage. Whether or not in reality that is the truth, we are not sure. If it was true or a percentage of it was down to staff shortages, it would be assumed that would mean employers would offer better pay and conditions given the increase in demand for workers. In Dr. Curran's experience, is that not the case? Will she comment briefly on the effect inflation is having on workers in the industry and what other research needs to be carried out in the area? If there was funding available, what would she like to see?

Ms Dunne mentioned the lower VAT rate enjoyed by the industry. Is it her opinion that the sector should not get the 9% VAT rate given the ongoing issues relating to workers' rights and pay plus employers' refusal to engage with the JLC? Are there any other supports Ms Dunne believes should or could be removed? In her opinion, has non-compliance of employers' groups stopped the JLC in its tracks? What changes in legislation would be required to rectify that?

I would be interested to hear the stance of Unite the Union on the right to join a union while the employer is not obliged to recognise that union. I cannot believe that is actually the law of the land. Unite mentioned absence of trade union access in the sector. Would it recognise that failing as part of the reason workers in the sector do not have the confidence as it stands? The employer can simply not recognise the union regardless of what the union says. Would recognising that failing help workers? Are statistics available regarding unionisation levels within the sector? We know it is an issue. We saw that in the case of The Ivy restaurant. What can be done to address that? Sorry for all the questions. We are trying to get as much information as possible.