Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

As has been stated, this section is one about which trade unionists are most concerned. The general secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers, IFUT, stated this is the first time a lecturer represented by IFUT and a lecturer represented by SIPTU could be on two different terms. There is huge concern about this.

The other issue of huge concern is with regard to the right to free collective bargaining which is supposed to be at the heart of the Labour Party and part of the programme for Government. One cannot have free collective bargaining when one has a gun to one's head; it does not happen this way. William Martin Murphy and the forerunners to IBEC put a gun to workers' heads to sign something. This is exactly what is happening. If one does not sign this, the legislation will be in place and it will be done anyway. It is shameful for any member of the Labour Party to stand over this, particularly when card-carrying members say this.

Serious incidents have occurred in our area where people have been threatened that if they do not hand over money to certain people their houses will be burned down. The Minister is doing the same thing and it is absolutely out of order. There will be resistance to it. Giving Ministers powers which are not checked in the Dáil is a very bad road to take. This is a serious concern for the trade union movement.

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