Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I support this amendment. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh observed, we have seen an increase in unfair dismissal cases in recent years, with the workers involved often finding themselves in a very difficult situation as they wait for their case to be heard. In the past 24 hours, workers at Greyhound, a waste disposal company, have been locked out of their work premises. Their employer has not said that they are sacked or issued P45s; they have no idea what is happening. They have had a case against their employer at the Labour Court since February, but when they presented for work at 6 a.m. yesterday morning, they were told they had to sign a new contract or they would have no job. They refused to sign that contract, which involved agreeing to new work practices and a 35% cut in their wages. These drivers earn €636 per week, so a 35% reduction would bring their earnings down to €426.

These are men with families and financial commitments and they cannot afford to take that type of pay cut. They have taken their case to the courts and engaged with the company's chief executive officer, Michael Buckley. The latter took a unilateral action yesterday in refusing to let them go into work. He is saying it is not a lock-out, but he had replacement workers organised and ready to go. These new workers were waiting to be collected at Woodie's DIY store on the Naas Road and were put to work collecting bins within half an hour. It seems they had already been trained and had undergone health and safety instruction and so on. It is an absolute disgrace.

Another issue of concern regarding this case is that parts of its waste collection routes have been subcontracted out by Greyhound. We have been informed that the subcontractor collects workers in the Woodie's carpark, puts them in the bin trucks with instructions to cover a very large route and goes off for the rest of the day. Constituents have told us that Greyhound trucks have been collecting bins at 11.30 p.m., midnight or even 1 a.m., as a result of which complaints have been made to the local authority. What seems to be happening is that the subcontractor is keeping these workers out as late as it takes to complete the route in order to ensure the subcontractor's bonus is secured.

The Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection should take this issue seriously. It is possible the subcontractor is employing these workers illegally - I have no information in that regard, but it warrants investigation. Meanwhile, the permanent Greyhound employees are in limbo, with no P45s issued and the word coming from management that their jobs are there waiting for them if they sign the new contract. However, that contract is still under negotiation with SIPTU. This is a very serious issue and one worker ended up in hospital yesterday. Inexperienced people are being taken on to do the work of the permanent employees who came from Oxigen and South Dublin City Council under the transfer of undertakings seven years ago. We may well be looking at a major case of unfair dismissal here. This type of thing is happening more and more, including in Ballyfermot where a group of sacked workers - also SIPTU members - were told they must wait months before their case is heard by the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

There should be an intervention in this matter and an investigation into what is going on. There is a broader issue here in regard to waste management, which I accept is not the Minister's remit but that of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I intend to raise it with him. Deputy Clare Daly and I have submitted this issue for discussion on the Topical Issue debate yesterday and today but it has not been taken. It is an urgent employment and social protection issue and I hope it will be taken tomorrow.

See this speech in context