Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate and I note that the relevant two Ministers are present. Two weeks ago the Dunnes Stores workers were forced to go on strike after numerous efforts by them over a period of time to secure some recognition. I met with representatives of the workers from both premises in Port Laoise, at Mountmellick road and the Kyle centre and the people working in Rathdowney Dunnes Stores. The impression I got from those workers was one of insecurity associated with not having proper contracts and not knowing from week to week or from day to day how many hours or on what days they would be working. Today we met with Bord na Móna workers from the midlands. Bord na Móna is a semi-State company which is trying to sideline and steamroll over collective bargaining and union recognition. I am a former employee of Bord na Móna and it is sad to see this happening. We thought these rights were well established but the company is trying to impose individual contracts across the company. I flag this issue for the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Nash. Bord na Móna workers in the midlands are very concerned about this situation.

While some commentators maintain that some workers want such conditions I doubt if this applies to anyone other than students and people who want part-time, temporary, haphazard hours. I have no problem with that because there has always been an element of part-time and seasonal work to cater for different businesses in the tourism sector, for example, and in the retail sector during the Christmas period. Traditionally, this practice has not interfered with the conditions of work of permanent full-time staff.

Workers like and need to know from one week to the next what hours they are expected to work and what pay they will receive. For those in full-time employment and who are depending solely on the wages from a business which enforces zero or low hour contracts, the uncertainty of such contracts makes it very difficult to plan from day to day, never mind from week to week.

Dunnes Stores workers in County Laois could not reliably organise child care or the collection of children from school. I remind the Ministers that, most of all, it means that these worker do not know how much they will earn from one week to the next and this causes huge pressure when it comes to paying rent and mortgages and budgeting for daily household expenses. The Minister, Deputy Bruton has talked about full employment but these contracts create huge problems for workers on low or zero hour contracts who wish to obtain other employments. I had to juggle two part-time jobs at one time. It was worthwhile because I had to do it. Many people I talk to in places like Dunnes Stores want to have a second job but they cannot do so because their 15 or 16 hours are spread across a number of days and other employers are doing the same thing. It makes it impossible for those workers to be able to access other part-time employment. It is the case in the retail sector that this issue creates an atmosphere in a workplace or a premises which imposes such conditions. There is an issue of morale and workers have a well-founded suspicion that those workers who do not complain are given so-called favourable treatment by management. That is very unprofessional.

I do not wish to pick on Dunnes Stores or Bord na Móna in particular but they are currently in sharp focus. I have shopped in Dunnes Stores every Saturday for God knows how many years. The morale issue is not going to bring customers in the door. I shop there every week but in the 1980s I stopped shopping there during the period of the dispute over South African produce. I like going into Dunnes Stores but if it does not begin to treat its workers properly I will boycott it again and I will encourage others to do the same. I hope it sees sense.

It has been reported that those workers who took part in the strike have been subjected to intimidation and that there were attempts to get rid of people who went on strike. I have heard first-hand from workers that very subtle tactics are being used by management. This is why it is necessary to legislate to prevent such practices. It is noticeable that the strikers were supported by every group in the Dáil which shows that this is not an ideological issue; it is an issue of fairness, of courtesy and of justice. It is about being fair to these workers. I hope the Government will follow through. I call on the Minister to bring in legislation with no loopholes nor wriggle room to ensure that employers must recognise trade unions and the right of workers to collective bargaining. I call on them to fully implement the EU part-time work directive.

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