Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Does the Minister know how many public servants are not members of trade unions? I often meet public sector workers who tell me their union due is €300 per year, which is the same as their car insurance premium. A number of public servants have made that point to me and questioned what they get for their money. That is a matter for trade unions and their members to sort out, but it is a point that is often raised with me. Some of those public servants have decided to opt out of union membership and keep the €300 or so per annum to do with as they choose. Where do non-union public servants fit into the mix in terms of implementation of the Lansdowne Road agreement? Surely that agreement is not just for members of trade unions? In the interests of proper management of the public service, I hope it will cover everybody employed in the service. Although non-union workers were not part of the negotiations and are not party to the agreement, it would make no sense to exclude them.

As the Minister knows, some 600,000 people are trade union members, 300,000 of whom are public servants. This suggests only 300,000 out of a private sector workforce of some 1.7 million are members of trade unions, which represents one in six or thereabouts. In other words, the overwhelming majority of private sector workers are not in trade unions, while the overwhelming majority of public servants are. However, not all public service workers are in that camp. Will the Minister clarify the position on those who, by their own volition, have opted out of trade union membership? As I understand it, several unions representing higher paid staff, for example, voted against the agreement. I support the principle of collective agreement and that the majority view should hold sway in a democratic process. However, even within the unions that voted "Yes", there were members who voted "No". We cannot single out people based on their membership or non-membership of a trade union. It is not as simple as whether a particular union accepted the agreement; we are talking about people. The issue is not in the sole control of trade unions because some workers are not involved in that process. It is down to the Minister, as the person responsible for overseeing public expenditure, to ensure there is an arrangement for all public servants, not just those who happen to be in our out of a particular union.

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