Dáil debates

Wednesday, 1 June 2016

Workers' Rights: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]

 

6:10 pm

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In 2011 and 2012 workers from Vita Cortex in Cork city endured a sit-in lasting 161 days simply to secure the redundancy entitlements that had been agreed to between management and them. That campaign and the dignity and resolve shown by the employees during the sit-in were an inspiration not only to the people of Cork, but also to workers throughout Ireland. Unfortunately, workers having to sit in to secure basic statutory rights and redundancy to which they were entitled was a hallmark of industrial relations during the term of the previous Dáil.

The motion refers to "protecting workers in "informal" insolvencies and collective redundancies", and that is welcome. However, I recall a Sinn Féin Bill brought forward during the term of the previous Dáil, the Protection of Employees (Amendment) Bill 2012, which would have provided for ensuring redundancy payments in cases of informal insolvency and better notice periods for employees in cases of collective redundancy.

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