Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

-----of this industry in particular.

I refer the Minister to a strike that took place in 2014 - not that long ago - by Greyhound workers. It was vicious and was like something out of the Lock-out, where scabbing on a major scale took place. People broke picket lines, a lot of violence was used and the Greyhound workers, who took strike action to defend the limited pay and conditions they had, were bullied and intimidated. What has resulted from that dispute, and I have spoken to some trade union organisers about this, is that throughout the waste management industry, workers work on very low-paid contracts. They are working dangerous hours and as already mentioned earlier, some trucks are operating with two men, generally speaking, instead of three. Whereas the Health and Safety Authority recommends three, two are being used. There are many questions to be asked about the industry and the introduction of pay by weight will increase the working day by at least an additional 80 minutes. That will be offloaded onto the workers who will not receive an extra penny for it because they work on a task basis. There is much to be asked about this waste management industry, as many of my colleagues and Deputies have stated throughout.

Somebody said something to me today that stuck in my head. Do Members know the song "The Great Pretenders"? It is going around in my head, "Oh yes, we're the great suspenders." That is what this Government is: the great suspenders. It has been suspending every bloody thing since I came in here and well done to it that it is getting away with it.

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