Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A successful employment rights infrastructure is one that operates on the basis of equality and a level playing field between workers and their employers. One cannot claim to support the right of workers to collectively bargain if one does not support the right to trade union recognition because both are inextricably linked. This Bill will give practical effect to the right of workers to be represented by a trade union. It will make it a legal right that must be respected by employers. The current voluntary system works for some but for many, it fails. Everyone here is aware of the rise in low paid and precarious work and in zero-hour or low-hour contracts. We also know that this is a deliberate practice and is part of the race to the bottom. We have seen the ongoing practice of replacing reasonably paid workers on decent contracts with lower paid workers on inferior contracts. This is done by denying the right to trade union representation within the workplace. Why do employers do this? They do it because they can. We have seen it happening in the financial services, hospitality, retail and many other sectors. We have also seen some employers engaging in campaigns of bullying and harassment. Those who seek to bully and who ignore industrial relations laws and mechanisms do so to protect their interests while exploiting their employees. They are denying workers their right to choose who should represent them. There is not a level playing field between workers and employers but this Bill seeks to correct that.

Those who value their employees have absolutely nothing to fear from strengthened labour laws. Last month Ryanair finally accepted the principles that are outlined in this Bill when it agreed to engage with unions for the first time ever. Now is the time for this Bill so that ordinary workers will have the right to choose who should represent them in their workplace, both for collective bargaining and disciplinary matters and to have that right recognised by their employers. This Republic is only a republic in name if we do not protect the rights of our citizens and central to that protection are the rights of workers in the workplace.

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