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

Six days ago, we saw one of the most historic actions to be taken on a global scale by Google workers in Tokyo, New York, Dublin, Berlin, London and many other cities that were not mentioned. Tens of thousands walked off the job in protest over sexual harassment. It is little known that their other demands were for normal things such as pay equality, workers' representation on the board and more accountability from management on the question of sexual harassment. They deserve to be complimented on that. Given that this is a company which is not known for its trade union activity or membership, this bodes well on an international scale for how young workers are responding to demand equality, an end to harassment and to have representation. I hope the Minister will join me in congratulating those workers. One said: "I don't know what it will take to change the system, but I do know that we are a crazy force to be reckoned with."

In line with the theme of the two previous speakers, I want to talk about another crazy force to be reckoned with, the nurses in this country, who are about to ballot for nationwide industrial action to secure pay increases that will allow them to live decent lives, to be able to afford to pay rent and to afford childcare, and which will help them to address the serious shortage on the wards and in emergency departments. There are 200 vacancies in emergency departments throughout the country with more than 1,000 vacancies for nurses in the public health system. They have a problem with recruitment and retention because of the low pay. Nurses still work a shift for nothing every eight weeks. It sticks in their craw that they have to go in for an evening, work through the night and get nothing for it. Nobody in this House would do that. I would argue that we are overpaid for what we do compared with the low pay they get for what they do.

We are facing a winter of discontent. It is not just from Google workers but will be from nurses in hospitals, psychiatric nurses who are about to ballot about pay, and ambulance drivers who refuse to do overtime because they are not getting trade union recognition. This winter of discontent is about to see working people try to change that very system. The Minister may call them crazy and they may call themselves crazy, but they are definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Will the Minister congratulate the workers in Google, not just in Dublin but globally, for the example and action they have taken? Will the Minister deal with the question of low pay in our health service, specifically for nurses, and the issues in the ambulance service? That must be done. If the Government cannot do it now, then I suggest the Cabinet does not take a Christmas holiday and works hard over the holiday period to ensure these issues are settled.

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