Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, boasted that this was the best country to do business in. It is not the best country for a lot of workers facing exploitation by employers. It is extraordinary that the Government is saying that an employer decides who represents a worker in a workplace, and not the worker. It is a basic human right to be represented by a trade union of one's choice. It is not up to the HSE or SIPTU to make that decision. It should go to the WRC, where all issues will be discussed and decided upon and recommendations will be made. If the WRC says that those workers are entitled to be in a union of their choice, well then c'est la vie, that is the decision that is made. If not they can go to the European courts to challenge that decision. The Government is denying those workers that right by not instructing the HSE to go to the WRC. That is the issue here. It is not up to the HSE to decide where those workers and what union should represent them. It is a basic human right that is being denied them by the Government and I urge it to reconsider its position in this regard.

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