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

-----he might follow her inspiration and show us that he has the backs of the workers involved. The reason I am putting the question in this manner is that I think there is more to protecting and advocating workers’ right than just what goes on in the courts. There is also the ability of workers to defend themselves. There is plan A, where one defends the rights in the courts and plan B, where the State gives workers the possibility to defend themselves. Here I am talking about the legal right to trade union recognition where if one has a high percentage or a certain percentage - as is the case in other countries - of workers who join a union, then the employer must recognise and deal with them and give them access to the workplace, which would prevent the sort of scandals which are alleged to have happened during the Covid crisis in meat plants. That sort of legislation that enables workers to defend themselves rather than always relying on the courts is also needed. It is not just about appealing laws we make here but it is about enabling workers to fight for and defend themselves.

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