Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)

To back up my colleague, we very much support this Bill. I thank our colleagues in People Before Profit for introducing it. This is important legislation. Collective bargaining is key in terms of Ireland and our economy. When we look at it, the Irish economic model has, unfortunately, been built on an undermining of workers' rights by not ensuring collective bargaining is in place. When we look at the situation across the world, one of the key reasons inequality has risen to the level it has - the research shows this - is directly linked to the decline in trade unions and to workers being in trade unions. Part of neoliberalism was about smashing trade unions and ensuring workers did not have that bargaining power. That is the reality.

One of the issues in the context of Ireland's high cost of living is what is called excessive profiteering. This is because workers do not have the ability and right to assert that they get living wages. When we look at it, 145,000 workers are living at risk of poverty. In this economy that has been booming for so long, there is something problematic there. We still have large income inequalities for those in lower income jobs, who are suffering with low pay. This situation is linked to the inability to be in a trade union and the lack of a requirement for employers to have to support people and engage with workers in this regard.

While there are issues concerning the lack of trade union legislation, it is also important to highlight another aspect. Trade unions have done research - an example being the Respect at Work campaign - that has shown that union busting is going on in this country. The Respect at Work report found that 69% of workplace representatives had observed at least one form of anti-union behaviour by employers. The most common forms were the victimisation of union activists and discouraging workers from joining a union. It is disappointing because many workers, especially younger ones, want to join and be part of trade unions. The surveys show this. We need to see that trade unions can be and are an essential part of creating a sustainable, fair and socially just economy. If the Government was serious about protecting workers and supporting unions, it would support this Bill. It would act on the Low Pay Commission's recommendations, act on pension auto-enrolment, actually support unions and workers, and enact this legislation.

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