David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 71:

In page 47, after line 36, to insert the following:

“Safeguarding Employees

55. In addition to existing provisions in enactments that safeguard workers from penalisation and victimisation, an employer or any person acting on behalf of an employer shall not penalise an employee for seeking to exercise or having exercised any entitlement under employment legislation including availing or cooperating with the Workplace Relations Commission.”.

The amendment relates to victimisation and those who are defending employment rights. While the area of anti-victimisation is broad, the issue is frequently and correctly raised by trade unions and should be central to efforts to address or redress issues related to employment rights.Unfortunately, some employees are victimised by their employers, for example, for joining a trade union. It is a much more substantial issue. The Minister might be able to inform the House as to whether anti-victimisation legislation or measures may form part of whatever collective bargaining legislation he intends to bring forward. We see it as a critical area of employment rights.