Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 32, after line 16, to insert the following:“Report on union membership

46. The Minister shall, within six months after the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the following—

(a) the impact of the measures contained in this bill on union membership,

(b) the potential measures that could be taken to support and encourage union membership,

(c) the potential options for legislative reform to support union membership, and

(d) the potential options for the reintroduction of tax relief for union membership.”.

This amendment calls on the Department to prepare a report on union membership. The approach in the Bill to pay restoration has union membership at its core. It entrenches different treatment by the State of public servants, almost entirely on the union to which they pay their dues. If the State is to pursue this as Government policy, it has a responsibility to be fully aware of the impact on our trade unions. If we accept that trade unions provide an important public good in allowing for collective bargaining and better labour standards for all workers, the Government needs to monitor the impact of its policy on this crucial sector of society.

There is a concern that the way pay restoration is structured in the legislation will assert pressure on those workers whose unions have not signed up to the Public Service Stability Agreement to end their union membership in order to notify the Workplace Relations Commission that they agree to be bound by the agreement. Therefore, a direct impact of Government policy could be to contribute to the breaking up of trade unions and a damaging of the ability of workers in this country to bargain collectively.

If that is the case, my amendment would be a crucial addition to the Bill. We need to know the scale of the problem and its impact on union membership. This is provided for in paragraph (a). If we agree that this Bill could have a negative impact on union membership, the Government should examine options on how such membership could be supported by the State in recognition of the public good derived from trade unions. The Government should consider drafting legislation in support of measures that support trade unions as well as the reintroduction of tax reliefs. I am not proposing to put into the legislation that these things need to happen. However, the Government should be informed of the impact of its decisions and options on how conditions could be improved. Opposition would indicate to me that the Government is not interested in tracking the consequences of its actions. I hope the Minister accepts the amendment.