Breakthrough in workers’ rights talks

AFTER almost three months of deadlock over workers’ rights, social partnership talks will finally begin negotiating a central pay deal next week.

The breakthrough came on Wednesday as employers and unions agreed that enough progress on protecting job standards and conditions had now been made.

At the insistence of unions, the protection of migrant workers had to be satisfactorily addressed before talks on issues such as pay could begin.

Although no binding agreement on workers' rights is in place, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions decided enough progress had been made to allow talks to proceed onto other issues before a final deal is concluded.

Unions have achieved commitments that the number of labour inspectors will treble to 90, while an Office of the Director for Employment Rights Compliance will be set up to police employment legislation.

Other measures include an increase in penalties up to €250,000 for those who infringe on labour laws and new legislation designed to deter employers from making workers redundant for the purpose of replacing them with cheaper labour.