Thousands to protest at Dáil over cheap labour

THOUSANDS of workers and their families will converge on the Dáil tomorrow in support of Irish Ferries staff, whose jobs are being off-loaded to cheaper agency workers.

In advance of tomorrow’s march - which is being supported by the largest 15 trade unions in the country - four of the country’s most senior trade union leaders called for all workers to participate.

The issue has already seen scheduled talks on a new social partnership deal postponed as unions demand further government action.

SIPTU president Jack O’Connor said the issue of jobs displacement and the exploitation of non-national workers should be of concern to all workers in every sector.

“These conditions are becoming prevalent not just in sectors such as catering and cleaning, but others such as office administration, not normally associated with low-skilled and low-paid activity,” he said.

Irish Congress of Trade Union (ICTU) president and IMPACT general secretary Peter McLoone said the issues at stake in the Irish Ferries dispute should concern all citizens.

Dublin Council of Trade Unions president Arthur Hall said the reason Irish workers found themselves in this situation was lack of adequate employment legislation and a failure to enforce existing laws.