Union calls for Labour Department to counteract worker exploitation

THE country’s largest union yesterday called on the Government to establish a dedicated Department of Labour as shocking evidence of abuse against migrant workers continues to emerge on a daily basis.

Speaking last night, SIPTU president Jack O’Connor said a growing culture of exploitation against non-national workers was undermining the “hard won” conditions of other workers and contributing to untold suffering on the part of migrant employees. “This culture is developing largely unchecked due to the Government’s failure to provide adequate resources to enforce the laws in place to protect workers.”

The SIPTU leader also criticised the lack of Government resources dedicated to ensuring that workers are not maltreated. With just 21 labour inspectors to police a workforce of 1.6m, the Government’s Labour Inspectorate is hugely under-resourced compared to other inspectorates. “To put this in context, there are 41 health inspectors working on enforcing the smoking ban, around 50 dog wardens and over 200 agricultural inspectors,” he said.

Following the exposure of the abuse of Polish workers in Dublin’s Port Tunnel and concerns raised in the Dáil by Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins over Turkish construction giant Gama, Mr O’Connor said a minimum of 70 dedicated labour inspectors with new increased powers was needed.

Mr O’Connor said, in addition to workers, reputable companies had contacted SIPTU concerned they were being undercut by unscrupulous employers paying illegal wages.