SIPTU votes to enter national agreement talks
Talks were jettisoned by SIPTU last November over demands that the Government address fears for jobs displacement and worker exploitation as highlighted by the Irish Ferries scandal.
The move sparked perhaps the most serious crisis that any of the six national partnership agreements has ever faced. It also threatened to ignite an industrial relations free-for-all after an unprecedented period of industrial peace.
However, after a tense game of cat and mouse and a carefully choreographed series of written assurances from the Government, unions secured a written commitment that any partnership agreement would address the “the race to the bottom”.
The commitment guarantees that jobs displacement and worker exploitation will be addressed in an initial strand of negotiations before other core issues such as pay deals are addressed.
Yesterday’s vote therefore, was little more than a foregone conclusion, but one which constitutes a crucial final step to talks.
Technically the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) still has to formally ratify its entry to talks but is expected do so later today.
Speaking before SIPTU delegates voted overwhelmingly to enter talks, SIPTU president Jack O’Connor outlined issues the union would be bringing to talks.
“We need to cement the momentum of the past couple of months into an agreement that shores up what organised workers have achieved in the last 30 years and protects migrant workers coming to this country,” he said.
In addition to issues of worker exploitation, Mr O’Connor also promised to seek a major overhaul of the construction industry as part of any talks.
Delegates from construction unions had earlier outlined how workers rights have been eroded in the sector.
“The construction industry is the biggest industry in the country and with each passing day it’s becoming more and more like the wild west. We will cite that industry as being one of the key areas which requires a major clean-up,” he said.
Mr O’Connor also promised to pursue the reform of private sector pensions to ensure adequate incomes for workers after retirement.
