Construction firms to face Labour Court on worker exploitation claims

ONE of the country’s largest trade unions says it is preparing to bring six Waterford-based firms before the Labour Court for alleged exploitation of foreign workers in the construction sector.

SIPTU says it is concerned that one of the firms has informed the Labour Court it was de-registering as a company when it was contacted by the Court.

Davy Lane, of SIPTU’s South East Construction Branch, said he believed the move by the company was motivated by the threatened action. SIPTU has alleged that company is breaching industrial relations legislation by underpaying three labourers.

It has also accused the company of failing to register them in the construction industry’s mandatory pension and sick pay scheme.

The union has processed Labour Court hearings against four Waterford firms for not providing foreign construction workers with the proper wages and conditions so far this year.

Two of these cases have been resolved, with the workers involved receiving settlements from the companies. In the other two cases, labour inspectors have been appointed by the Labour Court to investigate.

The Construction Industry Federation has rejected SIPTU’s claim that exploitation of foreign workers is “widespread” in the sector and is not aware of any of its South East members coming before the Labour Court this year for not applying the correct pay rates and conditions to immigrants.

CIF spokesman, Conor O’Connell, insists it is in the interests of the federation’s members to ensure all companies in the construction industry employ their workers under the wages and conditions set out in the Registered Employment Agreement.

“Our members tender for work in the public sector and must pay the proper rates for such projects. If there are companies not paying the proper rates, it’s putting our members at a competitive disadvantage because those firms are undercutting them. It’s obvious,” he said.