Do not vote for Fine Gael, urges SIPTU

THE country’s largest trade union, SIPTU, has sent an internal memo to members advising them not to vote for Fine Gael (FG) after the party called for pay scales in a number of industries to be reviewed in light of the recession.

FG has vowed to review all existing employment regulation orders and registered employment agreements that set minimum pay and conditions for workers in sectors such as construction and catering.

The binding orders are set by committees made up of employers and staff and are ratified by the Labour Court. As the economy has begun to deteriorate there have been several challenges to the legality of the orders, particularly in the hotel and electrical industries.