Bruton to push ahead with elimination of special rates for Sunday work

SPECIAL rates for Sunday work will not apply to new employees in the retail, hospitality and other sectors under proposals brought to Cabinet this week, Minister for Employment Richard Bruton has confirmed.

He accepted the recruitment of cheaper workers could lead to some displacement of existing staff who will be protected under the current rules and continue to be entitled to special premium rates. The minister said he intends to push ahead with reform of the wage agreements known as Joint Labour Committees (JLCs), which protect more than 2,000 workers in specified areas in retail, hospitality, catering and security.

Mr Bruton said he would listen to his Labour Party colleagues in government on their “divergent views” on the issue, but insisted “jobs come first”.

He brought preliminary proposals to the Government yesterday and, despite opposition from Labour ministers, he said he will be announcing reform of these agreements very soon.

Under his plans, Sunday working rates for new recruits “wouldn’t be specified as part of the JLCs” but as part of “the general labour laws that applies to all Sunday working in all sectors”.

“Everyone already in work is protected by their existing contracts,” he said.

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has expressed concern that the changes will lead to an increase in welfare spending by pushing more people onto the poverty line. However, Mr Bruton said: “Every job we get back to work actually cuts the social welfare bill. It’s a win-win for all budgets.”

Taoiseach Enda Kennny earlier told the Dáil that Labour and Fine Gael had agreed “in principle” that the system must be reformed. He said that of the 19,000 drop in employment over the past year, 15,600 or 82% of job losses were in areas covered by JLCs.

Meanwhile, the Irish Bishops Conference said the abolition of Sunday premium pay was against the common good because it would make the poor even poorer.