Subcontractor accused of flouting rules

Plasterers picketed a major housing regeneration scheme yesterday and demanded tighter controls on subcontractors working on public projects.

The plasterer’s union, OPATSI, organised the protest at Cork City Council’s multi-million euro Glen regeneration project on the city’s northside to highlight the issue of a non-compliant subcontractor flouting agreed rates and conditions.

The union’s Cork branch secretary, Barry Murphy, said he has been seeking proof from the Glen project’s main contractor, and from Cork City Council, that a specific sub-contractor was adhering to the industry’s Registered Employment Agreement (REA) and living up to its pension and sick pay responsibilities.

“So far, that proof has not been forthcoming,” Mr Murphy said. “The main contractor and the city council must live up to their responsibilities to ensure that workers are not being exploited.”

The REA sets out conditions of employment and lays down specific responsibilities for employers on pensions, rates of pay and union membership.

A major issue with non-compliant sub-contractors engaged on public projects in Cork emerged in 2007 when builders and plasterers staged several protests to highlight the problem.

It led to the removal of a sub-contractor working on the council’s Sunvalley Drive regeneration project.

Commitments were given at the time the council would do more to ensure subcontractor compliance.

But Sinn Féin’s Cllr Chris O’Leary, backing the plasterers, said there are not enough checks and balances in place.

“The city council has responsibility, because it is overseeing projects involving public money, to ensure that subcontractors comply with industry agreements,” he said.

Mr Murphy said the issue of non-compliant contractors working on public projects has also emerged on HSE and school-build projects in recent months.

He said: “There needs to be a level playing field.”