New proposals to improve workers' rights

The Minister for Labour Affairs has confirmed that he will shortly bring proposals to Government to introduce equal rights for fixed-term workers.

At present 4% of the workforce, or 68,000 employees are employed on fixed-term contracts.

The bulk of these work in the public sector teaching and the health service. The proposed bill intends to improve the quality of fixed term work by putting limits on the number of times a fixed term contract can be renewed.

This in turn will put more workers into permanent employment. When the bill becomes law it will oblige employers to inform fixed term workers about vacancies for permanent employers.