Restaurants Association 'outraged' at reintroduction of JLCs

The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) is "outraged" with the Government’s decision to reintroduce the JLC wage-setting system.

The Government's new Bill published today allows for the reform of the Joint Labour Committee and Registered Employment Agreement wage-setting mechanisms which were found to be unconstitutional earlier this year.

As part of the changes, new workers will no longer be entitled to Sunday premium pay, but employers will have to offer other measures instead, such as time off in lieu.

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, said the associtaion may make a Constitutional challenge on the issue.

Mr Cummins said: "We will be getting our constitutional lawyers to look at the new proposal and if we find that the proposals are unconstitutional, our members will be asked if the association should proceed with a constitutional challenge.

"The High Court in summer proved that what the Restaurants Association of Ireland has been saying for the last two years is 100 per cent correct, that these anti-business Joint Labour Committees were not constitutionally sound.

"It is time for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton to immediately abolish Joint Labour Committees and let the restaurants across the country start employing people without JLC barriers."

Ireland’s €8.65 minimum wage is one of the highest in Europe, according to the association. The association said that France's minimum wage is €9.10, in the UK it is €7.06 and Spain pays €4.01 as its minimum wage.

It also said that these countries, including Germany, do not pay Sunday premiums.