Unions defer talks on new pact in row over employment standards

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has deferred talks on a new national social partnership programme in order to secure specific commitments from the Government regarding employment standards and job 'displacement'.

Delegates a special Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) conference on October 25, 2005 endorsed the strategy adopted by the country’s largest union, the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU), which wants specific commitments from the Government on employment standards and job displacement before entering talks on a new social partnership agreement.

The SIPTU stance was triggered by a major dispute between the union and Irish Ferries. The company is offering redundancy to its 460 Irish-based workers with the intention of replacing them with lower paid employees, most of whom are expected to come from outside Ireland. Using a maritime 'flag of convenience', the company can bypass local employment standards.

Even without the Irish Ferries row, however, issues like outsourcing and job displacement have been of growing concern to the trade unions.

In a major bid to avert the deferment of the talks, which were due to open on November 17, the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern addressed a detailed letter to ICTU president, Peter McLoone, in which he explained how the Government would address the concerns raised by the unions. The Taoiseach said he wanted to take 'whatever steps are feasible, through legislation or otherwise, to secure decent employment standards in the maritime sector' and he repeated his previous public commitment 'to avoiding a race to the bottom in the Irish labour market'.

One unnamed senior trade union leader, who criticised SIPTU’s and ICTU’s tactical stance of deferring the talks, commented: 'What other head of government would produce that kind of letter in advance of talks? It is very strong.' According to this view, the correct place to negotiate is in formal talks and not to use controversial issues as a pre-condition for entering them.

Congress president, Peter McLoone, who chaired the special ICTU meeting, said that was is now a matter for the executive of Congress to make a judgement call as to when, 'if ever, the climate will be right to take up the Taoiseach’s offer of national talks'. ICTU general secretary, David Begg told the conference that the unions did not need to see 'the foundations poured….but we do need to see the blueprint'.

SIPTU president Jack O'Connor explained to SIPTU delegates at a separate special conference on October 24 that problems like job displacement have arisen in the context of the decision to open borders and allow the free movement of labour to the new EU accession countries. This means that some 100 million people are feeding into just three countries - Ireland, the UK and Sweden - with combined populations of just over 60 million. While this was a welcome development, the union leader said the corollary was that there had to be regulation to avoid exploitation.

Mr O’Connor also acknowledged that the issues raised by the Irish Ferries dispute are very complex, particularly in the area of maritime law. He acknowledged that the issue is a difficult one for the Government and he revealed that the union itself has taken on extra legal advice to come with suggestions about how situations like Irish Ferries can be dealt with.

It remains to be seen whether the Government can come up with more assurances on employment standards. But it must also ensure that any proposals are agreeable to the Irish Business & Employers Confederation (IBEC). The employers’ body did not comment on the ICTU decision, other than giving a broad backing to the partnership process.

Ultimately, the Taoiseach - who helped to negotiate the first of the current agreements in 1987 - is expected to be able to deliver firmer assurances to Congress, although specific measures cannot be acted on in a short timeframe. However, the fact that a single dispute has had such a knock-on effect will worry proponents of the social partnership system. Despite all of the institutional supports that sustain it, the process seems largely dependent on the support of key union and employer leaders, but most of all on the backing of the Taoiseach.

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