Katie Morgan, head of Fórsa’s Services and Enterprises Division, has criticised the Land Development Agency’s refusal to recognise the union for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Addressing delegates at the opening of last week’s divisional conference in Galway, Katie said that the division has a history of taking on employers that are hostile to the idea of collective representation and pay bargaining, having successfully negotiated recognition agreements with Ryanair and Emerald Airlines. 

In her speech, Katie said: “This year we have taken on a relatively new employer with outdated ideas about trade union representation, the Land Development Agency. 

“This is a commercial state body in receipt of substantial public funds. Despite this the LDA refuses to recognise Fórsa. The employer refuses to allow us on the premises and employs around 200 people, all on individually negotiated contracts.

“It is shameful that Fórsa members employed by the LDA are currently forced to meet with union representatives off-site, because the employer refuses us entry. That is not the behaviour of a modern, ethical, or law-abiding public agency,” she said.

Katie added that Fórsa’s recent submissions - on collective bargaining and public procurement – highlights the union’s view that any organisation drawing down state funds must uphold the rights of workers.

She said no employer should have a veto on union recognition: “We’ve seen some employers integrate their hostility to union representation into their brand, only to arrive at a point - sometimes precipitated by a crisis - where they realise it makes sense to negotiate with unions in good faith. Our recent history includes breakthroughs with Emerald Airlines and, of course, Ryanair.

Never say never

“The LDA may think that locking union officials out of buildings and ignoring calls for an industrial relations agreement is the only way to do business. But even Ryanair has said – most recently at the Industrial Relations News conference in March – that the airline knew it was not a matter of if they would ever recognise the union, but when. Seven and a half years after recognition at Ryanair, we’re negotiating pay and terms of employment with an employer who used to say - very loudly – that it would never happen,” she said.

Katie said the LDA’s hostility to Fórsa strongly suggests management hadn’t yet figured out what Ryanair and Emerald figured out eventually: “It’s simply better to work with us. 

“LDA staff should not be denied their right to organise. In a situation where an employer is in receipt of substantial public funds, the denial of that right is especially problematic. The Government is to finalise its action plan on the promotion of collective bargaining by the end of this year. As these initiatives develop, the LDA’s position looks increasingly out of step,” she said.

Responding to media queries, prompted by Katie’s comments, the LDA said it had “a respectful meeting with senior Fórsa representatives, where it outlined that the LDA fully respects the legal right of any employee to join a union,” but appeared to dismiss any future engagement on the pretext that there are “no industrial relations issues at the LDA, nor have any staff indicated any such issues.” 

This week the issue made it as far as Brussels, when MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, raised the issue at a hearing of the European Parliament’s Housing Committee, at which the CEO of the LDA was speaking.

Katie extended a message to those working at the Land Development Agency: “You are not alone. This union stands fully behind you, and we won’t be deterred. We’ll continue to organise - and press your employer - until your workplace rights are fully recognised.”

Our survey for staff working in the LDA is open now. LDA staff can complete the survey whether you’re a union member, or if you haven’t yet joined the union, so we encourage you to share it with your LDA colleagues.

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