Taoiseach should intervene in LES row
by Niall Shanahan
 
Both unions are adamant that the Taoiseach must intervene because of the refusal of the Department of Social Protection to engage in exploratory talks, which has been proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
Both unions are adamant that the Taoiseach must intervene because of the refusal of the Department of Social Protection to engage in exploratory talks, which has been proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Fórsa and Siptu wrote to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin this week seeking a meeting to discuss the long-running dispute over the future provision of local employment services (LES) and job clubs.

 

Both unions are adamant that the Taoiseach must intervene because of the refusal of the Department of Social Protection to engage in exploratory talks, which has been proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

 

They say it’s unacceptable that a government department would ignore the requests of the State’s main industrial relations dispute-resolution body.

 

Unions say a Government-imposed tendering process for LES and job clubs favours for-profit providers over the current community-focussed, not-for-profit service. A joint union campaign by Fórsa and Siptu to protect the services has been pushing for progress since last summer.

 

Fórsa official Lynn Coffey said that, while a new tendering process has given greater flexibility to enable the existing local employment services to compete for the tender, the sustainably the existing services remains under threat.

 

“If they’re successful in securing a contract to continue in the delivery of these services, then the method of which they will be remunerated for doing so will change fundamentally. These changes are in line with the changes from the Department of Social Protection regarding the payments to organisations who will deliver these services. It means job losses and the downgrading of workers terms and conditions continue to be a real threat for our members,” she said.

 

The unions have told Government that privatisation, job losses and a diminished employment service are likely under the new process. In December, unions staged a number of lunchtime protests at departmental offices.

 

The new private sector provider, Turas Nua, which has won the contract for Laois and Offaly has also refused to recognise Siptu for collective bargaining purposes. Unions have said the entire political system needs to take responsibility for the lack of effective legislation to protect collective bargaining rights.

 

Lynn added: “It’s simply not okay for a company providing services on behalf of the State to be able to opt out of the recognition of union representations. Workers providing these services on behalf of the state should be afforded equal recognition of their right to collective union representation as union members working within the direct state services.

 

“The Department of Social Protection, by choosing not to engage with the WRC in this instance, has further embedded the belief in these organisations that it is okay to allow these workers who carry out the service on behalf of the state to be treated at a disadvantage to their state employed colleagues. The actions of the department compounds the unequal treatment of workers.”

 

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