Report to establish ‘new era’ of collective bargaining
by Niall Shanahan
 
Collective bargaining coverage in Ireland is currently around 34%, the new directive requires that countries achieve up to 80% coverage.
Collective bargaining coverage in Ireland is currently around 34%, the new directive requires that countries achieve up to 80% coverage.

Non-union employers could potentially face penalties for failing to negotiate with trade unions following the publication of the final report of the high-level working group on collective bargaining last week.

 

The Group was established last year by the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) in advance of a new EU directive that requires each member state to take action to expand the percentage of workers covered by collective bargaining on wage setting.

 

Collective bargaining coverage in Ireland is currently around 34%, the new directive requires that countries achieve up to 80% coverage.

 

Speaking at the Industrial Relations News (IRN) conference last week, ICTU general secretary Patricia King, the trade union representative on the high-level group, said the recommendations in the report will, through increased collective bargaining coverage, “provide new opportunities to achieve decent working and living standards for hundreds of thousands of workers, and deliver improved outcomes for workers and employers, as well as for society and the economy as a whole.”

 

Patricia said the Executive Council of the ICTU has endorsed the recommendations and believes them to be crucial to aligning Irish industrial relations procedures with other EU countries. The group’s recommendations will form the basis for the transposition of the directive to comply with EU law, including:

  • That existing legislation relating to Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) be strengthened to enable an Employment Regulation Order to be implemented on foot of employers being afforded all reasonable opportunity to engage
  • That technical assessors be appointed by the Labour Court to advise the Court in pay comparison claims with the purpose of improving on current mechanisms
  • That legislation requires an employer to engage with a trade union who seeks good faith engagement where they represent at least 10% of workers in a grade group or category within the employment. Where an employer refuses such an engagement and ignores the Labour Court decisions on the matter, the trade union can seek a Circuit Court order for implementation against the employer.

ICTU president and Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said the report’s recommendations illustrated the potential for radically improved collective bargaining conditions in Ireland: “These recommendations have the potential to strengthen the collective bargaining environment that we operate in. Unions must continue to take on the challenge of building membership density so that, in this new era of collective bargaining, they can be a strong and agile force for improved worker outcomes.

 

“I think the process of developing the report has illustrated what can be achieved when government, employers and unions work collaboratively toward more positive outcomes. In that context, the report’s recommendations have the potential to radically improve Ireland’s industrial relations landscape,” he said.

 

The Group comprised representatives from ICTU, IBEC and Professor Bill Roche, UCD. It was chaired by Professor Michael Doherty of Maynooth University.

 

You can download a full copy of the report HERE.

 

It’s never been more important – or easier – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

LikeLike (0) | Facebook Twitter