ICTU general secretary David Begg has said Ireland cannot properly honour the memory of the 1913 Lockout without giving today’s working people the right to be represented by the union of their choice.

Speaking at a Seanad Éireann hearing on the relevance of the Lockout to modern Ireland, Mr Begg said: “The central objective that the women and men of 1913 fought for – the right of workers to choose their representatives and have them bargain collectively with employers on their behalf – has never been secured.”

Ireland is one of only four EU countries where workers have no legal right to collective bargaining. The Programme for Government includes a commitment that would strengthen collective bargaining rights by bringing Ireland into line with recent European legal judgements. A consultation process is underway and proposals are expected to go to cabinet soon. But there is stiff resistance in business circles and among some politicians.

Mr Begg told senators that organisations like the IDA and the Supreme Court were actively opposed to union rights for Irish workers. “Why that should be when this right is the norm in virtually every European country is a mystery to me,” he said.

Related:

Unfinished business left over from the Lockout

Lockout commemoration events