asked the Minister for Finance if there is a clause in the contracts made by the Office of PublicWorks, for repairs and decoration of Government property throughout the country, intimating that trade union labour must be employed; and whether-any stipulation is made with regard to rates of wages in the case of contractors tendering for such work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Works Contracts — Employment Conditions.
Contracts placed by the Commissioners of Public Works contain a fair wages clause which reads as follows:—
"The contractor shall pay rates of wages and observe hours of labour not less favourable than those commonly recognised by employers and trade societies (or in the absence of such recognised wages and hours, those which in practice prevail amongst good employers) in the trade in the district where the work is carried out. Where there are no such wages and hours recognised or prevailing in the district, those recognised or prevailing in the nearest district in which the general industrial circumstances are similar shall be adopted. Further, the conditions of employment generally accepted in the district in the trade concerned shall be taken into account in considering how far the terms of the fair wages clause are being observed and for this purpose also regard shall be had to the conditions of employment generally in the contracting firm. The contractor shall be prohibited from transferring or assigning, directly or indirectly, to any person or persons whatever any portion of his contract without the written permission of the commissioners. Subletting other than that which may be customary in the trade concerned shall be prohibited. The contractor shall be responsible for the observance of the fair wages clause by the sub-contractor.
The contractor shall cause a copy of the preceding conditions to be prominently exhibited for the information of the contractor's workpeople on the premises where work is being executed under the contract. In trades where it is the practice, the contractor shall cause to be exhibited or have available for inspection, a copy of any signed agreement determining the rates of wages and hours of labour commonly recognised by employers and trade societies in the district."
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, would he not consider putting in the same clause as that used by most of the local authorities and use the expression "trade union labour" in the contract? At the moment there is no real check on the wages paid by many of the small contractors working for the Minister around the country. Is the Minister prepared to do that?
The matter has been fully examined and in the opinion of the commissioners this is the best method of dealing with the matter.
Would the Minister state what method is adopted to check the wages paid to tradesmen and other people engaged on Garda barracks, post offices and so on in the rural areas?
I presume that if the workers concerned have a grievance, they will report it.
The Parliamentary Secretary knows perfectly well that it is not possible for workers in these circumstances to act as they would in a highly organised area. He knows full well there is a weakness in this system and he should do something to remedy it.
The workers concerned are entitled to look after their own interests.