asked the Minister for Labour whether he is aware of the existence of exploitation of young workers in Dublin department stores under the guise of management training schemes; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Management Training Schemes.
29.
The matter raised by the Deputy is being investigated.
Is the Minister aware of the stores in question?
Yes.
Would the Minister say whether this practice of using juvenile workers on the pretext that they are on a management course and paying them very low wages for a 100-hour week, is prevalent in other parts of Dublin or is this the first the Minister's Department have heard of?
Under the conditions of employment in the Shops (Conditions of Employment) Act and the amendment Act of 1942, our inspectors have a right to investigate the conditions and the hours worked but the contract with regard to salary or wages is a matter for the individual. The particular case in question has been investigated.
Would the Minister agree that this is precisely the problem? Would the Minister inform me whether his Department are aware of other large stores in the Dublin area who, on the pretext of training juvenile workers for a management post, in fact exploit them and pay them very low wages for a 100-hour working week? Is the Minister aware of this situation in other large stores in Dublin? If it is true in the case of this one is it true in the case of others?
Our inspectors frequently inspect conditions of employment in stores and shops.
Is this the first case of this kind the Minister has come across?
I would not say it is.