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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 May 1991

Vol. 409 No. 2

Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Trade Union Representation.

Tomás MacGiolla

Question:

8 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Labour if he intends to take any additional steps to ensure that the right of employees to be represented by trade unions is recognised by all employers, especially companies coming into this country from abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

While the Constitution guarantees workers the right of freedom of association and the right to form trade unions, it does not place any obligation on employers to recognise trade unions for the purposes of collective bargaining. As Minister for Labour, I believe that in the interest of good industrial relations, where workers wish to be represented by trade unions, employers, regardless of whether they are Irish or foreign, should recogise the trade unions and engage in collective bargaining. However, in keeping with the voluntary nature of our industrial relations system, I feel that trade union representation and recognition is essentially a matter which must be resolved between the parties involved.

The question of trade union recognition was among the issues discussed in the negotiations on the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. It is provided in the programme that the Employer Labour Conference will, during the period of the programme, review all the issues involved and report on the matter to the constituent bodies of the conference.

I acknowledge that the contents of the Minister's statement are positive but would he accept that in the Ireland of the tailspin of the Reagan-Thatcher era, there is a swing away from trade union organisations by many firms and that trade unions are operating in a hostile climate? For example, not that long ago the Industrial Development Authority encouraged foreign owned companies to meet with the trade unions and allow their workforce to organise. However, some multi-national companies, and indeed some domestic companies, seem to have an aversion to trade unions.

There is some merit in what the Deputy said. I think it was Deputy Rabbitte who raised the issue of Industrial Development Authority letters with me last year and how they had changed over the years. I gave an undertaking at that stage to encourage them to adopt a more positive approach. The Industrial Development Authority when offering grant assistance to foreign companies, or indeed any company, ask that management undertake to recognise the constitutional rights of Irish workers to trade union membership.

We asked the IDA to have the medium and large manufacturing projects which were set up during the period of the programme, from 1988 to 1990, surveyed on trade union organisation and that showed that slightly over 50 per cent were unionised but the representation of workers in numerical terms was about 60:40. I would be happier if we could increase the number of unionised workers and I have made that clear both to the Federation of Irish Employers, to the CII and to congress. One of the points I have used in support of that is that traditionally in the foreign multi-national companies based here we have had a very good record with regard to strike statistics and they have nothing to fear based on the statistics in bad years as well as good years. I certainly hope that the company management would support and continue to support the unionisation of their workforce.

Would the Minister not agree that we are reaching a danger point when 40 per cent of the workforce are outside the agreement and will be excluded from any future agreements between the social partners? We have had good industrial relations and industrial stability for the past number of years. I believe the current trend is likely to undermine that. Would the Minister agree that he should legislate to ensure that unions are recognised in any company setting up here? We have proved that the trade unions can work effectively with the multi-national companies. The Minister has a precedent and the companies have ample evidence that they have nothing to fear.

Legislation would represent a very fundamental change in the system of free collective bargaining and I do not think it would be welcomed by either side. We have a job to do in continuing to encourage firms by showing them the statistics. I have issued the statistics and have tried to highlight the positive elements to the IDA and as Deputy Rabbitte has said, they should take a stronger line, as they did in previous years.

With regard to the assertion that the companies were not involved in the recent agreement, that would not be correct because many of these companies would be members of the Federation of Irish Employers and would be tied into the discussions.

What about the employees.

I think I have made my position clear on this issue.

I note that the Employer Labour Conference are having a look at this issue with a view to bringing forward a report by the end of the year — although I am not sure on that point. Does the Minister not consider that the Government should have a more proactive role in addition to the Employer Labour Conference in terms of influencing agencies like the IDA and the Federation of Irish Employers on this matter?

For my part, we in the Department of Labour have endeavoured to do that but the Deputy will accept that our remit, unfortunately, does not cover the Industrial Development Authority. However, I will certainly endeavour to do that and to point out our good statistics.

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