Vol. 482 No. 5
2 Mr. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will promote trade union recognition in Ireland in view of recent views expressed by the social partners; the measures, if any, she is considering to progress this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18373/97]
I informed the House in July that Partnership 2000 contains a commitment to establish a high-level representative group of interested parties to consider proposals by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions concerning trade union recognition and the right to bargain. This group was established last July under the auspices of the Department of the Taoiseach. I am represented on it through officials of my Department.
The issue of union recognition is clearly a complex one and my officials are giving every assistance in the group to the social partners in their endeavours to arrive at mutually acceptable solutions. Partnership 2000 envisages that the group will report to me by the end of 1997, as well as to the monitoring arrangements for Partnership 2000. I look forward to receiving its advice.
This is my first occasion representing my party in this portfolio and I congratulate the Tánaiste. We both come from the same area of west Dublin, and little did I think many years ago, when the Tánaiste was a very glamorous teenager——
She is still glamorous.
——that she would hold this high office and that I would face her across the Chamber.
Does Deputy Broughan want her to lead the Labour Party?
I will give the Tánaiste cothrom na féinne, but we will also try to cover the territory as precisely as possible.
In relation to this matter, the Tánaiste will be aware that the trade union movement, and specifically the leadership of larger unions such as SIPTU, regard this as a sine qua non if we are to have further partnership agreements. The Taoiseach recognised the seriousness of this issue when he went to the SIPTU conference. It was put on the line by the union's President, Mr. Jimmy Somers, when he stated that the outcome of the discussions of the high-level group will decide whether the trade union movement will continue to participate in social partnership when the present agreement expires. He went on to say that if the Government and employers are serious about social consensus continuing, both will have to come clean on the issue of trade union recognition.
Does the Tánaiste accept that trade unionists are fed up, particularly in domestic industry, of having no representation and of people being left in very unfair industrial situations? This is critical if we are to continue, and it is felt by some people that partnership, with our education system, has been the basis of the success of the Celtic Tiger. If we want that to go on, does the Tánaiste accept that there cannot be any more agreements unless fundamental legislation on this matter is introduced?
I wish Deputy Broughan the best of luck as spokesperson, having wished Deputy Owen the same on another occasion. I never realised I was a glamorous teenager, and I thank him for his compliments.
What was Deputy Broughan like?
I do not know if he would like me to say he was glamorous. Notwithstanding the fact that we do not have mandatory recognition of trade unions, 48 per cent of the employee workforce belong to trade unions. That is a very high proportion; it is only 10 per cent in France. There are a number of ways in which employees establish rights and conditions of work, including rates of remuneration. One is through arrangements between employer and employee. Another way is by statute and there is the third option of collective bargaining at either national or firm level. There is no evidence to suggest that the rights and conditions of employment are better if they are negotiated one way rather than another.
This is a very complex area and it is appropriate I should await the outcome of the high level group examining the issue. Although I agree with Deputy Broughan's comments regarding Mr. Somers, Mr. Kevin Duffy, the assistant general secretary of ICTU, said at the same conference that we should not underestimate the difficulties of this matter. It is a difficult and sensitive issue and one that has to be handled with great care.
Will the Tánaiste agree that in the European arena generally, under Commissioner Pádraig Flynn and his predecessors, there is strong support for trade union recognition? Commitments have been made recently by the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, in this regard, and, as in other areas, we should be following European models in this matter. The European economy has been built on consensus and involving people. In recent directives Commissioner Flynn has mentioned improving consultation and information. For example, a colleague of mine in Donegal North East informed me that a company there with 80 workers closed for the summer holidays. It did not reopen, and nobody was told why. Such abuse of workers and their families is appalling and can only be rectified by trade union recognition, as happened elsewhere in the European Union.
I do not accept it can only be done by trade union recognition. Indeed, the Irish experience suggests there are many different models which work very well. Sometimes volunteerism can work extremely well. Over 50 per cent of those who work in manufacturing work in foreign companies, the majority of which are not unionised. They have very good rates of pay and conditions of employment. It makes sense for corporate Ireland, whether the multinational or indigenous sector, to consult and work in agreement and partnership. I accept what Deputy Broughan said in that regard.
The social partnership model established in this economy since the mid-1980s has worked extremely well at national level. There are huge sensitivities, particularly in the multinational sector, of which the Deputy is probably aware. That sector is responsible for making a huge contribution to national wealth and employment in this economy, which is one of the reasons we are doing so well in terms of economic growth. We must consult wisely and carefully before we move forward in this area while taking on board the various views and perspectives.
How does the Minister see this issue developing? Clearly, the high level group will report at the end of the year. Does the Minister intend introducing legislation? Does she foresee a situation where she might have to introduce a constitutional referendum to ensure the issue is dealt with given that it is the primary demand? Does she accept it is the primary demand being made by the trade union movement and the representatives of workers and their families?
A demand is being made by some sections of the trade union movement but I reiterate what I said in relation to Kevin Duffy, the assistant general secretary of ICTU.
He said there are difficulties.
There are difficulties and it would be foolish not to acknowledge them. It would be wrong of me to speculate on what we will do. Obviously, we must await the report. All the interests are represented on that high level group and I do not want to speculate on what we will or will not do. Clearly, there are different views on the constitutional implications and if legislation was introduced we would have to bear that in mind. Before we make commitments or speculate further, we should await the report of that group.
