Joint Labour Committees

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2017

Thursday, 30 March 2017

Questions (250, 251)

Seán Fleming

Question:

250. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the joint labour committee of the security guards sector has recently issued recommendations of a 4% salary increase in 2017 and 4% salary increase in 2018 for security guards as part of the ERO, employment regulation order, and that the majority of companies involved in this sector were not represented in negotiations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15876/17]

Seán Fleming

Question:

251. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the joint labour committee in connection with the security static guarding sector is not representative of the industry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15877/17]

Written answers

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together.

Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) are provided for under the Industrial Relations Act 1946 and were reformed by the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act, 2012. A JLC is comprised of equal numbers of representatives of employers and workers in a sector. JLCs meet regularly, under an independent Chairperson to discuss proposals for terms and conditions to apply to specified grades or categories of workers in the sector. If agreement is reached the JLC publishes details and invites submissions from interested parties.

If, after consideration of any submissions received, the Committee adopts the proposals it will submit them to the Labour Court for consideration. The Labour Court will then make a decision on the adoption of the proposals. If the Court decides to adopt the proposals, a copy is presented to me and if I consider it appropriate to do so I will make an Order giving effect to the proposals. Such Orders are known as Employment Regulation Orders.

The Joint Labour Committee for the Security Industry was established in accordance with Statutory Instrument No. 377 of 1998 (as amended by Statutory Instrument No. 30 of 2014).

I am informed that, in accordance with the Statute, the Labour Court consulted with ICTU, Ibec and the two employer organisations most closely connected with the Security Industry, the National Union of Security Employers (merged with the Security Institute of Ireland in 2011) and the Irish Security Industry Association. Following consultation, these bodies nominated representatives of both employers and employees for membership of the Committee. The current members were appointed on the 12th May 2014.

The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson are Industrial Relations Officers from the Workplace Relations Commission and are appointed by me.

The constitution and proceedings of JLCs is set out in the Fifth Schedule to the Industrial Relations Act, 1990. The discussions within the Joint Labour Committees are not open to me nor to my Department.

I am informed that the draft proposals for an employment regulation order that you refer to were advertised as part of the public consultation process. The closing date for submissions on those proposals was 7th February last.