asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that a strike has been in progress for some weeks at Rhynana airport, whether he intervened with a view to effecting a settlement, and, if so, whether he is in a position to state the result of his intervention.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rhynana Airport Strike.
I am aware that a strike has been in progress at the Shannon Airport since the 21st February last. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by my intervention.
Will the Minister say what justification he can put forward for the attitude of doing nothing in a matter that affects the livelihood of 600 workers who are engaged on a State airport scheme in the County Clare?
So far as the scheme is concerned, it appears that the work which would have been in progress if the strike had not been undertaken cannot now be done. From the point of view of the scheme, it is not of much importance whether the strike is settled or not.
Does the Minister contend that a strike can take place and for six weeks the Minister, who has a special responsibility in respect of industrial disputes, can abstain from taking any action to bring the strike to a satisfactory termination? Would he adopt a similar attitude in connection with any other type of dispute?
In this particular case the Spring growing season, during which the men might have been employed, has been missed and, from a purely constructional aspect, there is no element of urgency in having this strike settled.
That is the most amazing reasoning that we have ever had from the Minister. There are apparently to be two kinds of strikes, strikes in which a settlement is urgent and strikes in which a settlement is not urgent. The Minister, apparently, will not interfere in the non-urgent ones. May I call his attention to the fact that a State Department is specially concerned in this by reason of the fact that it is endeavouring to enforce on the workers at Rhynana an extremely low rate of wages? Does the Minister not think, having special functions in respect of industrial disputes, that he ought to intervene in order to bring the strike to a satisfactory conclusion and thus try to put his Department in such a position that it will pay a fair rate of wages to those whom it employs? The Minister should recollect that his Department has a certain responsibility under the Constitution.
I have been trying to explain that even if the men returned to work it is doubtful if there is any work for them.
That is quite beside the point. The Minister has a certain responsibility in the matter of endeavouring to effect a settlement of industrial disputes. He is now arguing that there is no urgency about a settlement. There was on the day the strike took place and the day afterwards, and the Minister has done nothing to exercise his functions in that regard. Will he now take steps to endeavour to effect a settlement?
I am satisfied that no useful purpose would be served by my intervention.
In view of the unsatisfactory answers given by the Minister, I propose, with the permission of the Chair, to raise the matter on the adjournment.
Time was given for the discussion of a motion on the position of Rhynana within the last fortnight. Consequently, the Chair does not propose to allow it to be raised on the adjournment. Furthermore, the matter may be relevant on an Estimate which will soon be before the House.
I am not proposing to raise the merits of the Rhynana dispute. I am merely proposing to raise the action of the Minister and the unsatisfactory reasons which he has given for his inactivity in this matter. I do not propose to raise the merits of the dispute at all.
The Chair does not purpose allowing that matter to be raised on the adjournment.
The Minister has said that he declines to intervene in the Rhynana dispute because he does not think there is any emergency which requires relief by a settlement of the dispute. Does not the net question arise as to whether it is not the Minister's duty to try to restore good relations in any industrial dispute, whether an emergency is associated with the work being done or not?
That aspect of the case has no relation to the question on the Order Paper.
May I put it to you that offering me an opportunity of raising this matter on the Estimate is not satisfactory?
I regret it is not, but the Chair will certainly not allow it to be raised on the adjournment.
I submit that it is a most unfair ruling.
There is a recognised method of challenging it.
That is a different issue, and you know it well.
It is no answer to a reasonable plea by me to be given an opportunity of exercising my rights in the matter.