asked the Minister for Labour if there are any proposals on hand to establish a minimum wage for workers in this country as a first step towards achieving equality with wages paid in EEC member countries.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Workers' Wages.
20.
Statutory minimum rates of pay already exist for workers covered by joint labour committees and registered employment agreements as well as for agricultural workers.
In general I am satisfied that, apart from special categories which are not well organised in trade unions, wage determination is best left to the traditional collective bargaining process.
I should like to point out to the Deputy that the original six member countries of the EEC have not by any means achieved wage equality even though it is now 15 years since the EEC was established.
I should like to ask the Minister if any measure of protection can be provided for those people for whom trade unions do not act to ensure that there is a minimum rate?
There are minimum rates laid down for many grades of workers in this country but I am afraid I cannot see any way of protecting people who are not prepared to protect themselves by becoming members of a trade union.
There are people in isolated positions for whom trade unions could not cater by virtue of the fact that they are not in any great numbers in any industry.
I do not know of any way by which such workers could be protected.
Most of them are covered by the joint labour committees.
Yes, I have already stated that, but what Deputy O'Connell is concerned about are employees who are not members of trade unions and are not covered. He is concerned where employees are in small numbers and there are a number of such workers.
Do I take it that it is Government policy to disregard the lower paid workers who are not members of trade unions? Because they are not members of trade unions are they to be victimised?
No. We are endeavouring to do something about those workers who were neglected for so long under Fianna Fáil.
The Minister has said that they are not concerned with workers who are not members of trade unions and am I to take it from that that it is Government policy to disregard the rights of workers who are not organised?
The Deputy has already made that point and we cannot have an argument on this matter.
That does not arise out of my reply and it shows how little Deputy Dowling knows about workers in this country.
I am moving to the next question. I have allowed a lot of latitude to Deputy Dowling.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply I propose to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.