asked the Minister for Labour the reason he has not taken an initiative to settle the industrial dispute involving 183 technicians in the employment of a company (details supplied).
16.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Industrial Dispute.
15.
asked the Minister for Labour the efforts he has made to terminate the strike by 183 telephone technicians field staff employed by a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
This dispute has been the subject of negotiations between the union and management at local level and at the Labour Court under the chairmanship of an industrial relations officer. These talks are continuing and I hope they will lead to a resolution of the dispute.
How long has this dispute been in progress and when did the Labour Court first become involved? Have proposals emerged from that involvement?
The dispute in question is an official strike involving some 170 members of the MPGWU. The strike commenced on 5 August 1983. Since then there have been six conciliation conferences, and discussions are going on today.
After a strike of three months is the reason the talks are on today the question put down by my colleague?
The Deputy would be very rash to believe that.
The Deputy is realistic.
There have been protracted discussions at local level between management and the union. In addition, the conciliation service of the Labour Court has at all stages been available and it has been availed of on six occasions when conciliation conferences took place. The present position is that talks continue at local level and the Labour Court continues to keep in touch with the progress of the dispute and the court is available to assist the parties as the opportunity arises. Proposals which emerged at the last meeting of the parties were considered by management who responded by letter on Wednesday, 19 October, and further discussions go on at this moment.
Is the Minister of State aware that this dispute arises from a company request to union members to resign from their union, a William Martin Murphy type tactic? Also, is the Minister of State aware that considerable contracts from Government Departments are entered into with this company? Has he considered using the influence of the Government to terminate this dispute and to allow employees the right to join or not to join trade unions?
The dispute is over the transfer of approximately 23 technicians, members of the MPGWU, to a new company. I do not think it proper for me to go into the merits of the dispute, given the sensitivity that I have indicated to Deputy Fitzgerald, at this time.
Is the Minister aware of whether or not new Government contracts were placed with that company since 5 August, in other words during the period of the strike?
I do not have that information.
17.
asked the Minister for Labour the estimated number of man-days lost due to industrial disputes, official and unofficial, in each of the quarters ended 31 March 1983; 30 June 1983; and 30 September 1983.
The Central Statistics Office is the official source of statistics relating to industrial disputes but up-to-date figures are not yet available from that office for the periods referred to in the Deputy's question. The Department of Labour estimates, however, that the number of man-days lost for the quarters ending March 1983, June 1983 and September 1983, is as follows:
|
Quarter ended |
Days lost |
Offical |
Unofficial |
|
31 March 1983 |
40,000 |
37,000 |
3,000 |
|
30 June 1983 |
85,000 |
74,000 |
11,000 |
|
30 September 1983 |
117,000 |
108,000 |
9,000 |
Does the Minister not consider the growing pattern during the three quarters a matter of concern?
Any loss of man-days is a matter of concern. On the other hand, the fact that the period in question shows such an improvement overall on recent years is a matter for some satisfaction. The Deputy might be interested in the comparable figures for the previous years. The total for the quarters ending March, June and September of 1982, for example, was 341,000 and the total for the quarters ending March, June and September of 1981 were 322,000. Therefore, while there are no grounds for complacency, the trend would seem to be in the right direction.
There are so few people working that the figures would have to drop.
18.
asked the Minister for Labour if he has had, as promised, discussions with both sides of industry, regarding the improvement of the industrial relations climate; the number of meetings held; who attended; and the headings discussed.
The Minister for Labour held preliminary meetings with representatives of the Federated Union of Employers on 26 July 1983 and with representatives of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on 28 July 1983. At these meetings a comprehensive agenda covering the whole area of industrial relations was agreed by both sides. The Minister is now completing a discussion document which he intends sending to the social partners within the coming weeks and further discussions with both sides will follow its circulation.