Written Answers. - European Rights Charter.
Joe Sherlock
Ceist:
178
Mr. Sherlock
asked the
Minister for Labour
if his attention has been drawn to the recent Charter of Rights produced by the European Network of the Unemployed; his views on the objectives of the charter; if he intends to take any steps to further the objectives of the charter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I presume the question refers to the Charter of Rights of the Unemployed which was drafted by delegates from eight European countries at the annual conference of the European Network of the Unemployed in Spain in October 1990.
The charter is a wide-ranging document comprising a series of demands relating to employment and the labour market generally which would have implications for different aspects of Government policy and programmes.
Most of the labour market issues raised in the charter are already being addressed in the context of Government policy and the Programme for Economic and Social Progress.
Tackling unemployment remains a major priority of Government as the charter advocates. In this respect the Government fully recognise the value of social consensus in achieving its aim of sustained economic and employment growth.
I agree with the charter's call for the creation of real and socially useful employment: the only substantive answer to the problem of unemployment is the creation of authentic, viable, self-sustaining jobs.
The successive national programmes agreed between all of the social partners have proved to be the major contributory factor to the economic recovery achieved over the last four years. I am convinced that without these agreements this country could not have come through the global recession as well as it has compared with most of the major economies of the world. Indeed, the Irish economy is better placed than most to capitalise on the anticipated upswing in world trade.
Hours of Work/Overtime
As provided for in theProgramme for National Recovery (PNR), 150,000 workers now benefit from reduced working hours. A framework agreement on hours of work was concluded in 1989, providing for the implementation of a one hour per week reduction in working hours where the normal working week is at or above 40 hours. The Department are aware of over 450 agreements which have put the framework into effect.
While systematic overtime depresses job-opportunities, however, the question of negotiations about the trade-off between extra jobs and the ability of firms to respond to market changes is best handled through the local collective bargaining process.
Part-time Employees/Short-term
Employment
Under the Worker Protection (Regular Part-Time Employees) Act, 1991 employment protection and holiday and maternity benefits were extended to those working a minimum of 8 hours per week.
TheProgramme for Economic and Social Progress (PESP) contains a commitment to review the legislation relating to holidays.
The question of short term employment contracts is a matter for negotiation between the employer and the employee. Any undue Government interference in this process could severely restrict a firm's flexibility and could damage employment potential.
Minimum Wage
As there are many factors contributing to low pay, measures to tackle the problem must cover a wide range of areas such as education, training, social benefits, taxation and collective bargaining. The overall solution to the problem of low pay is to increase the range of job opportunities available.
Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) provide a flexible and effective means of tackling the problem of low pay in particular sectors. There are at present 15 JLCs in operation, representing approximately 68,000 workers.
In addition, the pay increases negotiated under theProgramme for National Recovery and Programme for Economicand Social Progress have been deliberately structured in favour of the low-paid and provide for minimum flat-rate increases while the Programme for Economic and Social Progress provides that the Employer-Labour Conference will consider all the issues affecting a statutory minimum wage, including the opeation of the JLC system.
Employee Participation
Arising from commitments contained in theProgramme for National Recovery and Programme for Economic and Social Progress the FIE and ICTU have had discussions on how best to encourage and develop employee involvement.
Arising from these discussions a joint-declaration, covering employee involvement in the private sector, was published in June 1991, with the aim of promoting employee involvement as a complementary activity to conventional industrial relations practices.
Protection of Employment
The Protection of Employment Act, 1977 provides that an employer must notify workers' representatives of proposed redundancies and consult with them on their implementation.
The operation of the Act is currently under review.
Rights of Foreign Nationals
All EC nationals and non-EC nationals who are legally working here enjoy the same rights as Irish workers as provided for under protective legislation.
Training
All of the mainline training/retraining courses provided by FÁS are designed to improve the skill levels of trainees. The courses are updated regularly to take account,inter alia, of changing skill requirements. They are geared towards various categories of persons, with priority being given to persons on the live register and early school leavers. Training is provided for women returning to work after a prolonged absence from the workforce.
The aim is to have certification for all FÁS training courses. Several courses receive joint certification through FÁS and City and Guilds of London. Under this arrangement, there is a mutual system in operation. Negotiations are in progress with a view to involving other bodies in the certification of courses on a similar basis.
Unemployed persons are not obliged to participate in training. However, they are encouraged to participate and persons with dependants are paid an additional allowance over and above the normal training allowances.
Primary responsibility for training of employees rests with employers although the State encourages such training. Close liaison is maintained between the State training agencies and the educational system.
FÁS provides funding for the 13 ICTU centres for the unemployed, totalling about £150,000 per annum. In addition, assistance is provided through its cooperative development programme and through social employment scheme projects.
CERT, the Council for the Education, Recruitment and Training for the Hotel, Catering and Tourism Industry, is the coordinating and executive State-sponsored body responsible for the education, recruitment, training and placement of staff at all levels for the industry. It provides training both for those seeking to enter the industry and for those already employed. There is equality of access to CERT training for males and females. Personal development is included in all CERT training courses.
At Maastricht, eleven member states, including Ireland, signed an Agreement on Social Policy which sets out the procedure for implementing the 1989 Social Charter.
Future developments in this field will be largely influenced by the provisions of the agreement.
