Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 7

Written Answers. - Dispute Procedures.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

89 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the progress that has been made by the Labour Relations Commission to establish a code of practice on dispute procedures, including procedures in essential services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5690/95]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

The code of practice on dispute procedures, including procedures in essential services, drawn up by the Labour Relations Commission and published in January, 1992, aims to ensure that disputes are resolved without resource to industrial action by providing practical guidance on procedures for the resolution of disputes. The code places particular emphasis on the avoidance of disputes in essential services, with additional safeguards set out for inclusion in employer-trade union agreements in such services.

Adoption of the code is primarily a matter for negotiation and agreement between employers and trade unions in accordance with the voluntary nature of our collective bargaining system. However, I am concerned that adequate procedural arrangements should be in place and be followed if industrial relations are to be conducted in a professional manner. The need for procedural safeguards in organisations providing essential services is widely acknowledged.

Regrettably progress on the adoption of the code's provisions has been disappointing. Because of the lack of progress consultations were held with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Labour Relations Commission with a view to establishing a basis on which the negotiation of better procedures could be further encouraged, particularly in essential services.

Arising from this consultative process, the Labour Relations Commission, under the auspices of its advisory service, is currently carrying out a detailed review, involving managements and trade unions in a range of organisations providing essential services. The purpose of the review is to establish the potential for improving the procedures and processes used in dispute resolution. A senior official from my Department is assisting the advisory service with this review.

Sixteen organisations providing essential services have been selected for this review. The officials carrying out the review are in the process of meeting management and unions in these organisations with a view,inter alia, to (i) discovering what action has been taken so far in relation to the adoption of the code; (ii) finding out what dispute procedures are already in place in these organisations; (iii) getting the views of the parties as to what difficulties they are experiencing or foresee in adopting the code; and (iv) providing encouragement and support to the parties in their efforts to make progress on the adoption of the code.

There are many complex issues to be addressed in the review, which will involve meetings with over 40 different parties as there is more than one union in many of these organisations. It will, therefore, take some time to carry out the review. The commission has undertaken to make available to me the outcome of the review as soon as it is completed.