Vol. 469 No. 6
181 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he has satisfied himself that the hourly rate being paid to employees of a hotel (details supplied) in Dublin 1 is sufficient; it he will ensure that the minimum pay standards are extended to these employees; and if he will make a statement on the question of non-union payments. [18034/96]
In the absence of statutory regulation through a Joint Labour Committee (JLC), or otherwise, rates of pay are a matter for negotiation and agreement between employees and employers, and/or their representatives. I understand that the present dispute in the hotel in question relates to a 3 per cent pay increase under the local bargaining clause of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. Prior to the commencement of strike action this dispute was referred to the Labour Relations Commission for conciliation. Two conciliation conferences were held but the parties failed to reach agreement. The services of the Labour Relations Commission and/or the Labour Court are still available to the parties to help resolve the dispute.
No application has been made to the Labour Court by any trade union or by an organisation representative of the relevant workers to have the existing Hotels JLC extended to cover the area in which the hotel referred to by the Deputy is located. In the final analysis any decision to set up a JLC, or to extend the remit of a Committee, would rest with the Labour Court (Industrial Relations Acts, 1946 to 1990).
