Workers’ Rights need to be upheld at this time
Labour Party TD for Dublin Fingal, Duncan Smith, has said that the Government need to communicate clearly with businesses and workers their plans to open back up sectors of the economy.
Deputy Smith said:
“The projections published by the Department of Finance today in the Stability Programme Update paint a very bleak picture of our economy for the coming months and years.
“We all know that COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on our economy that we knew we would feel the shocks of for quite some time. The Stability Programme Update predicts that we will see unemployment reach a peak of 22 per cent, which is extremely worrying.
“The Government need to produce a plan now that allows sectors of the economy to get back on track, that gives workers peace of mind and that allows our citizens to feel like things are getting back to normal.
“What we have seen occur to companies such as Debenhams over the last few weeks where they have gone into liquidation but workers have had no say in what comes next or are allowed to fight for better terms in an exit package cannot be allowed to become par for the course over the next number of weeks and months.
“Government now has a responsibility to work with State actors such as Enterprise Ireland, trade unions and employer representatives to get the economy back on track while at the same time ensuring that workers’ rights are upheld at this very uncertain time.
“Open, honest communication from Government is what is needed at this time to allow employers and employees plan for what comes next.”