Comprehensive Government Plan needed on Collective Bargaining
Comprehensive Government Plan needed on Collective Bargaining - The Labour Party
Labour spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, Senator Nessa Cosgrove has called on the government to ensure there is a comprehensive programme of statutory and policy measures put in place to implement an action plan to increase the level of collective bargaining in Ireland.
Senator Cosgrove was commenting after making a submission on behalf of the Labour Party to the consultation by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
Senator Cosgrove said:
“Ireland has the weakest workers’ rights in western Europe and is an outlier on trade union recognition in the workplace. Trade union density has fallen, and collective bargaining coverage is about half the projected EU target of 80%.
“The government must use the promise of the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages to introduce far reaching changes. As a first step, the recommendations from the final report of LEEF High Level Group on Collective Bargaining are implemented.
“In our Labour party submission, we make detailed recommendations on the need to:
• Ensure workers are provided with a legal right of access to trade union representatives who must also have a right to access the workplace.
• Overhaul the Unfair Dismissals Act so that no worker can be punished for organising or seeking to organise for better pay and conditions at work.
• Remove the employer veto at Joint Labour Committees to increase sectoral coverage, particularly in areas with high levels of low pay.
• Use the public procurement budget and state funding to reward good employers and ensure recipients of public funds engage in collective bargaining.
• Ensure the industrial relations and enforcement machinery of the State is properly resourced and fit for purpose.
“Substantial reforms are needed as low levels of collective bargaining are a key driver of high market income inequality, leaving too many workers on low pay and in precarious work.
“The recent government decisions to postpone the introduction of a living wage and delay an increase in the number of statutory sick pay days highlights the urgent need to increase the levels of collective bargaining in our society to improve terms and conditions.
“Greater workplace democracy leads to increased productivity, flexibility, and innovation, and will enable more sustainable and resilient economic growth.
“The Minister for Enterprise must now ensure his action plan has real teeth and substantive legislative and policy changes to support and increase the level of collective bargaining in Ireland.”
Labour’s submission to the consultation on Ireland action plan on promotion of collective bargaining is available here: https://labour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Labour-submission-Consultation-on-Irelands-action-plan-on-the-promotion-of-collective-bargaining.pdf