GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS ON PRECARIOUS WORK MUST COMPLY WITH LETTER & SPIRIT OF UL RECOMMENDATIONS
29 March 2017
Senator Ged Nash has said that legislation from government on precarious work must comply with ‘the letter and spirit’ of the University of Limerick proposals he published in government.
Government legislation designed to improve the working conditions of employees in precarious work is expected in a matter of days.
Senator Nash said:
“Making work pay and dignity at work agenda was a cornerstone of our work in government and continues to be at the very heart of Labour’s work in the Oireachtas and across the country.
“This was reflected in new and empowering collective bargaining legislation; the re-establishment of Joint Labour Committees which has seen radical improvements to the pay and terms and conditions of contract cleaners and security workers; the reintroduction of a Registered Employment Agreement System and a new Sectoral Employment Order system; the establishment of the Low Pay Commission and two significant increases to the National Minimum Wage.
“In government, I commissioned the University of Limerick to work with me to design proposals to reform the area of precarious work.
“We published these proposals and this process has now concluded.
“Unfortunately, there are still too many people who are going to bed on a Sunday night not knowing how much they will earn the following week.
“Certainty over hours of work, security in terms of income and a right to have the reality of your working hours reflected in your written contract is the very least someone who works for a living should be entitled to in law.
“It is crucial that the legislation emanating from government passes these tests and reflects the letter and the spirit of the proposals I published and the subsequent Labour Party Uncertain Hours Bill which was passed by the Seanad.
“I look forward to examining the legislation in detail when it is published and bringing forward amendments where required.”