LEGISLATION TO recognise the right of workers to collective bargaining with their employer would be introduced by Fine Gael if returned to government, according to party enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar.
The Fine Gael front bench had taken a decision to this effect, in line with the terms of the Charter of Fundamental Rights included in the Lisbon Treaty.
The party would consult with employers’ representatives and trade unions on the terms of the legislation.
“Ireland is the only country in Europe in which workers do not have a legal right to engage in collective bargaining with their employer,” Mr Varadkar said.
“The issue of workers’ rights is centre-stage in the debate on the Lisbon Treaty referendum. Fine Gael believes that if the Irish people vote for the Lisbon Treaty, any future government must honour the charter in its national laws.”
Any future Fine Gael government would be “honour-bound” to respect the charter by enacting collective bargaining legislation.
“There are many models of collective bargaining. At one extreme, employers are required to recognise and negotiate with unions. This is the case in Australia and most of mainland Europe.
“In the United States, for example, employers are required to recognise unions only where a majority of workers vote for it by secret ballot. I believe that the solution for Ireland lies somewhere in between.
“Employers should be required to establish employee representative Committees to provide a means by which they can talk to and negotiate with their employees.
“However, where these committees are not established democratically or fail to deal with trade disputes, unions should be allowed to apply for recognition using the American model.
“It may not be practical to apply this to small businesses with a small number of employees but it should be possible to apply it to larger ones.
“Fine Gael does not propose to dictate the shape of this legislation and we will seek agreement from employers’ representative bodies and trade unions in the first instance.
“However, Fine Gael in government will ensure that the right to collective bargaining becomes a reality in Irish law as well as a fundamental right in the European charter.
“Over the next few years, working people will be asked to pay a high price for the mistakes of Fianna Fáil, including further reductions in pay, changes to working conditions and weaker public services.
“It is unreasonable to expect working people to accept any of these changes without something in return.
“We believe that Ireland needs a new social contract and collective bargaining should be part of that new social contract,” Mr Varadkar said.