Ictu says delay in protecting workers' rights a factor in rejection of treaty

THE GOVERNMENT'S tactic of "obstruction" and "delay" in implementing EU policy aimed at protecting workers' rights was a factor in the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary David Begg has said.

Speaking at a conference on social policy in Dublin yesterday, hosted by church group Cori, he said the reasons for the No vote were varied, but he believed the way the labour market had been managed since 2004 was a factor.

"The many cases of exploitation of foreign and domestic workers which have been in the headlines since then are often blamed on Europe. In truth, they are more appropriately left at the door of our own Government which, at the behest of business, opened our labour market of two million to a wider 72 million without making any preparation in terms of regulation," Mr Begg said.

Accusing the Government of creating "a neo-liberal economy", he said the situation was the "polar opposite" of what this State set out to achieve when it joined the EEC in 1973. "If we examine our collective conscience, over time we will perhaps allow that we spoke the language of Europe, but never really assimilated the principles of solidarity inherent in its social market economy model.

"Perhaps that is why the treaty's statement of commitment to that type of political construct found no resonance with the electorate."

He questioned the commitment of some parties to social partnership, adding: "It was the same with the draft Directive on Agency Workers which, with Britain, we obstructed for six years. In short, we have over the years taken the obstruction, delay and minimalist transposition of EU directives into Irish laws to an art form.

"We now find ourselves with the dubious honour of being congratulated by the leader of the Conservative party," Mr Begg added.

Society lacked a "convincing vision of the future in which there is a common good that everyone can subscribe to", he continued, saying he believed society should emulate the Nordic social model.