THE IRISH Congress of Trade Unions has said it will oppose Government proposals to make thousands of unemployed people engage in social employment in the community if they are to retain existing benefits.
In a letter to the Minister for Social Protection the general secretary of congress, David Begg said it was particularly concerned at reports that unemployed workers would be under threat of losing their social welfare if they do not participate in the new scheme.
On Sunday, the Department of Social Protection revealed plans for a pilot scheme which would initially see around 10,000 people who are unemployed offered social employment on a range of projects such as the provision of childcare, working with sports clubs and on environmental initiatives such as improving forest and mountain pathways.
They would be paid about €210 for a 19.5-hour week. However, under the Minister’s plans, those who refused to take up this work will lose their welfare payments .
On Sunday, congress president Jack O’Connor had said that it was not opposed in principle to the scheme, although he raised a number of concerns. Congress sources said yesterday that its position on the Government scheme had been set out following a meeting of senior figures on Monday.
The new congress letter to the Minister emphasises and expands on Mr O’Connor’s concerns, particularly in relation to any compulsory element of new scheme.
Mr Begg’s letter states: “Trade unions will vigorously oppose mandatory participation and ‘workfare’ schemes that are more about punishing unemployed than helping them.”
Mr Begg said congress supported the dual aims of creating employment opportunities for unemployed people while at the same time providing much-needed community, social, cultural and environmental services.
He said the acceptance by congress of the need for a work guarantee scheme should not be seen as agreeing to “park the unemployed” until the economy picks up.
“This scheme only reinforces the need for job creation. Nor should the scheme be used to down play cutbacks or make up for dwindling funds for local and community work. It must not be used to replace jobs nor to create a pervasive climate of fear.”
Mr Begg said congress wanted an urgent meeting with the Minister on the planned scheme. He said it wanted a number of safeguards to be included.
Congress argued that as part of any new work opportunity scheme, it was essential that participants had to be recognised as employees and that all employment rights such as sick leave, holidays, health and safety and rights to trade union membership must apply. Congress also urged that participation in the schemes must be “genuinely voluntary”.
It said refusal to participate should not result in any negative impact on social welfare or secondary benefits, and that there were a number of reasons why participation should be voluntary.
It said that people would take advantage of genuine opportunities offered and it was likely that more people would want to participate than there were places on offer.