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Fianna Fáil refuses to protect vulnerable workers
2 December, 2008
Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon Sinn Féin Workers Rights
Spokesperson Arthur Morgan said last night's revelations of migrant
worker exploitation in RTE's Primetime was further evidence that the
Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment must immediately adopt
measures contained within the Employment Compliance Bill and make
appropriate amendments to allow National Employment Regulatory Authority
(NERA) Inspectors to impose penalties and fines against employers who
are found to break the law 'at first instance'.
Deputy Morgan said:
"Sinn Féin has repeatedly raised the issue of migrant worker
exploitation in the Dáil. This type of exploitation is rife,
particularly for the most vulnerable of workers in low-pay non-unionised
employment.
"Workplace exploitation constitutes a wide variety of situations in
which a worker is taken advantage of and denied their rights provided
under Irish & EU law. Exploitation can range from discriminatory
practices in pay and conditions, to situations of forced labour. Such
exploitation is particularly prominent in sectors that are poorly
regulated such as agriculture, domestic workers, cleaning and restaurant
and hotels.
"The current system of issuing work permits that tie workers to an
employer fosters the widespread abuse of migrants and is nothing short
of bonded labour. Sinn Féin had called for permits to be issued directly
to individuals when the Employment Permits Act was passing through the
Dáil in 2007.The current situation could be immediately reversed if
government steps up and amends work permit legislation so that work
permits are applied for by the worker and not the employer. Government
must also legislate that all workers regardless of their legal status
have the right to exercise their employment rights to ensure that there
are no barriers to legal redress.
"Protecting workers has never been a priority for Fianna Fáil. Their
lousy record speaks for itself. The have refused to properly enforce
exiting employment legislation. They blocked the EU Temporary Agency
Workers Directive until it became inexplicable to our EU partners to
continue to do so. Only this year have they finally presented the
Employment Compliance Bill. They have failed to deliver their 2006
commitment to deliver a fully-resourced team of 90 inspectors
operational around the country by the end of 2007.
"If Fianna Fáil and the Greens are serious about tackling worker
exploitation then the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment must
immediately adopt measures contained within the Employment Compliance
Bill to allow National Employment Regulatory Authority (NERA) Inspectors
to impose penalties and fines against employers who are found to break
the law 'at first instance'. The Minister also needs to increase the
number of the labour inspectorate to ensure proper enforcement of labour
law." ENDS
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