AnAlYsis Joint lABouR CoMMittees
War against the low paid Mandate National Coordinator TENS of thousands of low paid workers will still be afforded protections under the new system of Joint Labour Committees despite the best efforts of the business lobby and the unwelcome intervention of the EU/ECB/IMF Troika to restrict the operation and application of universal collective agreements. The new JLCs proposed by Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton and published on the department’s website on December 22 last year has yet to be introduced into the Dail. The Bill was drafted in direct response to the ruling last July in the High Court in the John Grace Fried Chicken Ltd case in which JLCs were deemed unconstitutional. The previous JLC system – which worked perfectly well for both employers and workers – was sacrificed on the altar of the Troika by the last government in late 2010. Mandate has successfully campaigned and intensively lobbied with other unions and the Coalition to Protect the Low Paid to ensure that workers previously covered by the wage-setting mechanisms will continue to be protected under the new provisions.
Pictures: ASU
By Brian Forbes
International issue: Australian worker shows her feelings about attempt to cut wages
Also, it is imperative that any new JLCs would be able to provide for overtime rates, pensions and sick pay which were not contained in the previous system. Mandate is not satisfied that the provision for Sunday premiums has
not been included in the proposed changes to the new JLC mechanism. Working Sundays is not optional for thousands of workers in retail and in many other sectors. The vast majority of workers both in Ireland and internationally who
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y sHopflooR
MARKS & Spencer has agreed to enter into talks with Mandate’s M&S National Negotiating Committee. It is understood the discussions will have a wide-ranging agenda and include a pay review. The outcome of these talks will be brought to a M&S national shop stewards’ meeting before April. The shop stewards will then decide if the proposals should be put to members at M&S with a recommendation.
Bar staff to be balloted MANDATE members working at the Homestead Bar, Cabra, are to be balloted over roster changes. It follows a number of discussions between Mandate officials, Licensed Vintners Association representatives and local management. A number of cost-saving measures had been sought by management intially involving pay cuts and a redundancy agreement. However, an agreement was brokered on roster changes, allowing the company increased flexibility but maintaining the earning levels and working hours of members.
work on Sundays receive an additional premium for doing so. Despite the provision for low paid workers covered by the Bill to achieve a Sunday premium through a yet to be agreed code of practice to be developed by the JLCs it is a backward step for workers and their families and could see many workers working Sunday’s for significantly less than at present. In the Irish retail sector we have seen basic hourly rates in some employments fall to the National Minimum Wage of €8.65 and unsocial hours payments fall from time plus 33% per hour to time plus 50 cent per hour. These reductions are having a devastating impact on low paid workers and their families. Mandate believes a code of practice will not reverse this trend as it is more likely to, rather than set a rate; suggest what employers may find as “fair and reasonable”. Challenging what is meant by “fair and reasonable” is like pushing against a haystack. It is also disappointing that provisions for employers’ pleading an “inability to pay” the agreed JLC rates would have an extended exemption of up to two years for the employer. Mandate working with other trade unions and organisations rep-
resenting low paid workers managed through direct campaigning to achieve significant concessions in the drafting of the original Bill and we continue to exert influence over the final Bill to be brought before the Dail soon. We achieved a basic adult rate and two higher rates based on experience and service in the industry when it was originally proposed by the Minister that there would only be one adult rate and that any increases would be based on service with the employer. We also achieved a climb down on the original intention to include a reference that the JLC must take into account pay in equivalent employments in Northern Ireland and the UK when setting rates here. This intention was replaced by a reference to wages in “other relevant jurisdictions”. Mandate is anxious for legislation to be enacted as quickly as possible so unions can get down to the business of putting back in place the mechanisms required to protect low paid workers against the determination of the business lobby to drive costs down while maintaining and, in some cases, increasing profits through reducing workers’ wages and term and conditions in a constant race to the bottom.
Union Representatives Introductory Course The Union Representative Introductory Training Course is for new shop stewards/union representatives. The course aims to provide information, skills and knowledge to our shop stewards/union representatives to assist them in their role in the workplace. Course content: • Background to Mandate. • The role and responsibilities of a Shop Steward/Union Representative. • Examining disciplinary/grievance procedures. • Developing negotiating skills. • Representing members at local level. • Communication skills/solving members’ problems. • Organising, Recruitment and Campaigns. • Induction presentations. Certification and Progression: Members who successfully complete this course will obtain a Mandate certificate. They may progress to a Union Representative Advanced Course and to other relevant training courses offered by Mandate. If you are interested in this course, please contact your Mandate official or Mandate's Training Centre at 01-8369699. Email: mandateotc@mandate.ie 7