SIPTU has called the publication of the Government’s National Action Plan on Collective Bargaining a “potential game-changer” that could mark the beginning of a new era for workers’ rights in Ireland provided that it is implemented fully and robustly.
Addressing more than 300 delegates at the SIPTU Biennial Delegate Conference in Galway, today SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley, said that while the plan, published last week, falls short in some areas, it nonetheless represents a historic shift in the State’s approach to trade union rights.
She said: “Throughout the plan there is a recognition by the State that there are both societal and economic benefits associated with collective bargaining and the state has committed to promoting those benefits. This is a milestone and a potential game-changer for collective bargaining but only if our movement holds the Government to account and holds them hard.
“Crucially for SIPTU, the plan also contains commitments that if, actually implemented, have the potential to make unionising more accessible for workers and safer for activists.”
Buckley said SIPTU would engage constructively but firmly with Government and employers to ensure delivery: “Delegates, be assured, SIPTU, your union, stands ready to roll up our sleeves and to get stuck in for meaningful engagement with the state and the employers to ensure that the commitments in the action plan aren’t just words on a page. Our intention as a union is to ensure that there is real and robust implementation. No excuses.”
Turning to the broader political context, Buckley called for renewed cooperation among progressive forces, saying recent developments showed the potential for unity on the left.
“The cooperation between the left political parties in support of Catherine Connolly was not just a one-off success. It was a glimpse of what’s possible when progressive forces stop fighting each other and start fighting for something together. And SIPTU welcomed and endorsed the cooperation of the left parties in that election.”
She added: “To achieve our goals, real collective bargaining rights, affordable housing, a strong social state with quality public services, and an end to poverty wages, we need a government that actually shares our values. That means a government grounded in solidarity, not spin.
Buckley concluded: “Let’s take these opportunities, turn them into victories, and build a future Ireland that working people truly deserve.”