Absolute guarantees that every worker engaged on the MetroLink construction project will receive, at a minimum, the full terms of the Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) for the construction industry, and all other statutory protections, have been demanded by SIPTU.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has indicated that no Irish construction firm possesses the specific expertise and scale required for a project of this magnitude, which involves significant tunnel boring and metro construction. As a result, the main contract will likely be awarded to a major international consortium.
The overall project is estimated to require a workforce of about 8,000 people during the construction phase, which is projected to last approximately seven years, with international workers supplementing the Irish workforce.
SIPTU Organiser, Andrew McGuinness, said: “Our Union wants to make clear that no contractor, agency or subcontractor should be allowed to bypass legally binding standards on pay, pensions, working time or conditions of employment for the construction sector. The scale and cost of the MetroLink project require that the highest standards of employment practice are strictly adhered to.
“MetroLink is being described as a once-in-a-generation national investment. If that’s the case, then it must also set the benchmark for workers’ rights. Every worker must be covered under the Construction SEO from day one. There can be no loopholes, no undercutting, and no attempts to import labour on inferior terms. These standards are the law, and we expect them to be upheld.”
SIPTU also warned that the State must plan now for accommodation for the thousands of workers who will be required. With rents at record levels and availability at historic lows, the Union said the project could deepen the accommodation crisis unless proper planning is put in place.
McGuinness added: “You cannot bring a major workforce into Dublin without addressing where they will live. If there is no accommodation strategy, workers will be pushed into overcrowded or unsuitable conditions, and that is unacceptable. Housing these workers must be treated as essential infrastructure.”