Rose Conway-Walsh: Fight for Living Wage and Workers' Rights

Comhairle, so I welcome this opportunity this evening during Trade Union Week to bring forward Sinn Féin's motion on strengthening workers' rights. I was delighted to work alongside colleagues from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on this motion and to host their representatives in the AV room earlier today for a briefing on their Quality Employment and Good Jobs Policy document. That was Eoin Reedy, Neil McGowan from SIPTU and John Regan, the Chair of the Meath Trade Council, along with my former colleague Paul Gavin. I'd like also to welcome members from the trade union movement to the public gallery tonight to follow tonight's debate and I really want to acknowledge all the great work that's been done in that area and the work that's been done to create a new economic model, a sustainable economic model that meets many of the challenges that we're facing today and that will bring us to a better future. But the purpose of this motion is twofold, so it's to support workers through this cost-of-living crisis and to increase collective bargaining coverage across Ireland. The reality facing workers is becoming increasingly difficult. Workers have never worked so hard and struggled so much. Across the country, people are doing everything right, working long hours, contributing to their communities and keeping our economy moving, yet still finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Despite strong economic growth and despite the prospect of even larger budget surpluses this year, far too many workers are being left behind. Wages are being steadily eroded by soaring fuel costs, by rising energy bills and everyday expenses that continue to climb. The cost-of-living crisis has not gone away and it is persistent and it's placing enormous pressure on working people and their families. Workers are putting in more effort than ever before, yet many feel undervalued and underpaid and they are right. The government's decision to delay the introduction of the living wage until 2029 sends an entirely wrong signal to workers. It tells them that their struggles can wait, but workers cannot wait and their families cannot wait. Relief is needed now, not years down the line. The delay is simply not acceptable. We must also look beyond headline employment figures. While employment levels may appear strong, they mask a deeper and more troubling reality. One in four jobs in Ireland is considered low quality, characterised by low pay, insecurity and poor conditions. This is not good enough. Unions will tell you that the poor job quality leads to burnout, to ill health and to lower productivity. Fair pay, progression options, predictable hours, training opportunities, a voice in the workplace and a strong work-life balance all lead to greater productivity and improved competitiveness. Workers must be paid fairly, young and old, and across every sector. The evidence is clear. The 2026 Ireland Things Poll, commissioned by ICTU, found that 52% of workers do not believe they are paid fairly for the work that they do. That figure cannot be ignored. Ireland continues to lag behind much of the European Union when it comes to workers' rights, particularly in relation to collective bargaining coverage. Only around a third of workers are currently covered, leaving far too many without a meaningful voice in their workplace. Recent announcements of potential job cuts in Facebook and in Covaline serve as a stark reminder of how vulnerable workers can be without strong union protections. Strengthening collective bargaining is not just about fairness. It is also about delivering better pay, better conditions and a stronger, more productive economy. That is why Sinn Féin is bringing forward this motion. The motion calls on the government to reverse the delay of the national living wage, to legislate for a legal right to collective bargaining through trade unions and, above all, to ensure that unions have legal access to workplaces. I am sick and tired of workers telling me that they have to meet in cafes, that they have to meet in places that they won't be known to discuss their workers' rights with unions, and to expand access to flexible and remote working arrangements, supporting a better work-life balance and reducing costs for workers. These are practical and achievable measures that would make a real difference in people's lives. This motion reflects the growing frustration among workers, but it also reflects a clear and constructive path forward. Today was an opportunity for us in this House to listen to unions and to act on behalf of workers. Instead, you have produced a counter motion that ignores all our calls, one that points the finger of blame elsewhere and one that will fail to deliver meaningful improvements to collective bargaining coverage across this country. I want to commend my colleague in the North Kiva Archibald for the good jobs bill. We need to have uniformity across the island in what we are trying to achieve here.