Breaking News
Earlier this morning the Supreme Court issued a judgement in the case of Náisiúnta Leictreach Contraitheoir Cuideachta Faoi Theorainn Ráthaíochta (NECI) & The Labour Court, The Minister For Business Enterprise & Innovation, Ireland and the Attorney General.
The judgement can be found at this link; https://courts.ie/judgments
Based on our initial understanding the Supreme Court has found the legislation that allows us to seek Sectoral Employment Orders that give legal protections to rates of pay (remuneration) and provision of Pension/Sick Pay & Death in Service Benefits to be “Constitutional”.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
- This means that our current protections remain in place for All Construction Workers and Mechanical Workers (regardless of where they come from)
- This means our applications to the Labour Court for a SEO for the Electrical Contracting Sector can now proceed.
- This means our applications to the Labour Court for another SEO for the Mechanical Contracting Sector can now proceed.
- This means our applications to the Labour Court for another SEO for the Construction Sector can now proceed.
- All other terms & conditions remain as outlined in our National Collective Employment Agreements.
WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?
In order to protect and even build upon our current terms & conditions we need to be at our strongest.
If we are negotiating our agreements we need all workers to be in the Union to increase our negotiating power.
If we are utilising the legislation to secure a Sectoral Employment Order we must prove that we are continuously representative of workers in the industry.
Non-Union Workers undermine everything you have fought for.
So the only way to ensure we can succeed is to make sure that every Worker is in the Union.
There is no clearer way to put this, we should ask all our colleagues if they are in the Union and if they are not, we should explain to them that working “Non-Union” is putting everything at risk including;
- Current rates of pay
- Current provision of Pension/Sick Pay & Death in Service Benefit
- Current Travel Time/Country Money payment
- Future Pay increases and changes to terms & conditions of employment
- Future Sectoral Employment Orders
So, when you return to work on Monday morning ask your colleagues if are they in the Union and if they’re not, tell them to go to https://connectunion.ie/membership/ to get their membership sorted.
(Please note; any member that previously let their membership lapse in the past can talk with membership about the easiest way to re-join)
Then you should talk with your Union colleagues about setting up a workplace committee and the election of workplace Representatives.
Contact us at construction@connectunion.ie for more information on how to organise your workplace.
Remember, Our Union’s strength comes from Our Members. Stay Strong, Work Union.
Useful Links;
For all other queries go to; https://connectunion.ie/contact-form-for-union-members-with-workplace-queries/
If you are looking for work register for Union Jobs at: https://connectunion.ie/current-campaign/connect-trade-union-jobs/
Have a great weekend and stay safe,
Brian Nolan
Assistant General Secretary
Connect Trade Union
