The new Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke needs to ensure that the labour market works for workers too.
In the last few months, we have heard the cries from the business lobby that the costs of doing business have become prohibitive and that the modest and necessary labour market reforms - transitioning to a real living wage, statutory sick pay, pension auto-enrolment - must be paused.
Responding, general secretary Owen Reidy said “I wish the new Minister well in his new role. Obviously, he and his government will be judged by workers on how he handles some key fundamental issues for the remainder of this government's term of office. It is essential the labour market works for workers as well as businesses.
"The new Taoiseach has stated that one of his priorities is to make work pay. I welcome this. The best way to make work pay is for the government to promote and support collective bargaining between unions and employers at various levels.
"The new EU directive which is to be transposed by 15th November this year obliges government to do just this. It is unacceptable that there remain hundreds of thousands of workers across the state who are denied access to collective bargaining essentially because of an employer veto. This must go. A mere 100 kms up the road workers in Northern Ireland enjoy this right, but not in this Republic.
"It is also crucial that the labour market reforms that the government has introduced continue. Commentary about pausing the roll out of statutory sick leave, if true would be a breach of trust with the many lower-paid workers in this economy who rely on statutory provisions. If specific sectors and employments need certain targeted supports, then so be it. But to pause the roll out would be a slap in the face for hundreds of thousands of workers".
