TEEU Selective use of the laws of Ireland

national | worker & community struggles and protests | opinion/analysis Wednesday October 29, 2008 16:41 by John mcoy

In a recent press release on their website Mr Wills of the Union speaks about the
“damning indictment of the attitude these contractors have towards their workers and employment standards generally, as laid down by the law”.

It is very rich of the same Mr Wills to totally ignore the law when it suits him. As the 1946 Industrial Relations Act clearly states under section 27 Part 3 section (c) The Labour Court should only register an agreement if it is satisfied that “that the parties to the agreement are substantially representative of such workers and employers,” Mr Wills and the Labour Court are fully aware that the AECI and the ECA are not and in fact never have been “substantially representative” of employers in the electrical contracting industry.

The same Mr Wills is also aware that the parties to the agreement did not comply with section 25 of their own flawed Registered Employment Agreement when the cozy cartel got together last April to decide on the disputed unrealistic 5% pay rise for 2007/2008. This are just 2 examples of the unions selective use of the law.

Mr Wills also seems to be hoping that the government’s commitment to strengthen REA legislation and the legal costs that have been incurred by the parties that are challenging the agreement will save the day for his union.

On these issues Mr Wills I can assure you that this fight to scrap a bad agreement has only served to highlight to our government the dangers of a Registered Employment in the first place and that running out of funds before the challenge succeeds is not an issue for those challenging the agreement.

This Registered Employment Agreement agreed unlawfully by the minority employer bodies is anti competitive, anti employer, anti employment, anti constitutional, and has not served anyone except the TEEU well. The sooner it is struck down the better for all.