George Lawlor demands collective bargaining and fair pay

We in the Labour Party are pleased to support this motion and I am pleased to move the amendment in my own name and the names of my Labour Party colleagues. This debate goes to the heart of what kind of economy we want and what kind of society we want and what value we place on the people whose work keeps this country running every single day. We are living through a cost of living crisis that has not eased and shows no sign of easing in any way any time soon for ordinary households. Inflation may fluctuate on paper but its impact is felt in every weekly shopping bill, every rent payment and every energy bill. Workers are doing everything they are working hard, contributing to the economy, paying their taxes, yet too many workers still find themselves struggling to get by week in week out. This weekly struggle is not inevitable, it is the result of political choices. I listened with interest to this afternoon's Taoiseach's questions where he spoke about how he represents workers and not billionaires. The simple fact is this government is one of the most anti-worker governments to govern in this chamber. And while the government often points to record on employment levels, those headline figures mask a deeper problem. As has been said already, one quarter of all jobs in Ireland are classified as poor quality, low paid, insecure and absolutely lacking basic protections. This is not a small minority, it is a major issue in our labour market. Workers themselves are telling us this. The 2026 Things poll, commissioned by ITU, found that 52% of workers do not believe that they are paid fairly for the work they do. That figure rises even higher for women and those on lower incomes. The Working in Ireland survey shows that 44% of workers who are not currently in a union would join one if they had the opportunity. That is a powerful indication of a demand for collective representation. Yet Ireland remains an outlier in the European Union. We still do not provide a statutory right to collective bargaining. We lag behind other EU member states on paid annual leave. And while other jurisdictions, including Northern Ireland, are moving forward with ambitious good jobs legislation, this government has stalled, delayed and diluted its commitments. The evidence is clear for all to see. Trade union membership and collective bargaining raise pay. It improves productivity and reduces staff turnover. They strengthen the economy as a whole. But instead of embracing these benefits, the government has rolled back on statutory sick pay commitments and delayed the introduction of a living wage until 2029. That delay leaves low paid workers exposed for years to come. This is why this motion calls for a legal right to collective bargaining, for workplace access for unions, for aligning the minimum wage with the living wage and for expanding access to flexible and remote work. Motions and bills that we in the Labour Party have brought forward in this chamber and yet have been vehemently opposed by this government, not even being facilitated to go to second stage for fear of upsetting big business and the friends in high places. And these are not radical demands. They are basic standards in many European countries. Imagine us having the audacity to demand that employers attend JLC talks, upstairs downstairs is alive and well in the bastions of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We must call out the government's recent decisions also. Decisions that have repeatedly undermined workers' rights and living standards. That is why the amendment that we propose is necessary. Our amendment notes that in Budget 2026 the government provided a VAT reduction to the hospitality sector costing £232 million in 2025 and £681 million in 2027 with no requirement that employers engage with trade unions or participate in joint labour committees. This is a sector where low pay and precarious work are widespread, yet the government attached no conditions to ensure that workers would benefit. The government failed to index income tax bans and credits in line with wage growth for PAYE and self-employed workers. At the same time it introduced an improved diesel rebate scheme backdated to January 2026 and other sectoral fuel supports. Once again, ordinary workers left behind while selective reliefs were prioritised. Since the general election, the government has repeatedly voted down Labour Party legislation designed to strengthen workers' rights, including bills to end age-based pay discrimination by abolishing sub-minimum rates for young people and ensuring apprentices and interns receive at least the minimum wage. Bills to strengthen sectoral wage setting through JLCs by ending the employer's veto. A bill to provide a real right to remote and flexible work, not merely a right to request it. The introduction of statutorily paid medical leave for cancer screening. And the government is on course to miss the mandatory deadline of 7 June 2026 for transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, a directive designed to close the gender pay gap and empower workers with information they are entitled to. These are not isolated oversights. They form a pattern of choices that consistently favour employers over employees and short-term political convenience over long-term fairness. Our amendment further calls on the government to take the actions workers urgently need. To introduce a cost-of-living mini-budget to index income tax bands and credits in 2026. Backdated to January, just like the others, alongside targeted energy credits and other supports. Commit to a levy on windfall energy profits and by reversing the hospitality backdrop. Commit to ending age-based pay discrimination in the poverty wages imposed on young workers. Increase statutory sick leave to 10 days, as originally promised when the legislation was introduced during the pandemic. And bring forward legislation before the summer recess to fully implement the Pay Transparency Directive. This motion, strengthened by the Labour Party amendment, is about fairness, dignity and economic justice. It is about ensuring that work pays and that the prosperity of this country is shared by those who create it, day in, day out. Workers are not asking for special treatment, they are asking for a fair deal. They are asking for a government that listens, that acts and recognises that a strong economy is built on strong rights, strong protections and strong collective bargaining. I look forward to attending the May Day celebrations at the Lockout Gate commemorating the 1911 lockout next Friday evening and I urge anybody who is available to attend also.