The blunt refusal of Irish Ferries to abide by the Labour Court ruling in the dispute over the outsourcing of jobs to cheap migrant labour now threatens to scupper social partnership itself. Despite reports that a deal would be hammered out through the trouble-shooting National Implementation Body, Irish Ferries denied any knowledge of this. Both government and unions have every reason to be worried. The ICTU is officially locked into a position of refusing to start partnership talks unless there is some concrete initiative by the government to 'do something'.
The question is can the government compel Irish Ferries to adhere to the Labour Court recommendation? Or has it the will to try? The ICTU have said they "were not demanding specific measures, but nor did they accept the shoulder-shrugging attitude that there was nothing that could be done. "It's an issue of political imagination and political will". In other words the government should 'do something'. Presumably if the ICTU had the slightest idea what could be done they wouldn't be in the least bit hesitant about making some specific proposals. As far as social partnership goes, I doubt if most union leaders have given much thought to life after social partnership. It would be as well to start looking at the possible shape Plan B might take.
Generall everybody should abide the Law rules.
Posted by: ferrie | May 12, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Yes, the government can!
Posted by: ferry | May 12, 2009 at 01:56 PM