There is increasing talk of “social dialogue” and an EU directive as an ambition of the trade union movement, and we need to be concerned about this.
Tag: Industrial Relations Act (1990)
More than social democracy is needed
With a new Tory prime minister committed to a Brexit deal that is unlikely to win support in the House of Commons, the odds are heavily in favour of a general election that by any normal calculation would be won by the Labour Party—not just any Labour Party but one led by a left-wing social democrat.
Abolish the Industrial Relations Act!
The biennial delegate conference of the ICTU is being held in Dublin on 2, 3 and 4 July. It will debate and formulate policy and goals for member-unions for the next couple of years.
There is no doubt that falling union density and the high age profile of the membership are serious concerns for unions. Major changes are needed to reverse this trend.
Challenging anti-union legislation
On Saturday 23 March the Trade Union Left Forum held its first event of 2019. Under the heading “Let us arise: Has anti-union legislation got workers on their knees?” the workshop at the Connect hall in Gardiner Street, Dublin, attracted workers from throughout the trade union movement, reflecting the small […]
Industrial relations law – Seeing the wood and the trees
There is no doubt that union density and union activity have declined drastically over recent years. The only time there was any increase was at the height of the global financial crash—and this was not an increase in total membership, it was an increase in density, resulting from the fact […]
“Not seeing the wood for the trees”: A response (1)
In the July and August issues of Socialist Voice, Jimmy Doran and Niall Cullinane debated the merits of reforming the Industrial Relations Act (1990). While Jimmy was enthusiastic for reform, Niall was more sceptical. In elaborating this scepticism he raised many interesting and important points. Limitations of space prevent a […]
“Not seeing the wood for the trees”: A response (2)
In September’s Socialist Voice, two articles (“Not seeing the wood for the trees” by Ernst Schreiber and “Unity is strength” by Laura Duggan) raised issue with a piece written by this contributor in the August issue (“The wrong act?”). I will confine my response to the former, because, in contrast […]
Not seeing the wood for the trees – A technocratic solution to a political problem
The problems facing organised labour in Ireland—declining density, lack of younger members, difficulty engaging contract workers, depleted funds, hostile media coverage, etc.—are well known and familiar to all those involved in the movement today. Many people have posed rather sensible responses to these issues, such as a better use of […]
Unity is strength
The job of trade unionists is to fight the cause of the workers “An Act to Make Further and Better Provision for Promoting Harmonious Relations between Workers and Employers . . .” reads the long title of the Industrial Relations Act (1990), and its predecessors and amendments. The use of the phrase […]
The wrong act? Thinking about the Industrial Relations Act (1990)
A recent article in Socialist Voice made a powerful case for addressing the inequities of the Industrial Relations Act 1990. As the article identifies, the Act is an anti-union measure. Indeed, it might be said that Bertie Ahern achieved in one act what it took Thatcher and Major to do […]
What is the Industrial Relations Act?
The Industrial Relations Act (1990) was introduced on 18 July 1990, replacing the Trade Disputes Act (1906), the main principle of which was that anything done in a trade dispute, provided it was not illegal in itself, would be free from criminal and civil liability. The 1990 act was introduced […]
Mandate conference: Building for the future
At the end of April, Mandate held its biennial conference, with more than three hundred delegates from the retail and bar sectors in attendance, under the theme “Organise! Organise!! Organise!!!” The conference was opened by the general secretary, John Douglas. His remarks were not “grandstanding” or throwing shapes but instead […]