RGDATA: Give SMEs a voice on collective bargaining & statutory wage setting

“Taxes on windfall profits should also be considered for the insurance companies that are not lowering premiums,” said RGDATA director general Tara Buckley

High level group will review collective bargaining and the industrial relations landscape in Ireland

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RGDATA has written to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar to ask for representatives of the SME sector to join the proposed high-level group on collective bargaining and statutory wage setting.

The Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association represents over 4,000 independent family owned grocery shops, convenience stores, forecourt stores and supermarkets in Ireland.

The Irish government intends to set up a High-level Working Group under the auspices of the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) that will review collective bargaining and the industrial relations landscape in Ireland.

Prof Michael Doherty, Maynooth University has been appointed chair and membership will include “senior representatives of union and employer sides nominated by ICTU and Ibec, Professor Bill Roche of UCD and officials from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and the Department of the Taoiseach”.

The group will examine:
• Trade union recognition and the implication of same on the collective bargaining processes.
• Adequacy of the workplace relations framework supporting the conduct and determination of pay and conditions of employment.
• Reform of statutory wage setting mechanisms.

The group will report quarterly to the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. It will convene in mid-April with the aim of producing an interim report by the end of July 2021 and completing its work as soon as possible thereafter. RGDATA has asked for representatives of SMEs to be included.

“The glaring omission from this group is representation from the SME sector,” RGDATA director general Tara Buckley told the Tánaiste. “We urge you to balance this group and include representatives of SMEs. The programme for government makes specific commitments regarding giving a stronger voice and representation to SMEs. However, here we have a very practical example of how SMEs are not at the table when important issues that will have a significant impact on their businesses are being considered.”

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