Government pledges to pass collective bargaining law this year
The Government has given a commitment to enact collective bargaining legislation by mid-2015.
Many Dunnes Stores workers
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Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash has written to Mandate trade union stating the legislation will be implemented within months.
The new legislation would allow the Labour Court issue recommendations which would be enforceable through the Circuit Court.
Mandate assistant general secretary Gerry Light says this will affect hundreds of thousands of workers.
"This type of an approach can only be persued when it's clearly established that an employer, after reasonable approaches are made to them, clearly do not want to engage in a manner which is befitting good industrial relations," he said.
"I think this legislation, when it's enacted, will just move up the obligations on employers a little bit more.
"But any employer, who seeks in the first instance to treat workers fairly - I don't think they have much to fear from this legislation."
