'Redundancy reform my top priority' - Rabbitte
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has said that reform of redundancy legislation will be among his priorities in 2003.
At present, a worker laid off by his or her employer is legally entitled to just half-a-week's pay for every year of service up to the age of 41 and one week's pay for every subsequent year. Mr Rabbitte said these levels - which were set in 1967 - should be changed to ensure that laid off workers can leave their jobs with dignity.
Mr Rabbitte also said that he supports trade union efforts to secure legislation requiring employers to recognise trade unions which represent their staff.
At the moment, workers have a right under the Constitution to join a trade union, but employers are not obliged to recognise those unions or to work with them during industrial disputes.
Mr Rabbitte said the Labour Party is currently preparing a bill that would force employers to recognise trade unions if an agreed proportion of the workforce were members of those unions.
