The Workplace Relations Commissions (WRC) recovered almost €2 million in unpaid wages in 2023, according to their annual report.
Some 6,519 workplace inspection visits took place with the WRC Inspectorate placing a strong emphasis on sectors including Fishers, Road Transport, Construction, Agriculture, and on the National Minimum Wage.
A total of 4,727 inspections were completed with €1.95 million recovered in unpaid wages.
The number of adjudication hearings scheduled, and the number of hearings held by the WRC Adjudication Service each increased by almost 13 per cent and 12 per cent on 2022, with the number of decisions issued by the service, increased by 50 per cent in 2023 on the previous years.
The WRC pre-adjudication mediation service delivered an additional 127 mediations in 2023 compared to the previous year, representing a 19 per cent increase in mediations.
Their conciliation service, which is central to maintaining good workplace relations and the effective resolution of disputes, was involved in the resolution/prevention of a number of serious high-profile disputes. Its success rates remain high at around 85 per cent.
They also facilitated discussions in late 2023 between the Government and the Public Sector Trade Unions/Associations on a successor agreement to Building Momentum and this engagement continued into early 2022.
Over 61,800 callers were helped by the WRC’s Information and Customer Service staff providing information on employment, equality, or industrial relations matters: up by 3 per cent on 2022.
Welcoming the report, Emer Higgins, Minister of State for Employment Affairs said: “The WRC continued to perform strongly in 2023, and its Annual Report for the year illustrates the effectiveness of the WRC across the full ambit of services it provides, including adjudication, inspection, conciliation, mediation, advisory and information services”.
“The WRC continues to play an important role in terms of a level playing field across the economy for companies and employees, ensuring employment rights are upheld for all. Recovering almost €2 million in unpaid wages in 2023, the WRC is playing a crucial role in this regard.”
