NI-based social care provider won’t recognise union south of border

Extern in receipt of multi-million Euro state contracts, refuses to engage with WRC

March 4th: Trade union Unite, which represents close to 60% of staff working for social care provider Extern, last week briefed Oireachtas members on the organisation’s repeated refusal either to recognise Unite or to engage at the Workplace Relations Commission.

The briefing was attended by a cross-section of Oireachtas members,  including representatives of Labour, Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, Solidarity-PBP and independents.

A copy of the briefing document is available for download here.

Outlining the background to the briefing, Unite Regional Organiser Roy Hassey explained

“Despite the fact that Extern receives millions of Euro is state funding – including nearly €5 million from Tusla – the organisation has not only refused to negotiate collectively with its employees through the union of their choice, but has also repeatedly refused to engage at the WRC.

“Extern recognises a union in Northern Ireland, but its workers’ right to collective representation stops short at the border.

“Not only do they refuse to recognise the union of their workers’ choice; Extern has also refused to engage with the state’s industrial relations machinery – despite being in receipt of significant state contracts.

“Our members perform the same work as their Northern Irish colleagues, and are demanding the same right to be collectively represented when negotiating with their employer”, Mr Hassey said.