Sectoral Employment Orders: Unite welcomes stay on High Court orders

Today’s decision maintains important protections for workers

Protective ballot underway

July 31st: Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, today (Friday) welcomed the decision by Mr Justice Simons to put a stay on the orders proposed in the recent High Court decision striking down the Electrical Sectoral Employment Order.  The Government has stated its intention to appeal the High Court decision.

Commenting, Unite Regional Officer Tom Fitzgerald said that today’s decision vindicated Unite’s call on June 24^th for the decision to be stayed pending appeal.  Mr Fitzgerald also said that the union is currently conducting a protective ballot of members seeking a mandate for industrial action in the event of any employer seeking to reduce terms and conditions.

“Today’s decision maintains important and hard-won protections for workers throughout the construction sector.

“Notwithstanding this decision, however, Unite – together with other affiliate unions of the Congress Construction Industry Committee – will continue balloting our members for industrial action in the event that any employer seeks to use last month’s High Court decision as a pretext for reducing terms and conditions.  The ballot will conclude on August 31^st.

“As we await the outcome of the State’s appeal to the Supreme Court, our members know that the surest safeguard of their terms and conditions is their industrial strength”, Tom Fitzgerald concluded.