Unite demands ‘extreme weather’ legislation as workers told to take unpaid day’s leave

Employers accused of shifting closure cost onto workers

Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, said today (Sunday) that some construction employers instructed workers to take an unpaid day’s leave when sites were closed on Friday because of Storm Eowyn.

Pointing out that withholding pay when employees are unable to work could be considered an unauthorised deduction from wages, and thus unlawful, Unite said it will be supporting workers affected by this practice and challenging employers to ensure that wages are paid.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “By demanding that workers take a day’s leave when sites closed during one of the worst storms in living memory, highly profitable employers are trying to avoid their responsibilities.

“Unite will not tolerate such behaviour and construction employers should be in no doubt that we will be challenging this on behalf of our members.”

Noting that the incidence of extreme weather events may increase because of accelerating climate change, Unite said that new legislation is needed to protect workers from the impacts of extreme weather events such as storms, periods of excessive cold and heatwaves.

Unite regional officer James McCabe said: “We know that accelerating climate change will result in more frequent and extreme weather events. Workers are on the frontline of climate breakdown, and there is an urgent need for legislation and mandatory protocols to protect them. Such legislation must make it clear that workers will continue to be paid when extreme weather forces workplaces to close in the interests of health and safety.”