Siptu executive recommends entering partnership talks

Siptu's national executive has voted to recommend that the union joins the new round of national pay talks.

At a meeting this morning, the executive decided to convene a special delegate conference to vote on the issue.

This conference, to be attended by up to 400 delegates, will be held in Dublin on January 31st. The executive will recommend at this meeting that the Government's offer of talks be accepted.

The Government has circulated a letter to unions in which it said that the exploitation of workers will be the first issue to be addressed as part of multi-strand negotiations.

Sitpu said last year that it would not take part in any partnership talks until the issue of worker exploitation was addressed. Siptu had been involved in several high-profile cases of exploitation, including in Irish Ferries and Gama Construction.

Siptu president Jack O'Connor said this afternoon his union would fight to protect workers and preserve living standards among its members. "I've absolutely no doubt that it will be a very difficult negotiation," he said.

A letter to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions from Secretary to the Department of the Taoiseach Dermot McCarthy said: "In respect of pay and workplace matters, it is proposed that the process of negotiation will reflect the NIB [National Implementation Body] statement of December 4th, which recognised the need for urgent engagement on employment standards, displacement, inspection and enforcement, the protection of vulnerable workers from overseas, and related issues raised by Congress.

"This will therefore constitute the first strand of these negotiations," Mr McCarthy, who is the Government representative on the NIB said in the letter.

Ictu welcomed the Government's proposal and urged participation in the talks.

It is expected talks between the Government, unions and employers' representatives will get under way next month.