UP TO five bodies dealing with dispute resolutions in the workplace could be merged as part of reforms proposed last night by Minster for Enterprise and Jobs Richard Bruton.
In a speech at UCD he suggested that the simplest arrangement would be to have a single body dealing with workplace grievances in the first instance and another dealing with appeals.
“There should be a single point of entry for all users of employment rights machinery. It would make sense that the Equality Tribunal, 90 per cent of whose cases are workplace-related, would come within this new single point of entry. That single point of entry would take over the first-instance functions currently performed by the Labour Relations Commission, Rights Commissioners, National Employment Rights Authority, the Equality Tribunal and the Employment Appeals Tribunal.”
Meanwhile separately yesterday, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar publicly backed the controversial proposals put forward by Mr Bruton for reforming the joint labour committee (JLC) system for setting wages for thousands of lower paid workers.
The proposals, which have yet to be finally considered by Cabinet, have been strongly criticised by Labour Party backbenchers.
Mr Varadkar said there was absolute agreement at Government level that the JLC system needed to be reformed radically, though the exact detail had yet to be worked out.
He said Mr Bruton’s proposals did not envisage the abolition of Sunday premiums but rather he was proposing that the same rights that applied to all other workers on Sundays should also apply to workers covered by JLC agreements.
Mr Varadkar said he agreed with Mr Bruton’s proposals but the final decision would be made by Government and there would have to be some compromise.
In his speech on the State’s employment enforcement/redress machinery, Mr Bruton said that users currently faced “a bewildering array of options when seeking to initiate a claim”.
He said there were about 30 different pieces of employment law and many more statutory instruments; five redress/enforcement bodies; at least six websites including that of his own department; upwards of 35 different forms; a range of different time limits within which to pursue their claim; and a waiting time of anything up to 80 weeks depending on which route is taken.
“For many employers and employees the system is too complex and onerous, takes too long to navigate and costs too much.
“Abuses go undetected yet compliant businesses can still be embroiled in very costly hearings. Workers who deserve protection face unacceptably long delays for redress.”
Mr Bruton said the best way to allow workers to have their rights vindicated and to allow compliant businesses meet their obligations was to have a simpler, more effective system. “Reform presents an opportunity to achieve these goals, and at a significantly lower cost than the €20 million now being spent in this area.”
He said he was open to hearing the views of interested parties in the coming weeks before detailed proposals were drawn up.