LABOUR Minister for Business and Employment, Jed Nash TD, responded to a call for an outright ban on zero hours contracts of employment from Marian Healy, secretary of the Labour Party, during a visit to Limerick this week.
Minister Nash spoke at a meeting organised by the Labour Party attended by trade union officials from Unite, SIPTU, Mandate and the Trades Council. He vowed to take action later this year when the study into zero hours contracts he commissioned is completed at the UL Kemmy Business School.
The Minister detailed Labour’s record in government protecting workers, restoring the level of the minimum wage and reducing unemployment from almost 15 per cent in 2011 to just over 10 per cent today. He also outlined new initiatives to protect workers, the Low Pay Commission to independently review and set the minimum wage and collective bargaining legislation that he will bring before the Dail later this year.
Also speaking at the meeting, Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan TD, said that she was working closely with Minister Nash to ensure that construction contracts for the building of new schools will safeguard pay and conditions for construction workers and be seen as models of best practice in the re-emerging construction sector.
