Tánaiste needs to stop holding up pay increases for contract cleaners

• He needs to sign the Employment Regulation Order urgently

Labour Spokesperson on Employment Affairs, Senator Marie Sherlock has called on the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar to stop holding up pay increases for contract cleaners and sign the Employment Regulation Order urgently.

Senator Sherlock said:

“Contract cleaners are essential frontline workers who are part of the backbone of the workforce who kept this country going throughout the pandemic, yet they are some of the lowest paid workers in our economy.

 

“Earlier this year, the Joint Labour Committee decided that workers should receive a 40-cent increase to take effect from December 1^st. On November 4^th the Labour Court adopted this pay agreement so that it could become what is called an Employment Regulation Order. The final stage in this process is that the Minister must sign the ERO to give it statutory effect.

 

“However, the Employment Regulation Order is still on the Tánaiste’s desk waiting to be signed meaning that thousands of contract cleaners may not get their pay increase as originally agreed from December 1st. The Tánaiste needs to stop holding up pay increases for contract cleaners who have not had a pay increase in two years.

 

“We now have a situation where for the past month, a pay agreement has been sitting somewhere in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment waiting for the Tánaiste to sign it and all the while contract cleaners are left wondering whether they will get their pay deal. This is unacceptable.

“I am asking the Leader of the Seanad to ensure that the Tánaiste signs the ERO today and if not, that he come into this house to explain why he is content to leave some of the lowest paid wait for a small pay increase.