23 February 2017
Fianna Fáil pose with Tesco strikers – then vote against Sinn Féin trade union rights Bill
● Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen on the Tesco picket line in County Offaly
Fianna Fáil were happy to be seen to stand with workers – if only for five minutes and a photo
IN A STUNNING DISPLAY of brass neck politics, Fianna Fáil voted against the Sinn Féin Right to Access Bill to ensure that trade unions have access to their members in the workplace just days after Fianna Fáil frontbench TD Barry Cowen had his photo taken with Tesco strikers.
Having been all too happy to have a quick snap taken with the workers of their local Tesco stores, there was not a hint of hesitation before they went to the lobbies and voted on Thursday against the most basic legislative protections of a worker’s right to union membership.
The Industrial Relations (Right to Access) (Amendment) Bill 2016 was tabled by Waterford TD David Cullinane. It would have meant that a representative of a trade union would be entitled to enter a workplace to speak with union members or recruit potential members and that workers must be allowed attend at least one union meeting a year, all subject to reasonable conditions.
These seemingly modest proposals would have signalled that the current Dáil was serious about protecting collective bargaining in Ireland at a time of serious industrial unrest.
While Fine Gael have been content to fan the flames of turmoil among the workers in education, health, and public transport, Fianna Fáil were happy to be seen to stand with workers, if only for five minutes and a photo.
The value of their sincerity was seen to be false as they cast their ballots. Workers’ rights are the latest victim of ‘New Politics’ as Fianna Fáil waver between Government and Opposition as the mood takes them.
Tesco workers are on the picket line to try and block unilateral changes to contracts of employment. When Sinn Féin representatives stood with them, it was with the authority of putting forward legislation to protect their rights; when Fianna Fáil went down to the picket line, it was with the intention of getting a handy tweet.
