Trade Union Federation (TUF) representatives have reached agreement with Dublin City Council on monitoring the implementation of employment agreements on housing and community project building sites with the aim of eradicating the practice of bogus self-employment. The agreement follows a number of protests by members of TUF, which comprises SIPTU, BATU and Connect trade unions, at Dublin City Council building sites in recent months. SIPTU Sector Organiser, John Regan, said: “Our members protested at sites operated by Dublin City Council as part of the TUF ‘Red Card’ campaign against workers being forced into bogus self-employment by unscrupulous employers and labour providers. Following the protests, Dublin City Council conducted an audit of its sites. The findings of this audit and the recommendations stemming from it have been accepted by Dublin City Council and TUF. There is now an agreement signed on the future monitoring of all housing and community projects sites operated by Dublin City Council to ensure there is full compliance with the Sectoral Employment Order and collective employment agreements for the construction industry.” BATU General Secreatary, Brendan O’Sullivan, said: “The TUF wishes to acknowledge the proactive approach shown by Dublin City Council in stamping out non-compliance within its area of responsibility. TUF members have tirelessly campaigned to eradicate the practice of bogus self-employment and are committed to ensuring work is done to ensure that the terms of this agreement are applied nationally across all local authority areas.” Connect National Compliance Officer, Brian McAvinue, said: “The TUF is now calling on all local authorities to put in place a similar, robust monitoring system to remove non-compliance within publicly funded construction projects. We would like to thank all our members who supported and participated in the protests which led to this agreement. Their efforts have ensured that PAYE, pensions, holiday/sick pay and death in service benefits for workers are applied on building projects operated by Dublin City Council projects. We would also like to acknowledge the support of a number of Dublin City Councillors including the chairman of the DCC Housing Committee, Daithi Doolan.”
TUF and Dublin City Council sign agreement to monitor employment compliance on sites
