Thursday, 7th July 2011

HOTELIERS WELCOME JLC RULING BY HIGH COURT

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) today welcomed the High Court’s ruling that the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system is unconstitutional. Tim Fenn, Chief Executive, IHF called on the Government to accept the ruling, which he states has shown JLCs to be deeply flawed, inequitable to employers and a severe impediment to job creation.

Mr Fenn states that the best way to protect employees is through the extensive primary legislation that is already in place such as:

• National Minimum Wage Act 2000, which introduced an enforceable national minimum wage,
• Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which regulates a variety of employment conditions including maximum working hours, night work, annual and public holiday leave,
• Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996, which regulates the employment and working conditions of children and young persons, and
• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which regulates that employers have a duty to ensure the employees’ safety, health and welfare at work as far as is reasonably practicable.

Mr Fenn states that, with 440,000 people on the live register, the overriding objective for the Government must be job creation, getting people started in work and giving them an opportunity to develop their skills base and careers. He sates, “By accepting the decision of the High Court, Minister Richard Bruton would remove a serious barrier to job creation and enable hoteliers to unlock the significant additional employment capacity within the sector”

Mr Fenn states that the hotels sector offers huge potential for creating additional jobs very quickly if the Government allows hotels to achieve viability based on a sustainable cost structure. He states that, coupled with control of other cost inputs within the economy and a continued programme to improve Ireland’s image abroad, Irish tourism can create a further 20,000 jobs by 2015. This is in addition to the 180,000 individuals already employed throughout the sector.

FOR INFORMATION:
Eoin Quinn / Siobhan Molloy   Tel: 01 6760168
Weber Shandwick                   Mob: 087 233 2191 / 086 817 50 66