It is timely now to review the country’s industrial relations landscape given legal challenges to parts of the existing system and international developments on how employers and trades unions engage, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise and Employment Leo Varadkar has said. The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the establishment of a high-level review group to look at collective bargaining and industrial relations. It will include representatives from trade unions and employers as well as officials of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of the Taoiseach. “The approach to industrial relations in Ireland is one of volunterism, whereby the State does not seek to impose a solution on the parties to a dispute but will, where appropriate, assist them in arriving at a solution. The employers’ group Ibec said that “internationally, we are observing a strong focus on the creation of longer term value for stakeholders as well as shareholders by business”.

Source: The Irish Times March 30, 2021 18:56 UTC