A renewed attempt to kick-start talks on a new national partnership deal will be made by Government, employer and union representatives in the coming days.
Settlement of the Irish Ferries dispute early yesterday has removed a major obstacle to talks on a successor to Sustaining Progress, which expires within weeks for tens of thousands of private sector workers.
However Siptu has warned that it requires further progress in preliminary discussions with employers and the Government before it can enter talks. The State's biggest union wants assurances that talks would be likely to deliver a package of measures to combat exploitation of migrant workers and job displacement.
Siptu president Jack O'Connor said yesterday progress had been made and things were "inching" in the direction of talks taking place, but the union needed to see the "broad parameters" of an agreement on measures to maintain employment standards before its leadership could recommend participation.
Siptu must reconvene a special delegate conference, adjourned in October, before a decision can be taken. Negotiations on a new national agreement, therefore, are unlikely to begin before mid-January. Informal contacts between union leaders, employer bodies and the Government, however, are expected to resume immediately.
These had been put on hold while energies were focused on resolving the ferries dispute.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin indicated yesterday that progress had been made in the informal talks to date. Government officials had had "significant discussions" with unions on new ways of enforcing employment standards and ensuring compliance with labour laws.
This might not mean the "traditional response" of appointing additional labour inspectors, he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme.
"It could be different approaches and we've said to the unions that we're open to new modalities of doing that."
Mr Martin did not add to the comments but it is understood he was referring to discussions concerning an enhanced role for the labour inspectorate, which polices compliance with the minimum wage and other employment laws.
In a discussion document prepared earlier this year, inspectors complained that a confusing mandate, poor legal back-up and severe limitations to their powers were hampering them in their work.
Irish Ferries services began returning to normal yesterday following settlement of the company's dispute with Siptu at the Labour Relations Commission.
The Jonathan Swift and the Ulysses resumed sailings between Dublin and Holyhead, while the Isle of Inishmore was expected to depart Pembroke early this morning.
The deal concluded at 4am allows the company to proceed with its controversial plan to replace more than 500 seafarers with cheaper migrant labour, who will be hired through an employment agency.
However, concessions secured by Siptu mean the new staff will be paid at least the minimum wage of €7.65 an hour. They will also have more time off than initially proposed.
Tensions had been mounting on board the ships on Tuesday, with members of the Seamen's Union of Ireland claiming that Siptu's stance was putting severance payments in jeopardy.
At one point, catering staff on the Isle of Inishmore refused to serve food to four ships officers, members of Siptu, who had been barricaded in the control room for the past three weeks.
