Plans to introduce compulsory collective bargaining for all companies in the State will be announced tonight by Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore at the opening of the Labour Party national conference in Killarney.

A memorandum on the issue will be brought to Government by Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton next month.

At present workers have a legal right to join a trade union, but employers are not obliged to negotiate with them.

The proposal has been agreed by the Coalition parties and will oblige companies to negotiate with workers, but not necessarily with trade unions.

Several big foreign multinational firms and some large Irish companies engage with works councils rather than trade unions and provision will be made for this in the collective bargaining system.

Anti-victimisation code

The proposed system will set down a standard for the kind of works councils that will be recognised and an anti-victimisation code for those who engage in trade union activity will also be part of the process.

Mr Gilmore said the Coalition was determined to ensure that any arrangements would reconcile Ireland’s obligations while ensuring continued success in building the jobs base.

The programme for government contains a commitment to reform the existing law to ensure compliance with recent judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.

A consultation process has been ongoing and a memorandum is scheduled to be brought before Cabinet on December 17th.

Some months ago the employer group Ibec said that such a move would cost jobs.