Siptu conference:The general president of the country's largest trade union, Siptu, has signalled his personal support for continuing with the social partnership process.
However, Jack O'Connor warned that the Government would have to introduce legislative reforms on trade union representation rights and in relation to agency workers.
Speaking on the final day of the union's biennial conference in Tralee, he said it was undeniable that social partnership had been the key to the greatest enhancement in living standards achieved in Irish history.
Mr O'Connor said that other than people of the utmost integrity on the left who disagreed with social partnership from the best of motives, the other opponents were the new breed of tooth-and-claw capitalist.
"They want to leave nothing for workers. They see social partnership as an impediment to that objective. And they may get their way. The 1980s have receded greatly in the collective memory. But they might not like it that much when they get it, though. Undoubtedly, they will have a few victories initially.
"But I believe that working people are resilient enough to regroup and give a good account of themselves. But personally and frankly, I do not believe it is best way forward."
Mr O'Connor said that if social partnership was to continue, it had to be about reconciling objectives of competitiveness with enhancing fairness at work and quality of life issues for everyone, not just a very wealthy minority.
"If we are to face the skills deficit and pensions time bomb and even to ensure the competitiveness in the economy, the way that has the most potential is the social partnership way, so long as we go into it a strong trade union movement."
However, he warned that if the partnership process was to continue, "certain issues" would have to be addressed.
"We can't go on being one of only three countries in the entire EU which hasn't legislated for equality of treatment for agency workers. We can't go on if we are the only country in the EU that has not, in some form or another, given effect in legislative infrastructure to the human right to be organised and to participate."
On the threat of inflation exceeding the pay awards under the current national agreement, he said: "If we are going to go into a further negotiation, if there is an invitation, we would have to have a special conference and we would have to see at that point where the agreement stands vis-a-vis inflation."
The debate on social partnership featured strong criticism from the education branch about the role of the performance verification group which sanctions pay awards in return for productivity measures.
Kieran Allen said that in the education sector, in order get the 2 per cent award, staff had to submit an action plan, and unless this was agreed by management, the money was not paid.