The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has accused the Government of pandering to business interests in joining with Britain to block a draft EU law that would give temporary workers supplied through agencies the same pay and conditions as full-time staff.
Congress general secretary David Begg said that he had written to Labour Affairs Minister Billy Kelleher expressing "very deep resentment" at the actions of the Government in opposing efforts to reach a compromise on an EU directive governing agency workers.
At a briefing yesterday, Ictu also strongly criticised the Budget for prioritising "bricks and mortar" capital developments in the national development plan ahead of social infrastructure such as training and upskilling.
Mr Begg said that there had been nothing in the Budget for his constituency of workers.
He said that the Budget was "a missed opportunity" to create a more positive environment for the next round of national pay talks which are scheduled to take place early in the New Year.
Mr Begg said that in his Budget the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, had stuck to the business side of the national development plan in his investment priorities.
He criticised the failure to deliver any childcare assistance for working parents. He said that generally children had to be placed in creches at six months to allow their mothers to return to work.
There was a need to move to a society where a child could get 12 months with his or her parents. He said Ictu demands in this area had been completely ignored.
He said it seemed absolutely wrong that there could be a discussion about the future of the country in terms of bricks and mortar but no consideration was given to the crucial issue of young people.
"I feel quite angry about this because there was no recognition about the problems that parents are facing. Flexibility in this place means hiring and firing. It never means flexibility of people to work in a way that is beneficial for society at large."
Mr Begg criticised the Budget for confining improvements on mortgage interest relief to first-time buyers.
He said the trade union movement had understood, following a meeting with Ministers last June, that everyone would benefit from the measures to be introduced.
Mr Begg also indicated that a new pay deal would be very difficult to sell if a number of other issues such as pensions, the treatment of agency workers and trade union representation rights were not tackled.
On the draft EU law on agency workers, Mr Begg condemned the Government for "slavishly" following the British approach to social Europe.
He said Mr Cowen had recently stated that Ireland could not compete internationally on the basis of low wages. By blocking the directive, Ireland would be doing that precisely.
Mr Kelleher said on Wednesday that the proposed EU law threatened to undermine competitiveness in the Republic.
