Unions chief warns against two-tier labour market

The creation of a two-tier labour market could lead to serious racial and social tensions, it was warned today.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions stressed that immigration is not a tap to be turned on and off to suit the state's economic needs.

Congress General Secretary, David Begg, told a seminar on business and immigration, that we must avoid a two tier workforce with immigrants occupying the lower tier.

He said even if the first generation of immigrants are willing to stay at the bottom rung of the ladder, their children will expect to be treated equally with all Irish citizens.

However, Mr Begg warned if treated unfairly we cannot expect the same kind of race relations problems as in the UK and France. President Mary McAleese also called for Irish citizens to welcome immigrants in their attempts to settle in both work and school.

"The minimum wage is already the default position for an increasing number of employees," said Mr Begg. "It is no longer regarded as a social safety net but rather as an acceptable wage for non-Irish nationals.

"If that is to be the case then Congress believes there is a compelling reason to increase it substantially, as we have stated in our recent submission to the Labour Court."

Mr Begg told the Institute of European Affairs conference that globalisation — particularly worldwide migration — was putting downward pressure on the lower-skilled wages.

He said that while Irish business had benefited enormously from immigration, there was a danger that it would be seen as a panacea for longer-term structural problems in the Irish labour market, which it is not.

"The incentive to bypass the non-active citizens here or to fail to provide the infrastructure of caring necessary to allow women to remain in the labour force or to increase our productivity through upgrading skills — in favour of drawing on immigrant labour supply as the easier option — may lose us the demographic advantage we currently have over the rest of Europe," he said.

He added that the negative effects of immigration could best be mitigated through preventing the emergence of a two-tier labour market, operating an effective employment standards regime as per the measures agreed in Towards 2016, ensuring the minimum wage was kept above the threshold of decency, investing in integration and ensuring migrants get jobs commensurate with their skills.

President McAleese said few nations have as much experience of outward migration and the life of the emigrant as the Irish. She said while small groups of non-Irish nationals have made their lives here over the generations, the issue of interculturalism has zoomed to the top of the agenda as a result of significant inward migration in very recent years, stressing the change signals the health of our economy.

"For the first time in a century and a half the tide of emigration has been reversed," said Ms McAleese.

"But with the remarkable landscape of opportunity that Ireland now presents, both to her own people and to others, comes this fresh challenge to manage the process of living together in and with diversity, and to manage that process well."

The President told the association of managements of secondary schools conference on multicultural education that non-nationals coming to Ireland are proud of their nations and identities which would contribute to their new home.

"We hope that over time they will grow to love Ireland and her people and that they will quickly adapt to the rhythm of Irish life, that they will grow curious and knowledgeable about Irish culture, that they will become good neighbours, colleagues and friends in communities of spontaneous welcome," she said.

"We know that the welcome they meet here is as crucial to their active citizenship as is the positive attitudes they bring with them and the efforts they make to settle."

President McAleese added that the provision of effective intercultural education is a real challenge that impacts heavily on teachers, school management, staff, parents, pupils and local communities in promoting an inclusive school environment as part of an inclusive society.

PA