Ibec notes Supreme Court decision on Sectoral Employment Orders

Ibec, the organisation that represents Irish business, notes the decision of the Supreme Court today in finding that the provision in the Industrial Relations Amendment Act 2015 for the making of Sectoral Employment Orders (SEO) is constitutional.

Ibec acknowledges that the validity of SEOs has been confirmed and they remain an effective collective bargaining mechanism within the relevant sectors. Today’s decision will provide important certainty for many businesses and workers where valid SEOs are in place. The Electrical Contractors SEO at the centre of the case has been set aside on a number of grounds and has been remitted back to a different division of the Labour Court.   

Ibec Director of Employer Relations, Maeve McElwee, said: “While the validity of SEOs has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, Ibec remains concerned that such a collective bargaining mechanism exists which can unilaterally impose an Order on employers who are not a party to its formulation, and yet are legally bound to comply with it.”