20 Years of Social Partnership in Ireland

Presentation to the Western Australia Industrial Relations Society by

Declan MorrinDirector of Advisory ServicesLabour Relations Commission

Dublin

Irish Industrial Relations System

• Voluntarist.• Union density (declining).

– 20-30% in Private Sector.– 80% in Public Sector.

Irish Industrial Relations Environment

• Relatively stable IR.• Low Strike Levels.• Social Partnership.• Moderate pay increases.

Irish Industrial Relations Institutions

• LRC.• Labour Court.• Employment Appeals Tribunal.• Equality Tribunal.• National Employment Rights

Agency.

Labour Relations Commission

• Established in 1991.• Promotes good IR.• LRC provides

– Advice, Conciliation, Mediation and Rights Commissioner Services.

• Tri-Partite Board.• 50 staff.• 14 Rights Commissioners.• State Funded.

Advisory Service

• Promotes good practice.• Codes of Practice.• Training.• Research.• IR ‘Health’ Checks.• Non-union sector.• SME Sector.

Conciliation

• Helps disputing parties to resolve issues.

• Usually collective issues.• 1,500 to 1,700 cases per

annum.• 75%-80% settled.

Rights Commissioners

• Deal with individuals or small groups.

• Employment Rights issues mainly.• Over 7,000 cases in 2006.• Rights Commissioners nominated

by Union or Employer bodies.• They are experienced IR

practitioners.

Ireland In The Late 1980’s

• Economic stagnation.• Unemployment 19%.• Inflation 20%.• Mass emigration.• Possible IMF intervention.

Social Partnership

• Programme for National Recovery 1987-1990.• Programme for Economic and Social Progress

1991-1993.• Programme for Competitiveness and Work

1994-1996.• Partnership 2000 for Inclusion, Employment and

Competitiveness 1997-1999.• Programme for Prosperity and Fairness 2000-

2002.• Sustaining Progress 2003-2005.• Towards 2016 – A 10 Year Framework Social

Partnership Agreement 2006-2015.

Celtic Tiger

• Stable cost base for employers• Euro Zone• Stable Public Finances• Stable Industrial Relations

Strike Statistics and Trends

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Strikes 192 116 102 80 65 38 49 52 41 48 32 36 33 27 34 32 39 26 27 24 11 16 10

1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Inward Migration

Poland 150k

China 60k

Lithuania 45k

Latvia 30k

Nigeria 28k

UK 25k

USA 6k Philippines 5k

Romania 5k

Pakistan 4.5k

Inward Investment

• 1,200 Foreign Owned Companies• 40% of US Investment in electronics• Most profitable location for US

investors• Software Capital• Call Centres• Financial Services• Pharmaceutical and medical devices

Economist Business Intelligence Unit

Social Partnership Impacts

• One million new jobs• Unemployment from 19% to

4.4%• GNP increased five fold• Better living standards• Personal taxation down from

60% to 42%

Enterprise Level Partnership

• Active Relationship• Common Interests• Complementary Commitments• Common Ownership of Challenges• Enhance Prosperity and Success• Employee Involvement and

Participation• Enhance Work Environment

Benefits of Partnership

• Improvements in:– Performance– Productivity– Innovation– Benefits– Morale– Gain Sharing

Celtic Tiger Mark 2

• National Workplace Strategy– Innovation– Change– Future Skills– Greater Access– Quality of Working Life

Further Information

Internet: www.lrc.ieEmail: declan_morrin@lrc.ie