People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith has called on the government to withdraw their amendment to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill. She said that if the government were to push their amendment, and effectively kick the Bill down the road for 12 months, that it would be a betrayal of retired workers all across the country who have given decades of service to this country.
The government amendment effectively delays the progress of the Bill for 12 months.
Speaking a head of the Dáil debate this morning, she said: “Retired workers all across this country are watching this Bill and are furious that the government intend on kicking this Bill to touch. The amendment compounds the offence by ignoring retired workers- they are not even mentioned as groups that should be consulted in the next 12 months.
“Workers who have given decades of service to this country and workers in the future need to have a say in any proposed changes to their pension schemes.
“Retired workers are saying ‘nothing about us without us.’The idea that profound changes can happen to their pension schemes- schemes to which many have contributed for decades of their lives- is fundamentally unjust and must be addressed. I’m asking the Government to withdraw their amendment. Many of these workers have campaigned for decades on this, they won’t tolerate any further delays.”
