The results of a 5-month investigation published today by Investigate Europe, a cross border investigative journalism team, has found evidence of widespread employment law violations, poor working conditions, and blocked union access at data centre construction sites across Europe.
The report reveals that Irish data centre construction companies are prominent in the findings of work practices that breach national working norms.
Days after Irish construction company Benbau was confronted with Investigate Europe’s findings, its migrant workers employed at a Microsoft data centre construction site in Sweden won €1.3 million compensation and commitment to workplace protections.
Paul Murphy TD has sought the return of Tom Parlon, chairman of the Irish Data Centre Supplier Alliance, to the Oireachtas AI committee to clarify why he told the committee earlier this month that he was ‘absolutely’ confident that the Irish companies involved in building data centres overseas are operating within the framework of national labour legislation.
People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy TD said:
“The Investigate Europe report published this morning shows widespread abuse of workers by data construction companies, including Irish companies, at sites across Europe.
“Investigate Europe found evidence of serious injuries, squalid living conditions, an unreported TB outbreak, unpaid wages, blocked access to union membership and hyper-exploitative employment practices.
“Last week, a union representing workers working for Irish construction company Benbau at a Microsoft site in Sweden won €1.3 million compensation and employment protections days after Investigate Europe confronted Benbau with evidence of abuses it recorded during its investigation.
“Investigate Europe’s evidence of widespread mistreatment of workers working for Irish construction companies at data centre construction sites in Sweden and across Europe is appalling.
“I am therefore very concerned that, in reply to me at a meeting of the Oireachtas AI committee on 6th October, Tom Parlon, chairman of the Irish Data Centre Supplier Alliance, said he was ‘absolutely’ confident that the Irish companies involved in building data centres overseas are operating within the framework of labour legislation.
“It has now been shown that this is not the case. On the contrary, Investigate Europe has shown that abuses of workers are widespread. It is very difficult to understand how Tom Parlon was not aware of this.
“I have now written to the Oireachtas AI committee requesting that Tom Parlon be invited back to the committee to address these revelations and to explain why he told the committee meeting that he was absolutely confident that Irish companies involved in building data centres overseas are operating within the framework of labour legislation. We also need to hear from Unite the Union about the experience of those working on data centre construction for Irish companies overseas.”