NI employment law reform will not pass due to DUP blockage, minister says

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has confirmed a flagship bill to overhaul Northern Ireland’s employment law, Sinn Féin’s “top priority piece of legislation”, will not pass in this mandate as a result of being blocked by the DUP.

Ms Archibald said it is now “absolutely apparent” the Good Jobs Bill will not be progressing as part of the DUP’s response to her and other party members’ attendance at an allegedly unlawful protest on the Garvaghy Road.

The Good Jobs (Employment Rights) Bill would reform terms of employment, pay and benefits, work-life balance and the trade union framework.

The DUP has been using Emma Little-Pengelly’s powers as deputy First Minister to prevent Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill from attending events in an official capacity as part of the response to the Drumcree parade fallout.

Ms O’Neill is one of a number of Sinn Féin representatives who have been interviewed by police after thousands of protesters blocked the largely nationalist Garvaghy Road to prevent the passage of an Orange Order march.

The DUP has faced pressure as the largest unionist party to withdraw Ms Little-Pengelly and therefore remove Ms O’Neill from office, but has stopped short of doing so.

Party leader Gavin Robinson said on Monday the DUP’s intention is to “ensure the arrogance of Sinn Féin is kept in check”.

“We have indicated our political desire to use the mechanisms at our disposal to thwart their agenda,” he said.

Speaking at Stormont on Monday, Ms Archibald said the DUP’s strategy “for a number of months” has been focused on “delaying and frustrating progress”.

“It has become absolutely apparent, the DUP have been very clear about this, this bill will not be progressing in this mandate, and from my perspective, that’s deeply regrettable.”

She added: “The blocking of this legislation does not punish Sinn Féin. It punishes all of those workers out there who were waiting on this legislation passing.

“People who I’ve engaged with over many, many months; carers who, for the first time, would have had statutory recognition of their status as a carer and the right to leave; mums whose babies are in neonatal care having the right to leave for that specifically and not having to take it out of their maternity; workers in bars and restaurants who won’t be getting their tips; all of these people will not be getting those rights in as timely as manner as they should have.

“I’m absolutely determined though that we will be returning to this, so it might not be passing in this mandate, but I will certainly be looking to make sure that it does happen in the next mandate.”

The Economy Minister described the Good Jobs Bill as her party’s “top priority piece of legislation”.

“That’s exactly why the DUP sought to target it and to block it and frustrate it and unfortunately, that’s the place that we’re now in,” she said.

“But as I say, it is not me that is being punished, it’s not my party, it is all of those workers out there who are being denied those rights.”

Ms Archibald reiterated that her attendance on the Garvaghy Road was “absolutely the right thing to do”, and she does not apologise for doing so.

“I believe that that is exactly where I should have been, and I have no regrets in that regard, and I think those who have attempted to drag us back need to answer for themselves in respect of the damage that has been done to wider community relations.”

ICTU assistant general secretary Gerry Murphy said the failure of the bill to make it to the Assembly floor means “workers in Northern Ireland will be left behind once again”.

“Since April, the trade union movement has repeatedly called for the Good Jobs Bill to be brought before the Assembly, where elected representatives can debate, scrutinise, amend and vote on its provisions,” he said.

“Instead, the bill has been prevented from even reaching the Executive agenda by the DUP, blocking the democratic process before it can begin.”

He added: “Those seeking to block this bill, whether they be a political party or a business lobby group, must be held to account.

“The failure to take action on Zero Hours Contracts, Fire and Re-hire, the failure to create enhanced leave entitlements for paternity  and neonatal care – the responsibility for these failures lies at the door of those who blocked the Good Jobs Bill.”

DUP MLA and vice-chair of the Economy Committee Diane Forsythe said Sinn Féin’s “arrogance and incompetence has killed their Employment Rights Bill”.

In a statement, Ms Forsythe said the Bill “lacks the backing of the business community and risks imposing the same damaging consequences that we have seen from similar measures in Great Britain”.

“We made a constructive attempt to find a way forward,” she said.

“The DUP asked Sinn Féin to split the Bill so that we could properly consider its different provisions and advance those provisions where agreement could be found. Sinn Féin refused that offer.

“Rather than listening to the concerns of businesses and seeking a workable compromise, Sinn Féin chose to push ahead with a flawed Bill that would cost jobs in Northern Ireland.

“The DUP will continue to stand up for Northern Ireland’s businesses, seek to end any exploitation, protect jobs and oppose legislation that puts ideology ahead of economic reality.”