MANDATE trade union has expressed disappointment with the High Court
ruling that the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) wage setting mechanism
is unconstitutional and calls on the Government as a matter of
urgency to address the legislative vacuum which now exists.
Mandate General Secretary John Douglas said: “It’s a sad and worrying
day for the many thousands of low paid workers who could be potentially
disadvantaged. Clearly the State has been found wanting in its
obligations to protect the lowest paid and most vulnerable workers in
our society. It’s also bad news for good employers who have tried and
want to do the right thing for their employees. I want to assure all
workers that the trade union movement will not be found wanting when
it comes to protecting them from opportunistic attacks on their pay
and conditions by whatever means that are necessary and appropri