SIPTU members will be nominated to sit on Joint Labour Committee (JLC) for the agricultural sector during September following the re-establishment of the body by the Labour Court.

SIPTU Manufacturing Division Organiser, Gerry McCormack, said: “Legislation for the creation of this JLC has now passed all the necessary stages in the Oireachtas and is now being implemented by the Labour Court. The SIPTU Manufacturing Division has been contacted to nominate members to sit on the JLC to represent the interests of workers in the agricultural sector.”

He added: “The SIPTU objective will be to have the JLC agree terms and conditions for new Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) as soon as possible. The union will be seeking commitments from employers that the target rate of pay in the sector should reflect the Living Wage currently set at €11.50 per hour.”

It is estimated that up to 20,000 workers in the agricultural sector will have their terms and conditions of employment regulated by EROs agreed at the new JLC.