SOCIAL PARTNERSHIPTHE IRISH MODEL

David BeggGeneral Secretary

Irish Congress of Trade Unions

SOCIAL PARTNERSHIPTHE IRISH MODEL

David BeggGeneral Secretary

Irish Congress of Trade Unions

1987 2004

Two Decades Epic Transformation

THE ECONOMY OF IRELAND IN CONTEXT

1987 2007Unemployment 17% 4.4%Debt to GDP Ratio 130% 25%Inflation 15% 4.9%GDP/Capita 2/3 EU

Average129% EU Average

Employment < 1 Million > 2 MillionMigration - 44,000/yr + 50,000

SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP IN CONTEXT

• 1987 – The imperative to avoid the Thatcher experience

• Earlier attempts at neo-corporatism• EOI v ISI• The Voluntarist model• Centrality of the Labour Court• Complementary bodies – LRC and NIB

EMERGING TENSIONS

Legal challenge by employers expose systemic weakness

The Laval Judgement

Flexible Developmental State or Competition State?

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS 15 years of economic growth…GNP

doubled Slowdown expected….global imbalance Big fallout from

Construction….employment and tax Growth – dip to 2% - rebound to 3-3.5% Investment strong Unemployment – 7.5% by 2011

New Round of Negotiations

Within 10 year framework agreement Pay – inflation running @ 3.3% - Food Labour market regulations – Agency

Workers Pensions Collective bargaining – Supreme court

Judgement Health