The head of the State's largest union said today the issues of job displacement and exploitation must be addressed in any talks on a new national wage deal.
General President Jack O'Connor was speaking after a poll in this morning's Irish Timesshowed a large majority wants to reintroduce work permits for workers from the new EU member states, and a similar majority believe there are enough or too many foreign workers here.
An overwhelming majority - 78 per cent - believe people from the central and east European states that joined the EU in 2004 should now be required to apply for and receive work permits before coming here to work. Just 17 per cent believe they should not, and 5 per cent have no opinion.
Mr O'Connor said the findings showed "the necessity for measures to combat job displacement and exploitation in which people can have confidence.
"It is now absolutely clear that, if we are to go into new national pay talks, and that has still to be decided, these issues must be addressed.
"Even if we wanted to, neither the trade union movement, nor the Government, nor probably employers could emerge with an acceptable proposal from those talks that does not comprehensively address these issues," he said.
"But it will also have to provide for substantially improved living standards enhancing the relative position of the lower paid and address key 'social' wage issues regarding healthcare, childcare, eldercare and training in skills enhancement."
Siptu General Secretary Joe O'Flynn said the union had recruited 15,000 new members among non-nationals working in Ireland. Many of these were employed in sectors such as construction and services, he said.
Maria Cronin of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation called for rational debate on the issue.
"We need migrant labour in this economy to continue to fuel its growth," Ms Cronin said.
"I don't think this is an issue that we should be fearful of, I think we should embrace it," she added.
The latest Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll also reveals that only 23 per cent believe more foreign workers should be allowed come to the Republic, 41 per cent think there are now enough here and no more should be admitted, and 29 per cent believe there are too many foreign workers here and that steps should be taken to reduce their number. Some 7 per cent gave no opinion.
Support for a work-permit regime is consistent across all age groups, social groups and regions, with the exception of Progressive Democrat supporters. Among them a much lower 56 per cent want a work-permit regime for east and central European EU workers, 40 per cent do not, and 4 per cent have no opinion.
The poll was conducted among a national quota sample of 1,000 voters at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies in the State last Monday and Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Labour Party Spokesperson on Employment, Brendan Howlin, today called on the Government to protect foreign domestic workers against exploitation.
Mr Howlin expressed disgust at revelations that foreign women are being made work as nannys and domestic workers for a pittance, with no rights or contracts being given to them by their employers.
"No one employed in the Irish economy should be overworked and underpaid."
"Current levels of inspection and enforcement are clearly inadequate and must be radically improved in order to prevent this new form of domestic slavery that has emerged in modern Ireland," Mr Howlin added.
