Workers employed in Ireland's cleaning, security, and catering industries gathered in Dublin to call for improved pay and better working conditions as the country officially began its Presidency of the European Union.
The demonstration, organised by SIPTU alongside UNI Europa, the European federation representing service sector trade unions, took place outside the Office of Government Procurement on Mayor Street. Union representatives said the timing of the rally was significant, as Ireland's EU Presidency gives the Government an important leadership role in shaping negotiations on reforms to public procurement rules across the European Union.
According to the unions, these reforms present a valuable opportunity to strengthen protections for workers employed in outsourced and contract services. They argued that the way public contracts are awarded has a major influence on the wages, employment conditions, and job security of thousands of people working in essential frontline roles.
SIPTU Services Divisional Organiser Adrian Kane urged the Government to ensure that Ireland's first National Public Procurement Strategy, which is currently being developed by the Office of Government Procurement, prioritises fair employment practices. He said the strategy should include strong safeguards for workers and place collective bargaining at the centre of decisions about awarding public contracts.
Mr Kane argued that procurement policies should be used to improve employment standards rather than simply reduce costs. He said that public bodies have too often awarded contracts based primarily on the lowest price, without giving enough consideration to the people responsible for delivering vital public services.
He stressed that workers in cleaning, security, catering, and other contract services perform essential duties every day and deserve fair wages, secure employment, and decent working conditions. In his view, procurement policies should reward employers who uphold high labour standards rather than those who compete solely by cutting labour costs.
UNI Europa's Head of Property Services, Michala Lafferty, echoed these concerns and highlighted the importance of the upcoming review of EU procurement rules. She said the revision offers European leaders a unique opportunity to improve the lives of workers who continue to face financial pressures caused by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Ms Lafferty said public procurement is one of the most effective tools available to governments for promoting collective bargaining and encouraging employers to engage constructively with workers and their representatives. She argued that stronger procurement rules can help ensure employees receive fair pay, better working conditions, and a greater voice in workplace decisions.
The unions believe that by embedding fair employment standards into procurement policies, governments can use public spending to support quality jobs while delivering reliable public services. They are calling on both the Irish Government and EU policymakers to ensure that future procurement reforms place workers' rights, collective bargaining, and decent employment standards at the heart of public contracting decisions.
