Publication of National Work Remote Strategy is a starting point, but more work required.

Publication of National Work Remote Strategy is a starting point, but more work required.

Lack of detail gives cause for concern.

The Financial Service Union has given a cautious welcome to the publication of the national work remote strategy but have described the strategy as a starting point with concern expressed about the lack of detail, legislative framework and funding provided for implementation.

Commenting on today’s announcement FSU’s Head of Industrial Relations and Campaigns Gareth Murphy stated:

“Today’s publication is welcome in that it sets out the Government approach to the issue of remote working. It acknowledges that remote working will be a feature of workplace life going forward and sets out a number of proposals to better regulate it”.

Whilst welcoming the publication Mr Murphy questioned the lack of detail in the report particularly concerning the right to disconnect.

“The report is weak on the right to disconnect. It does not provide for a legislative approach or for payment of work over normal working hours. Next week the FSU will formally hand in our submission to the WRC on the right to disconnect. Any code of practice needs to be legally enforceable. Without a legal standing it will be make it easy for some employers to ignore what is a major issue for many workers.

While setting up an advisory group, the report does not provide for a mandatory payment for home working something supported in other countries like Spain and supported by a recent ILO report. We are very conscious there is legislation from both Sinn Fein and the Labour Party which are relevant to this area and we call on the Government to be open to amendments and ideas from the opposition to make this the best professional approach to home working for workers.

The move to a right to request remote working is a step forward, however, we need to learn from other countries, like Britain, and shift the right to request to a right to set work location for employees so that it is more of an employee-led approach rather than the gift of the employer. 

The publication of the report is a welcome start, but a lot of work is still required” concluded Mr Murphy.

ENDS

Contact: Brian McDowell, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, FSU. Tel: 087-9161225. Email: brian.mcdowell@fsunion.org.

Notes to editors:

• Gareth Murphy is available for interview, on request.

About FSU: The FSU is Ireland’s leading union across banking and finance. We represent thousands of staff across the main retail banks, and we have members in more than 70 companies across the finance and fintech sectors. Our members are spread across the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain. We are headquartered in Dublin and we also have a presence in Belfast. We are members of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and UNI Global finance union.