November 17th, 2018 marks the first anniversary of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The Pillar is divided into three chapters and incorporates twenty principles.
Chapter I: Equal opportunities and access to the labour market.
Principles one to four:
- Education, training and lifelong learning
- Gender equality
- Equal opportunities
- Active support to employment
Chapter II: Fair working conditions.
Principles five to ten:
- Secure and adaptable employment
- Wages
- Information about employment conditions and protection in cases of dismissal
- Social dialogue and involvement of workers
- Work-life balance
- Healthy, safe and well-adapted work environment and data protection
Chapter III: Social protection and inclusion.
Principles eleven to twenty:
- Childcare and support to children
- Social protection
- Unemployment benefits
- Minimum income
- Old age income and pensions
- Health care
- Inclusion of people with disabilities
- Long-term care
- Housing and assistance for the homeless
- Access to essential services
Looking at some of these principles and what they should mean in policy development, implementation and practice the INOU notes that under Principle 4 (a) it states: Everyone has the right to timely and tailor-made assistance to improve employment or self-employment prospects. This includes the right to receive support for job search, training and re-qualification. Everyone has the right to transfer social protection and training entitlements during professional transitions.
And under Principle 13, whichcovers the issue of unemployment benefits, it states: The unemployed have the right to adequate activation support from public employment services to (re)integrate in the labour market and adequate unemployment benefits of reasonable duration, in line with their contributions and national eligibility rules. Such benefits shall not constitute a disincentive for a quick return to employment.
Yet one of the issues that arises for both the INOU’s individual members and affiliates is the rule bound nature of employment supports in Ireland. It is very difficult to access employment supports unless one is in receipt of a Jobseeker’s payment, and even then one must be deemed in need of support. Recently an individual member highlighted his frustrations about his lack of success in securing employment and the lack of jobseeking support he had received from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. This frustration is compounded by his personal circumstances, leaving him ineligible for a range of supports available to people who are long-term unemployed, even though he had been unemployed for 18 months.
Many people find access to the labour market difficult, many individual members have raised the issue of ageism with the INOU; affiliates note the issues of postcodeism, racism, and the barriers facing people because they have a disability or parent alone. To that end Principle 3: Equal opportunities is particularly important, and it states: Regardless of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, everyone has the right to equal treatment and opportunities regarding employment, social protection, education, and access to goods and services available to the public. Equal opportunities of under-represented groups shall be fostered.
This principle should feed into the rollout of Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty, introduced in the legislation that established the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, across employment and related supports. It also demands that a more active role is played by the State in addressing inequalities in Ireland’s labour market.
Principle 14 focuses on minimum income and states: Everyone lacking sufficient resources has the right to adequate minimum income benefits ensuring a life in dignity at all stages of life, and effective access to enabling goods and services. For those who can work, minimum income benefits should be combined with incentives to (re)integrate into the labour market.
The realisation of this principle is particularly important as it seeks to address the issue of poverty and the flexibility required to appropriately support people living on the margins of this society.
To read the full Pillar of Social Rights booklet please follow this link https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/european-pillar-social-rights-booklet_en