PLANS to overhaul the North's licensing laws have drawn criticism for failing to include protections for bar and hospitality staff.
Proposals to extend opening times for pubs and nightclubs have been brought forward by Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey. The bill aims to allow venues to serve alcohol up until 2am most weekends. It would also remove restrictions around Easter opening hours for licensed premises.
On Monday, the Assembly debated a number of amendments to the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill, including the inclusion of minimum alcohol pricing. However, Unite the Union hit out after amendments to legislate workers’ rights were not debated.
Neil Moore, Hospitality Organiser for Unite the Union, said: “As the trade union for hospitality workers in Northern Ireland, Unite is very concerned that not one of the amendments discussed by the Assembly mentions the concerns of workers. It is hospitality workers who will have to deal with the consequences of the Executive’s significant and much-needed shakeup of licensing regulations.
“Unite the union made representation to Stormont’s Communities Committee earlier this year when we raised concerns that the proposed extension to drinking-up time, alongside an extension to licensed hours, would see many workers finishing work a full ninety minutes later on nights where licensed hours are extended, reducing already unacceptable rest periods.
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey speaking at Stormont
“With any extension in trading times and increased opportunities for business turnover and trade, it is vital that workers’ rights be extended. We need to see the right to safe transport home and additional pay to compensate workers for anti-social hours.
“Amendments to the bill supported by Unite Hospitality, to legislate workers’ rights were disgracefully not allowed to proceed to debate or be voted on by the Speakers’ office. With the Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey giving excuses that the rights of the hospitality workers most directly affected by the bill are outside its scope. This is a disgraceful position to take, particularly considering that the rights and interests of local residents and other stakeholders are clearly considered within the scope of this legislation.
“Once again by their unwillingness to take any actions which might cut across the interest of profit, Stormont has demonstrated that the needs and interests of hospitality workers are not a priority. Unite would urge any hospitality workers not already in a union to join Unite as the best and only means to protect themselves from the facilitative, big business agenda of the Stormont Executive”.
West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll said his attempts to amend the bill had been "blocked".
"There is a lot to be welcomed in new licensing laws but there is one group which has been failed and that is bar workers," he said.
"I have pushed Minister Hargey to listen to the trade unions and make sure workers are protected from later opening hours by providing safe travel home and a pay premium. The Minister has refused to include workers' rights; my attempts to amend her bill have been blocked; and we've been told this is ‘outside the scope of the Bill’.
"This is nonsense, in my opinion, because the Bill rightly tackles the inconvenience that later opening hours will cause for local residents. If we can mitigate the impact to residents in this Bill, there is no excuse for ignoring the impact on workers.
"Ultimately it is deeply disappointing that a Bill which the Minister claims will bring licensing laws 'into the 21st century' will leave workers' rights in the past."
Communties Minister Deirdre Hargey said the proposed amendments fall outside the remit of the legislation.
Ms Hargey has said her bill will bring licensing laws into the "21st century" and is part of a "balanced package of reform".
She said the bill accounts for the damage alcohol can cause "to individuals and to whole communities" and contains "relevant safeguards to ensure that people are protected from alcohol-related harms."
