The Stormont Economy Minister has expressed “profound disappointment” that she has not been able to bring proposed legislation to reform employment law in Northern Ireland to the floor of the Assembly.
The Good Jobs (Employment Rights) Bill aims to reform terms of employment, pay and benefits, work-life balance and the trade union framework.
However, the DUP has maintained that the Bill requires more work and has not backed it being brought to the Assembly to start its legislative process.
Last week the DUP offered to sign off on many aspects of the proposals if the party removed the trade union provisions.
Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said she is “profoundly disappointed” that she has been “prevented from bringing this Bill forward to the Assembly at this time”.
“It’s my view that workers and their families are being let down by that delay,” she told MLAs.
“This Bill has been designed to support good jobs and fair workplaces, while recognising the needs of business, and I intend to continue to seek its introduction to the Assembly as soon as possible.”
She added that she believes there is still time remaining in the current Assembly mandate to progress the Bill and urged the Executive to support it.
In an exchange during questions for the Economy Minister, DUP MLA Deborah Erskine called on Ms Archibald to accept the offer from deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to “split the Bill”.
Ms Archibald responded saying: “Your party is blocking the Bill in the Executive.
“The Bill as a whole is set, drafted and ready to go, and where it should be debated and scrutinised is in this Assembly chamber.
“Every MLA around this chamber should have the opportunity to take a view on that Bill, and to allow it to progress to the committee for scrutiny.
“If people want to bring amendments to the Bill at that stage, they are absolutely free to do that. That is the democratic process that should be followed.”
