Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney has welcomed the inclusion of important advances for workers within the Programme for Government Sections of the New Decade New Approach Agreement.

 The South Antrim MLA said:

“I strongly welcome the important advances for workers contained in the proposed measures of the new Programme for Government (PFG).

“Sinn Féin sought to have workers’ rights prioritised throughout this process, and I am therefore pleased that good progress had been made.

“The references to banning Zero Hour Contracts, devolving Minimum Wage powers and making the Executive a Living Wage Employer are all key elements of Sinn Féin policy and were central recommendations in the workers rights policy “Towards a New Employment Model” which I launched in 2019.

“These commitments will go some way in providing a level of certainty and security to workers, particularly young employees and those in the retail and hospitality trades.

“Sinn Féin will ensure that these are acted on as soon as possible so that workers can benefit from real improvements to their lives.

“In addition Sinn Féin is fully committed to ensuring that the voice of the Trade Union Movement is heard by the power sharing Executive.

“We want to see greater input from Trade Unions in helping to shape the Industrial and other Economic Development Strategies contained in this PFG and in delivering improvements to workers’ rights, as well as stronger civic participation in the development of public policy during this Assembly mandate.”