GSG 22-26 Public Procurement Rally – July 1st
23/June/2026
Description
CWU members are encouraged to support an important trade union rally being organised by UNI Europa, supported by CWU and SIPTU, on Wednesday 1st July at 1.00pm outside the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment on Kildare Street, Dublin.
The rally will call on the Government to use Ireland’s forthcoming Presidency of the European Union to advance a fair system of public procurement that promotes decent work, quality public services and collective bargaining.
At first glance, public procurement may seem like a technical issue. In reality, it is one of the most powerful tools available to government to influence employment standards and workers’ rights.
Every year, governments spend billions of euro on contracts for services and infrastructure. The question is simple: should public money be awarded solely on the basis of cost, or should it also support employers who respect workers’ rights, engage in collective bargaining and provide decent terms and conditions?
This issue sits at the heart of our union’s Respect at Work campaign. Workers should have a genuine voice in the workplace and the ability to bargain collectively through their union. Public policy should actively support that objective, not undermine it.
The importance of this principle has also been recognised by Government through its Action Plan on Collective Bargaining, which includes commitments to examine how public procurement can be used to support collective bargaining and good industrial relations practices.
This principle has particular significance for our union.
During our long-running campaign in relation to BT Ireland’s operation of the State’s 999/112 emergency call service, the CWU consistently highlighted the contradiction of a company benefiting from a major public contract while refusing to engage in collective bargaining with workers in Ireland. The dispute demonstrated why public procurement cannot be treated as a value-neutral process. The awarding of public contracts has consequences for workers, workplaces and employment standards.
As the European Commission prepares new rules that will shape public procurement across Europe for years to come, trade unions are campaigning to ensure that public contracts support decent jobs, quality services and respect for workers’ rights.
The rally on 1st July is an opportunity to send a clear message that public money should support fair employment practices and collective bargaining, not a race to the bottom.
Rally Details
Date: Wednesday, 1st July 2026
Time: 1.00pm
Location: Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Kildare Street, Dublin
Members who are able to attend are encouraged to do so. Together, we can help ensure that workers’ rights remain at the centre of future procurement policy in Ireland and across Europe.