Trade unions have called on the Government to use its presidency of the European Union to progress an EU directive aimed at ending unpaid traineeships.
The European Commission has proposed a ban on unpaid internships through the Traineeships Directive, but more than two years after its launch, the legislation has not yet received its final approval.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) have called on the Government to make the conclusion of the Traineeship Directive a priority for its six-month term.
In a letter to Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke, the ICTU said Europe urgently needs “stronger protections against abusive traineeships and the misuse of traineeships as substitutes for regular employment”.
ETUC Confederal Secretary Tea Jarc said many young Europeans will find themselves locked out of gaining valuable work experience because they do not have the €1,000 a month or more needed to support themselves through an unpaid internship.
“The Irish Government owes it to those young people to get the Traineeship Directive over the line and ensure that opportunities no longer depend on access to the bank of mum and dad,” Ms Jarc said.
General Secretary of ICTU Owen Reidy said no young person’s career should be decided by whether their family can afford to bankroll a thousand euros a month for an unpaid internship.
“The Irish presidency is a real opportunity to get this directive over the line, and we expect the Government to use it,” Mr Reidy said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise said the Government is committed to progressing the directive in any way possible over the course of its EU presidency.
“We will endeavour to reach a compromise that is true to the aims of the proposal, while addressing the interests and concerns of all relevant stakeholders,” the spokesperson said.
