Equality legislation and pay gaps

Congress welcomes the recent consultations by the Northern Ireland Assembly on employment law and extends our thanks to NIC-ICTU for coordinating the responses of affiliated unions. We acknowledge the significant contributions made by trade unions during this process and express our hope that the demands put forward will be adequately reflected in the upcoming legislation.

However, it is essential that we continue to apply campaign pressure on politicians to ensure that these legislative changes truly benefit workers and vulnerable groups. Without sustained pressure, key issues may not be sufficiently addressed.

In particular, this conference highlights the following critical areas that require urgent action:

• Age Discrimination in Goods, Facilities, and Services: Northern Ireland remains without adequate protection against age discrimination in these areas, a glaring gap in our equality framework.
• Disability and Gender Pay Gaps: As highlighted in recent discussions and communications, the persistent disparities in pay for disabled individuals and women must be a legislative priority.
• Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: The absence of a comprehensive Bill of Rights continues to weaken the protections available to our communities. We reiterate the necessity of introducing a robust Bill to ensure a fairer society.
• Section 75: The provisions under Section 75 must be strengthened to ensure that public authorities in Northern Ireland are fully committed to promoting equality and eliminating discrimination.
• Single Equality Act: Northern Ireland is in dire need of a Single Equality Act that surpasses the provisions of the GB Equality Act 2010. A harmonised and superior legal framework would provide stronger protections and create greater coherence across equality law.

Congress calls on the NIC-ICTU to maintain and escalate campaign efforts, ensuring that these issues remain at the forefront of political discussion and that the forthcoming legislation delivers real progress for workers and marginalised groups.