Programme

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DECENT WORK FOR ALL IN EUROPE

13-14 October 2026 - EXTRAORDINARY WORKERS' GROUP MEETING

Talbot Hotel Stillorgan - Conference room: Shelbourne suite - Stillorgan Road, DUBLIN

DRAFT AGENDA

1st day – 13 October

14.00  Registration

14.40 – 14.50 Introductory remarks 

  • Lucie STUDNIČNÁ, Workers' Group President (Group II) – EESC 

14.50 – 15.05 Welcome address

  • Ivailo KALFIN, Executive Director of Eurofound

15.05 – 15.20 Opening address

  • Owen REIDY, General Secretary, The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) 

15.20 – 16.00 Coffee break (including a family photo)

16.00 – 17.45 Session 1: “The Minimum Wage Directive - Expanding Collective Bargaining Coverage”

Moderated by: Ethel BUCKLEY, Deputy General Secretary, SIPTU 

Setting the scene: Christine AUMAYR-PINTAR,  Senior research manager, Eurofound 

Interventions by: 

  • Liam BERNEY, Senior Industrial Officer, ICTU 
  • John GEARY, professor, University College Dublin 
  • Fionnuala NÍ BHRÓGÁIN, Head of Organising at CWU and Vice Chair of the Private Sector Committee of ICTU 

Q and A

17.45 – 18.00 Conclusions of the 1st day 

  • Lucie STUDNIČNÁ, Workers' Group President (Group II) – EESC

2nd day – 14 October

Session 2: “Decent Work in the Digital Era”

Moderated by: Fionnuala NÍ BHRÓGÁIN, Head of Organising at CWU and Vice Chair of the Private Sector Committee of ICTU  

Setting scene: Agnès PARENT-THIRION, Senior research manager, Eurofound

Interventions by:

  •  Ger GIBBONS, Social Policy and Legislative Officer, ICTU 
  •  Aodhán Ó RÍORDÁIN, MEP, S&D Group 
  •  Kathleen FUNCHION, MEP, The Left 
  •  Claude ROLIN, rapporteur of EESC opinion SOC/856 (Quality jobs roadmap) 

Q and A  

11.00 – 11.30  Coffee break

11.30 – 12.45 Session 3: “Ireland and the EU/UK relationship”

Moderated by: Patricia MCKEOWN, Regional Secretary of Unison in Northern Ireland and former President of ICTU 

Interventions by:

  • Shay COADY, former General Secretary of FÓRSA and past President of ILHS 
  • Paul MCFLYNN, co-director, The Nevin Economic Research Institute  
  • Gerry MURPHY, ICTU Northern Ireland 

Q and A

12.45 – 13.00 Conclusions and closing remarks

  • Lucie STUDNIČNÁ, Workers' Group President (Group II) – EESC

13.00 End of the meeting

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