Unions demand action on delayed Safe Leave law

The act will give workers who are victims of domestic abuse 10 days paid safe leave to deal with matters linked to that abuse. Speakers told the crowd that since the act passed, 17 women have been murdered in domestic homicide cases in Northern Ireland. They said this should focus minds on the need to act now.

Representatives from PCS joined activists from across the movement at the event and pressed for the full roll-out of the Safe Leave Act. PCS officials said the delay leaves workers without support at moments when they need it most. They backed the call for the regulations to be signed off without further hold-up.

Northern Ireland Committee of Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Chair Jacqui White opened the rally and thanked the unions for organising the event. She said violence against women and girls “has long been a scourge on society” and added that people here feel its impact in a sharp way. White said one clear step is to speak out in public. “One is to raise awareness, bring it out of the dark and call it out. That is exactly what each and every one of you is doing today.”

ICTU Equality and Social Affairs Officer Clare Moore set out the long campaign that led to the Safe Leave Act. She told the crowd that the ICTU survey in 2014 showed how domestic abuse affected workers. She said many women told Congress that the abuse “devastated their working lives” and left them with little support in their workplaces. Moore welcomed the cross-party support for the act but warned that “three and a half years later these lifesaving entitlements are still not in force”.

Minister for the Economy Dr Caoimhe Archibald said she knows how important paid safe leave will be for those who need time to seek legal advice, get medical help or find new accommodation. She thanked the unions for keeping focus on the issue and said the act will be brought in “as soon as possible” and “as effectively as possible”.