Public Procurement (Collective Bargaining and Collective Agreements Criteria) Bill 2024

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

The bill would change how public bodies judge bids for contracts by allowing them to give extra weight to companies that recognise trade unions, negotiate collectively, and have collective agreements with their staff. In practice, it would make good labour relations a factor in public procurement decisions, unless a senior decision-maker explains in writing why that would not fit the contract or be fair and proportionate. It also gives the Minister power to publish guidance on how these factors should be applied, and requires those guidelines to be reviewed every three years. The aim is to use the State’s buying power to encourage better working conditions and stronger collective bargaining.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to give further effect to Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 and for that purpose to provide for contract award criteria in public contracts that promotes favourable weighting of economic operators who enter into collective bargaining and complete collective agreements with their employees, and to provide for related matters. 

Last updated 30 January 2025