Solas, the state agency that is responsible for training in the workplace, are gouging workers by charging massive fees for the Safe Pass that all construction workers are required to have.

A high court ruling said that this card should be renewed every 5 years at a cost of €32. But, Solas are making workers resit the whole course (which does not change) every four years and pay several hundred Euro's for the privilege.

"Building Workers Know Your Rights" campaigners Gus MacDonald and Andrew Keegan join Red Talks host Barbara Smyth to discus this outrageous situation and system that costs workers by making them take a day off, without pay, and travel to a training course that they have to pay for themselves in order to renew a Safe Pass that they already have. The Solas procedure is in defiance of the high court ruling.

And, there's more. Listen to this episode in conjunction with episode 5 in this series, because bogus self employment is a massive problem in the construction industry. It's touched on in this podcast, but our last episode was an exposé on it with Whistle-blower Martin McMahon!

This is a "Red Talks" podcast series, produced by the Red Network which is an integral part of People Before Profit.