Jobs row 'could block neonatal care rights'

The economy minister has warned that new rights for parents of sick or premature babies will be delayed if her Good Jobs Bill is blocked.

Sinn Féin's Caoimhe Archibald is attempting to increase pressure on the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to agree to her major package of workers' rights reforms.

The bill is facing opposition from business organisations and has been strongly criticised by some DUP MLAs.

Archibald needs the agreement of the DUP before the bill can be published and debated in the assembly.

The bill is facing an increasingly tight timetable to be approved by assembly members (MLAs) ahead of next year's Stormont election.

Last week Archibald announced a concession which would exempt the smallest firms from one aspect of new trade union rights.

Archibald has now pointed to neonatal parental rights which are part of the bill.

In a post on X she said: "I am greatly concerned that any further delay in progressing the Good Jobs Bill will delay paid neonatal care leave coming into effect.

"I hope that we can urgently get executive agreement to the draft bill getting into the assembly so that this important support can be put in place for parents whose babies need neonatal care."

DUP Economy Spokesperson Phillip Brett MLA has said that Caoimhe Archibald should stop attempting to use issues such as neonatal care leave as political leverage in the Employment Rights Bill.

The North Belfast MLA said, "Caoimhe Archibald's attempt to pressurise others into rushing through the Employment Rights Bill is low.

"Issues such as neonatal care leave shouldn't be viewed as pawns in some political game by the economy minister. This provision has been in place England, Wales and Scotland since 6th April 2025 and had the minister viewed it as a priority then she had two choices; either to bring forward standalone legislation to enable it here, or she could have brought forward the Employment Rights Bill 12 months ago when she initially promised it.

Having done neither of these, it is disgraceful to use an issue like this as some sort of bargaining chip in an attempt to force rushed scrutiny of legislation. Sinn Féin's handling of this legislation has demonstrated little competence in either governance or politics."

The bill would bring Northern Ireland into line with GB where additional rights were introduced last year through the Neonatal Care Act.

As employment law is devolved to Northern Ireland, local parents did not automatically receive these rights when they went into effect across the rest of the UK.

It would give eligible parents up to 12 weeks of additional leave if their baby requires specialised neonatal care.

It would come on top of standard maternity, paternity or shared parental leave allowances.

A spokesperson for the Department for the Economy said: "If the bill isn't progressed to Committee Stage before summer recess, it is unlikely that this important support for parents will be deliverable in 2027."

Meanwhile the body representing trades unions has written to executive ministers saying that failure to progress the bill would be "a serious breach of trust" .

The Irish Congress of Trades Unions (ICTU) said it would also lead to its members questioning the worth of devolved government.

The letter reads: "If this Executive fails to progress the Good Jobs Bill, workers across Northern Ireland will have to seriously question whether the devolved institutions are capable of making an appreciable difference to their standard of living.

"The trade union movement in Northern Ireland would likewise be compelled to consider whether engaging with devolved government here is in the best interest of the thousands of workers we represent."