Mayor of Kilkenny backs trade union’s pay and conditions campaign

Mayor of Kilkenny Andrew McGuinness has voiced his support behind Connect Trade Union’s campaign for better pay and fairer working conditions, calling on the Government to engage positively with the union and work towards an agreement.

Speaking at the union’s Biennial Delegate Conference 2026 at Hotel Kilkenny, the Mayor addressed hundreds of delegates from across Ireland, highlighting the importance of skilled workers to Kilkenny’s future as well as to the wider national economy.

Mayor McGuinness said the trades represented at the conference were essential to delivering the homes, infrastructure and community facilities needed to support growing towns and cities, including Kilkenny.

“I fully support your campaign for better pay and fairer conditions. I stand with you in your campaign and I call on the Government to engage positively and proactively with a view to coming to a solution that suits all,” he told delegates.

With housing, infrastructure and investment continuing to shape the challenges facing communities across Ireland, the Mayor said the contribution of skilled workers must be recognised and valued.

Addressing the conference theme, Engineering Ireland’s Future, he said that while major projects and ambitious development plans were important, the people delivering them were equally vital.

“We can have the best designs, the most ambitious plans and the greatest vision for our country, but without skilled people to deliver them, those plans will remain just that — plans,” he said.

He emphasised the need to invest in apprenticeships and encourage more young people to pursue careers in the skilled trades, ensuring Kilkenny and other communities have access to the expertise needed for future development.

“Investing in people is every bit as important as investing in concrete, steel and machinery,” he said.

The Mayor also highlighted the role of trade unions in representing workers, protecting their interests and ensuring fairness and respect in the workplace.

He said that behind every worker was a family and a community, and that fair pay and decent conditions were important not only to individual employees but also to the wellbeing of the places where they lived and worked.

Welcoming delegates to Kilkenny on behalf of the city and county, Mayor McGuinness said he was pleased to see the city hosting a major national gathering that brought people together to discuss issues affecting workers and the future of their industries.

He noted that Kilkenny’s success depended not only on its heritage and tourism but also on the people who build, maintain and support the city and its surrounding communities.

The Mayor thanked Connect Trade Union for choosing Kilkenny for its Biennial Delegate Conference and wished union President Maher, the General Secretary, Minister Lawless and all delegates well for their discussions.

He reiterated his hope that constructive engagement between the Government and the union would help deliver a positive outcome for workers.

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