Significant concern has been raised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) over increasing violence and aggression against minorities.
ICTU has written to Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O'Callaghan urging him to take action on the matter.
In recent months, workers from a minority background are facing verbal and physical attacks travelling to and from their workplaces according to the representative body.
The letter to Minister O'Callaghan says concern was expressed about the increasing level of hostility and antisocial behaviour experienced by Internationally Educated Nurses in public spaces at a meeting of the National Executive Council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) earlier this week.
Congress President Phil Ní Sheaghda who wrote to the minister said several examples outlined at the meeting illustrated the experiences of ICTU members, particularly when leaving their places of employment and using public transport to get home.
"Our members have expressed a real concern at this unwelcome development. In particular, a number of our members who have worked in Ireland for over 20 years, noted that these experiences were not a feature of their lives in Ireland prior to 2024/2025," it states.
Ms Ní Sheaghdha noted that she had written directly to the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Health in respect of this matter but that she was writing to Minister O'Callaghan regarding members' safety on public transport and safety in public spaces.
"The nature of our members’ work requires many to travel to and from their workplaces late in the evening, with many nurses finishing shifts between between 8pm and 9pm. This unquestionably increases the vulnerability of migrant nurses to the effects of hostility and antisocial behaviour," she said.
She has called for the implementation of the SIPTU campaign 'Respect Transport Workers' which would provide increased security on public transport and which seeks to establish a Public Transport Charter, setting out what behaviours are considered unacceptable.
The campaign also calls for the establishment of a Transport Forum, to advise the National Transport Authority (NTA) on matters relating to public transport and to establish a dedicated Transport Policing Service.
In a statement, Ms Ní Sheaghdha - who also holds the position of General Secretary of the INMO - said workers, no matter their background, should feel safe travelling to and from work. However, she pointed out that an increasing number find themselves "threatened or worse, while on public transport".
"This is an issue of public safety, but also of workers' rights. It’s clear the Government is looking to project a tough line on migration, but without action, it risks being a soft touch when it comes to worker safety.
"We are urging the minister to seriously examine proposals, including assessing the penalties that apply to convictions under hate crime legislation, to ensure that everyone is safe on public transport," she said.
