In this issue:
Firefighters protest over crew safety levels
Threat to ‘Cadburys jobs’ a dark day for manufacturing in Ireland
Low Pay Commission must ensure all workers benefit from recovery
Bord na Móna workers defer strike action
Protest for early years education
SIPTU members at Bose in county Monaghan vote for redundancy proposals
Call on government to recognise Palestine statehood
1913 Lockout Tapestry on display in Pearse Street Library
Community workers stage protest outside Custom House
SIPTU NEC says ‘Yes’ to Marriage Equality
International Women's Day 2015 events
Discussions with UPC Ireland concerning job losses
Funeral of Frank Prendergast
Palestine Conference
SIPTU members express concern over HSE cuts to elderly services in north-east
Home Helps to have at least 30 minutes with clients
SIPTU in LRC talks on credit union merger
SIPTU members at NUIG express support for staff at St Angela’s, Sligo
Young Workers Network continues the fight against zero hours contracts and low pay
COUNT€R CULTUR€
Israeli Apartheid Week 2015
Claiming our Future
What does an ethical workplace mean to you?
Housing crisis debated in Meath
SIPTU security officers at SDCC defer strike pending further talks at the LRC
Agreement to increase nursing resources at UL Hospital Group
Thurles District Awards
Young Workers Network
James Connolly Festival 2015
Low Pay Commission must substantially improve incomes of low paid workers
Global Labour Column
SIPTU Basic English Scheme
Fairshop
Larkin Credit Union
Home Insurance
Get up to 80% off* Car Insurance
taxback.com - 10% Discount
QuickCover Travel Insurance
Bord na Mona joins Supporting Quality
Fair Hotel
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SIPTU firefighters protesting against cuts to the crewing levels of fire appliances which they believe endanger public safety, marched in Dublin on Tuesday (24th February). (Picture: Photocall Ireland).


Firefighters protest over crew safety levels

Hundreds of full-time and retained firefighters who are members of SIPTU marched to Leinster House in Dublin on Tuesday (24th February) in protest against a threatened cut in crew members for fire tenders.


SIPTU Organiser, Brendan O’Brien, told the rally that the plans by the Department of the Environment to reduce the number of firefighters in response crews by up to 33% will jeopardise the safety of firefighters and the public.  

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Threat to ‘Cadburys jobs’ a dark day for manufacturing in Ireland




The threat of over 200 job losses at three Mondelez Ireland (formerly Cadburys) plants amounts to a “dark day for manufacturing in Ireland”, according to SIPTU Organisers.


Union representatives will meet with the management of Mondelez Ireland on Monday, 2nd March, following the company’s announcement, on Thursday (26th February) that it intends to implement up to 160 redundancies at its plants in Coolock, county Dublin, and Rathmore, county Kerry.  

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Low Pay Commission must ensure all workers benefit from recovery

Low Pay Commission launch: (Front row, left to right) Director of PublicPolicy.ie Dr Donal de Buitleir, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tanaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, and Minister of State for Business and Employment, Ged Nash. (Back row, left to right) Chief Executive Maxol Group Tom Noonan, Director Migrant Rights Centre, Edel McGinley, Director HR Suite, Caroline McEnery, Economics Lecturer WITE Business School, Mary Mosse, Professor of Economics NUI Maynooth, Donal O'Neill, CEO Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association Vincent Jennings, SIPTU Vice President, Patricia King and Assisant General Secretary Mandate Trade Union, Gerry Light. (Picture: Photocall Ireland).

The Low Pay Commission, which was launched on Thursday (26th February) is expected to issue a preliminary report on the level of the minimum wage by mid summer.


The nine-person commission, which includes current SIPTU Vice President and incoming Congress President, Patricia King, has been established to advise Government on the correct level to set the minimum wage.  

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Bord na Móna workers defer strike action

Workers in the Bord na Móna Finance Shared Services section have agreed to defer placing notice of strike action on the company and enter into a period of intensive negotiations with management concerning restructuring proposals.  

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Protest for early years education

 

Protest for early years education

Protest outside the Dáil on Tuesday (17th February) to highlight lack of funding for early years education

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SIPTU members at Bose in county Monaghan vote for redundancy proposals

SIPTU members in the Bose plant in Carrickmacross, county Monaghan, have voted overwhelmingly in favour of redundancy terms proposed by the company.


SIPTU Organiser, Jim McVeigh, said the redundancy proposals emerged after several weeks of negotiation with union representatives.  

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Call on government to recognise Palestine statehood
Politicians and trade unionists gathered outside Leinster House on Wednesday (25th February) in support of a campaign for government recognition of the state of Palestine.



Among those holding a poster illustrating the occupation of Palestinian land by Israel since 1946 were Congress President, John Douglas (right), SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn (second left), Mags O'Brien, Chair, ICTU Global Solidarity Committee (third left) and Palestinian ambassador to Ireland, Ahmad Abdelrazek (fifth left). (Picture: Photocall Ireland).
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1913 Lockout Tapestry on display in Pearse Street Library

The 1913 Lockout Tapestry, produced as part of the centenary commemoration of the 1913 Lockout, will be on display at Pearse Street Library until 28th March.

Launching the display on Thursday (26th February) Dublin Lord Mayor, Christy Burke, said: “It is particularly fitting that the Tapestry is on display within a community that was on the frontline during the great labour conflict of 1913.”

Pictured at the launch of the tapestry are, left to right, SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke, Dublin City Librarian, Margaret Hayes, 1913 Tapestry coordinator, Padraig Yeates and Director of NCAD, Declan McGonagle.

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SIPTU Community Sector workers protesting outside Custom House on Wednesday, 18th February
Community workers stage protest outside Custom House

Community sector workers held a protest outside the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government on Wednesday (18th February) to highlight the Department’s drive to privatise community social inclusion programmes.


Hundreds of community workers from the across the State attended the protest, during which a large ‘Department of Silence’ banner was placed on the walls of the Custom House to highlight the Department’s refusal to talk to workers.  

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SIPTU NEC says ‘Yes’ to Marriage Equality
At its January meeting the SIPTU National Executive Committee called on union members to vote ‘Yes’ in the forthcoming referendum on Marriage Equality.




The SIPTU #YesEquality Campaign enjoying the Love and Pride Gala in Liberty Hall organised by Trade Unionists for Civil Marriage.
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International Women's Day 2015 events



You are cordially invited to participate in this year’s International Women's Day 2015 events which take place in Belfast and Dublin. 




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Discussions with UPC Ireland concerning job losses
Union representatives are in discussions with management at UPC Ireland following the announcement by the telecommunications company on Thursday (19th February) that it intends to implement 170 redundancies at five facilities as part of a restructuring plan.
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Frank Prendergast
Frank Prendergast
Funeral of Frank Prendergast
Former Labour TD and senior ITGWU official Frank Prendergast, was buried on Monday (23rd February) in his native Limerick.

The 81-year-old, who has twice served as Mayor of Limerick, died following a battle with cancer on the previous Thursday (17th February).
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Palestine Conference
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SIPTU members express concern over HSE cuts to elderly services in north-east

SIPTU members in the north-east have called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to re-think its proposal to cut a further €800,000 from the budget for elderly services in Co. Meath.


According to SIPTU Organiser, John McCamley, the proposed cut comes on the back of an overcrowding crisis within the emergency departments of local hospitals, including Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda and Our Lady's Hospital, Navan.  

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Home Helps to have at least 30 minutes with clients

The Emergency Department Taskforce has recommended that Home Helps should spend a minimum of 30 minutes with each client in which essential care can be provided.

Reacting to the recommendation, SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “The SIPTU Home Helps campaign for additional hours and the full utilisation of their existing contracted hours has succeeded in securing this key improvement for clients.

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SIPTU in LRC talks on credit union merger

SIPTU representatives will attend a meeting of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) on Thursday, 12th March, to discuss redundancies that may result from the merger of Drogheda, East Meath and Trim credit unions.


The union has stated that it will only accept the implementation of voluntary redundancies.  

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SIPTU members at NUIG express support for staff at St Angela’s, Sligo
In a statement on Tuesday (24th February) the SIPTU Academic Stewards Committee at NUI Galway expressed its support for colleagues at St Angela’s College in Sligo who have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over the demotion of staff. Lecturers at St Angela’s have been told that they will be placed on lower grades following the planned merger with NUIG while other staff have been provided with no guarantees over their future terms and conditions of employment.
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Young Workers Network continues the fight against zero hours contracts and low pay

On Wednesday, 11th, March, The Young Workers Network will join leaders from the Fight for $15 movement in the USA to protest against zero hour contracts outside McDonalds in Dublin.  

A new report from the European Public Services Union and International Union of Food Workers shows that McDonalds avoided paying €1 billion in tax between 2009 and 2013.   

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COUNT€R CULTUR€
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Israeli Apartheid Week 2015
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Claiming our Future

ClaimOurFutureWide

Claiming our Future is supporting a PETITION kick-started by leading German trade unionists who are organising solidarity with the people of Greece following the resounding election victory of the leftist Syriza party.  

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What does an ethical workplace mean to you?

As part of President Higgins Ethics Initiative, Congress is exploring the role and importance of ethics in the workplace and we want to hear what you think. 


How would you respond to the question, What does an Ethical Workplace Mean to You? For more information on how you can participate and make your voice heard, visit www.ethicalworkplace.ie or simply tweet using #ethicswork



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Housing crisis debated in Meath

Proposals to alleviate the housing crisis were the focus of lively debate at a meeting in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan, county Meath, on Wednesday (18th February).


Among the options presented for consideration to an audience of local SIPTU members, county councillors and members of the public was the introduction of rent controls, repair of local authority housing stock and direct State funding of house building.


L-R: Dr. Rory Hearne, John Regan, Utilities and Construction Division Organiser, David Hamill and Ethel Buckley, SIPTU National Campaigns and Equality Organiser at the housing crisis debate in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan Meath, on Wednesday, 18th February.

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SIPTU security officers at SDCC defer strike pending further talks at the LRC

SIPTU members have agreed to attend further talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) to try to resolve a dispute affecting security members employed by G4S Secure Solutions Limited at South Dublin County Council (SDCC) sites.  

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University Hospital Limerick
Agreement to increase nursing resources at UL Hospital Group

An agreement has been reached between health unions and management, facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), to significantly increase nursing resources at the University of Limerick (UL) Hospital Group.  

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Thurles District Awards

Teresa Collins-Hinchey, member of the Community Sector Committee and Chair of the CE Supervisors National Committee, recently received a Community Policing Award in the Thurles District Awards for her contribution to the local community.
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Young Workers Network
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James Connolly Festival 2015
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LIBERTY VIEW
 
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Low Pay Commission must substantially improve incomes of low paid workers

The nine-person Low Pay Commission, which includes SIPTU Vice-President and incoming Congress President, Patricia King, has been established to advise Government on the correct level to set the minimum wage.


In the coming weeks, the Commission will consult widely with unions, employers and civic society in order to inform its deliberations on the level at which the minimum wage should be set. It is expected to issue a preliminary report on the level of the minimum wage by mid- summer.  

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ECONOMY
Global Labour Column

On 29th January Turkey awoke to the largest metalworkers strike which saw about 42 different companies participating. The strike was short-lived having been banned the next day; making it the third strike ban in the last 12 months. It was also “considered to be the largest one in last 20 years of Turkey.” In this week’s GLC,Bilge Çoban and Muzaffer Ekin Şişli “discuss the right to strike within the experience of metal workers and point out the policy of Turkish government against this basic right.” Çoban and Şişli argue that the ban “is against the international agreements like the ILO Conventions which Turkey has ratified.”    

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SIPTU Basic English Scheme

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Fairshop
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Larkin Credit Union

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Home Insurance
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Get up to 80% off* Car Insurance
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taxback.com - 10% Discount
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QuickCover Travel Insurance
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Bord na Mona joins Supporting Quality
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Fair Hotel
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