The body of the mineworker killed in an underground rock fall on Thursday (4th April) in the Lisheen Mine, Co. Tipperary, has been repatriated to his native Philippines.

The body of Mario Francis (49) began its journey home to the Philippines on a flight from Dublin airport this morning (Thursday, 11th April).

The body’s repatriation followed a memorial mass on Wednesday morning in the Church Of The Assumption, Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny, which was attended by several hundred of Mario’s friends, neighbours and work colleagues along with many members of Ireland’s Filipino community. Construction Sector Organiser Martin Meere and Organiser, John Regan, represented SIPTU at the mass.

The memorial mass was delivered in English and Filipino.

SIPTU members at the Lisheen Mine have expressed their sympathy to Mario’s wife My-Ann, their sons Jomar (9) and Jolrem (5,) and his children from a previous marriage in the Philippines, Julemar (22) and Mario Jnr (15).

Mario, who worked at the lead and zinc mine for over 12 years and lived in nearby Urlingford, died when rocks fell on the loader vehicle he was driving in a section of tunnel.

SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, said: “Mario’s death has left his work colleagues in shock and underlines the dangerous nature of work underground. On behalf of SIPTU members in the Mining Sector and the wider trade union movement I would like to express sympathy to Mario’s wife and children.

“Mario and his family came from the Philippines to make a new life in Ireland. In these tragic circumstances, Mario’s family will be offered all the support possible by his SIPTU colleagues and the wider trade union community.”

“He wanted to know how it started and how we responded with the help of our union, SIPTU. He was amazed at the support we received from the wider community and from other unions in Cork and across the country. He was well impressed when we described how the dispute developed over the months and how the support for us grew until we got what we were fighting for,” Jim Power said.

During the Vita Cortex dispute which continued from December 2011 until May 2012, Chomsky along with former President Mary Robinson, singer Christy Moore, Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, footballer Paul McGrath and former Cork hurling manager, Jimmy Barry Murphy, also publicly endorsed the courage of the Vita Cortex workers.  

The 85 year old Chomsky also spoke to huge crowds in UCD, the RDS in Dublin and at UCC in Cork during his visit to Ireland over recent days. 

A film of the dispute, ‘161 Days’ will be shown at the Jim Connell festival in Kells, county Meath, on Saturday, 4th May.

The general secretary of the Trade Union Congress in Britain has said that Margaret Thatcher’s unwavering belief in the invisible hand of the market “meant that she did not believe it was part of her job description to put anything in its place.” Writing in the Guardian on Wednesday (10th April) two days after the death of the former prime minister, Frances O’Grady said that Thatcher had “assumed” no responsibility to minimise social disruption or to create new jobs and industries” following the collapse of traditional industries across Europe and the US in the 1980s and 90s.

Thatcher, who served as British prime minister from 1979 to 1990, provoked almost as much division in her death as she did over her many years as the most influential Conservative Party leader in decades. In Ireland, it brought back memories of her role in exacerbating the conflict in the North following her disastrous, and inhumane, response to the republican hunger strikes in 1980 and ’81, the shoot to kill policies by British security forces that followed and her refusal to countenance, at least initially, any role for the Irish government in the administration of Northern Ireland. Unionists recalled their opposition to her endorsement of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in the mid-1980’s while praising her forceful reaction to the occupation of the Malvinas Islands by the Argentine military during the same period.

In Britain, her death also provoked mixed reaction with lavish tributes paid to the former leader by her own party and the establishment generally and scorn and vitriol poured on her by many in the working class, mining and other communities that suffered under her policies. Her imposition of the poll tax  backed up by brutal police enforcement, her war crime role in the sinking of the Belgrano during the Malvinas conflict and her slashing of health, education and unemployment budgets during her three terms as prime minister also unleashed widespread criticism. In the House of Commons, former actor and MP, Glenda Jackson, spoke eloquently (link below) of her callous social policies while Frances O’Grady wrote of the ultimate failure of her neo-liberal economic vision which led to a sharp deterioration in living standards for many working families and the unemployed across Britain.

“Thatcher was suspicious of democracy. She preferred markets, and a strong but minimal central state that backed their rule. She abolished city-wide local government, capped spending and expected the poll tax to further undermine alternative voices,” O’Grady said.

“State assets and a huge income stream from North sea oil were used to fund a populist programme of tax cuts, privatisation and council house sales. The family silver was squandered on bribing voters rather than modernising the economy.

“The 70s was Britain's most equal decade. The jobs that went during the 80s tended to be good, skilled jobs, delivering decent incomes and some security. She failed to replace those jobs with well-paid equivalents. Demonising unions and stripping the great mass of private-sector workers of a voice and power in the workplace is still the root of the great living standards crisis that saw the share of wealth going to wages slide long before Lehman Brothers failed.

“Even the nasty politics of "welfare reform" is driven by the high cost of subsidising low pay through in-work benefits, and indifference to the plight of jobless communities who have never recovered from de-industrialisation.

“The financial crash of 2008 was a direct result of the policies Thatcher championed. The dominance of finance in the economy and the failure of bank regulation flowed from her belief that markets should always be left to themselves. The credit boom – both here and in the USA – may have gone against her Grantham roots but was an equally inevitable result of deregulation and the temptation of easy loans for people hungry to improve living standards,” the TUC general secretary wrote.

The pupils from Larkin Community College (Dublin 1), St Louis High School (Rathmines) and Mater Dei Primary School (Dublin 8) have helped embroider some of the 30 multi-media textile panels which combine to tell the story of the 1913 Lockout.

President Michal D Higgins has called on Irish trade unionists to play their part in “the transition from an economic model that has failed humanity to one that has yet to be fully realised.” Speaking at the official opening of the recently reburbished Communications Workers Union offices on the North Circular Road in Dublin, President Higgins also said that the personal, social and cultural rights of every worker must be at the centre of a re-built economy.  

Referring to the commemoration of the 1913 Lockout he said that we owe “an enormous debt of gratitude, not only to James Larkin, but to all the workers who stood bravely beside him during that long and difficult fight.”

He said;

“As the heirs and beneficiaries of that difficult and bitter struggle one hundred years ago, we must, as we currently face our own difficult times demonstrate that same determination and resourcefulness to bring about positive changes and to help create a society that we can be proud of – an inclusive society based on the important values of participation, respect for all and fairness.

“It is a challenge in which all Unions, including the Communications Workers’ Union, will be called upon to play their part as Ireland makes the transition from an economic model that has failed humanity to one that has yet to be fully realised.

“As we make that transition we must refocus and reaffirm the values of active citizenship and a caring community and reject the view of the individual as being no more than a consumer of goods and services. We must ensure that the personal social and cultural rights of each citizen, indeed every worker, are placed firmly at the centre of a re-built economy as we deliver our view of a newly imagined Ireland – an Ireland where all citizens can participate equally.

Tá gluaiseacht na gceardchumann tar éis a bheith lárnach i bhforbairt phobal le níos mó ná céad bliain anuas agus creidim go nglacfaidh an ghluaiseacht sin, nó gur cheart go nglacfadh, gluaiseacht ina bhfuil sibh go léir chomh gníomhach sin, ról lárnach in atógáil ár sochaí a bhfuil an oiread sin dochair déanta dó.

[The trade union movement has been central to the development of community for over a century and I believe that the trade union movement, of which you all form such an active part, will or should I say must, play a pivotal role in rebuilding our damaged society.].”

Sinn Féin TD, Sandra McLellan, facilitated the meeting between both opposition and Government politicians and over 40 young people.

Youth projects help guide the personal and social development of young people, particularly in areas of disadvantage. There are 70 CDYSB youth projects engaging with 28,341 young people. This infrastructure also supports 2,926 volunteers.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Darragh O’Connor, said: “Since 2009, projects funded by the CDYSB have experienced a 25% cut in funding, this has resulted in pay cuts, redundancies and a reduction in services for young people. Any further cuts are simply unsustainable.”

He added: “A recent Indecon report showed that for every €1 spent on youth work, the State saves €2.22 on other services. SIPTU members are calling on the minister, Frances Fitzgerald, to recognise the social, personal and economic benefits of youth work and reverse this cut. The union and the young people affected are committed to continuing their campaign until the cuts decision is reversed.”

• Low GDP growth of 1% and 1.2% over the next two years, increasing to 2% in 2015;
• a further shrinking of the numbers employed in 2013, by 0.6%, with employment levels remaining static in 2014 and 2015;
• unemployment remaining at 14.7% in 2013 and marginally increasing to 15% in 2014 and 2015 as net outward migration releases pressure on expanding labour supply due to rising youth cohorts;
• Ireland’s gross debt peaking at 121.1% of GDP this year and reducing marginally in 2014 and 2015; and
• While it is anticipated that Government will exceed its deficit (or General Government Balance, GGB) target in 2013, given our current economic outlook, we do not expect Government to reach the 3% Maastricht target by 2015.

The latest report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its ninth review of Ireland released on Thursday (4th April), confirms the huge challenges that remain for the economy and the prospect of an exit this year from the bailout programme according to SIPTU economist, Marie Sherlock.

“There has been a lot of talk both here and abroad over recent months about the stabilisation in the economy and about tentative signs of recovery. Progress has been made but we are still far removed from any significant recovery in terms of employment and in domestic demand,” Marie Sherlock said.

 “The IMF review is a timely reminder that the Irish economy remains in a very fragile position and that unless we comprehensively tackle the public and private debt overhang we are facing a lost decade of growth. At the end of December 2012, some 143,851, or 18% of all mortgages, were in arrears of 30 days or more, or the mortgages were temporarily restructured. For many of these households the call by the IMF for speedier and more efficient repossession procedures is truly alarming. Eviction need not be an option. A comprehensive humane solution must now be found for these households to take them out of their financial limbo.
 
“Furthermore, half of all property related debt is held by SMEs and workers have had to bear the brunt of the financial problems of these massively leveraged firms through pay cuts and job losses. In many cases, the property investments by the SMEs were unrelated to their core business activity. In this regard, the IMF has called for a mechanism to disentangle property investment from the core activities of the business.
 
“The IMF has also repeated its call on EU leaders to stand by their June 2012 commitments to separate bank and sovereign debt and says such a deal is ‘a critical component of a comprehensive strategy for Ireland’s durable exit’ from the bailout programme. In our view this is essential for any recovery.
 
“Crucially, it calls for a review of the fiscal consolidation plan for 2014 and 2015 in the preparation of the budget later this year.  We believe that the promissory note deal has afforded the Government the opportunity of using the savings involved for the creation of jobs and of minimising cuts to public services and social welfare while meeting the 3% deficit target by 2015. The urgency for job creation is underlined by the IMF finding that a ‘staggering’ 23% of the workforce is unemployed or underemployed,” she added.

Dozens of Irish addresses have been linked to accounts held in offshore secrecy jurisdictions, allowing their holders to avoid paying their fair share of tax.

By Mags O'Brien

When I visited the West Bank of Palestine and Israel as part of the 2007 Congress delegation, I was so appalled at the constant violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people that I vowed to do what little I could to highlight their cause. After my failed attempt on the MV Saoirse in 2011, I finally got to Gaza in January 2013, travelling across the Sinai Desert and entering from Egypt  through the Raffa Crossing .  

Gazan Palestinians have major problems obtaining permission to visit families in the West Bank, or attend hospitals, and students cannot attend universities as the border crossings can close for days on end, and most are denied permits.  In effect there is a wedge between the two parts of Palestine and the whole population of Gaza is collectively punished by the Israeli denial of the right free passage and to import many essential goods.

Of course I was prepared for a landscape scarred by war, but what I saw was so much more than that.  It’s only when you travel to troubled areas that you realise that life goes on apace, and Gaza is full of colour and life, despite the many hardships visited on it by the Israeli siege. 

Our hotel was near a sandy beach, and it was easy to imagine a healthy tourist industry if only there was peace.  The land is also fertile, and if there was trade, there would be a thriving economy, instead of one supported largely by relief agencies. While there, we visited a gem of a Greek Orthodox Church, a stunning museum, and a bustling, though run down, market, a reminder that Palestine was a prosperous and diverse society before the 1917 British Occupation and its aftermath.

The purpose of our visit was to meet civil society groups and attempt to link them with similar ones in Ireland.   I had a particular interest in visiting hospitals and speaking to paramedics, and was aided in doing so by Dr Mohammed Maqua of UNRWA who spoke at the 2012 SIPTU Health Division Conference.

It was immediately apparent that one of the problems facing hospitals was power outages. Due to a shortage of electricity there can be many power cuts every day.  Medics had to ensure that patients on dialysis, life support and other essential machines were protected, and vital equipment was often destroyed due to the outages. 

A major problem, apart from the obvious financial one, is getting replacements because of the siege.  Equipment is often unusable for months on end. On my visit to Al Quds hospital I was told that it was bombed in the 2009 Israeli incursion, and intensive care patients had to be trundled on beds up the street to safety.  It took the intervention of the French Government to persuade Israel to allow in the necessary materials to rebuild the hospital.

Bashar Ahmed Murad, Director of Emergency Medical Services for the Red Crescent Society,  told us that lives could have been saved during Cast Lead if they had been given medical care by the Israelis, and that the IDF would not allow  Palestinian medical services in." When they were finally allowed to enter on January 7, Israeli forces only gave them a 3-hour "lull" to work and prohibited ambulances into the area. They forced them to leave ambulances 2 kilometers away and enter the area on foot.”  Paramedics had to pile the wounded on donkey carts and medical workers pulled the carts to help the most people possible in the short time they were given.

I asked him about post-traumatic stress for paramedics and he told me that understandably it was an issue, but that it was also common for the population of Gaza, who lived with the constant threat of shelling and incursions.

I met some wonderful people in Gaza, not least the paramedics, medics and relief workers, I was struck by the ‘samoud’ or steadfastness of the people but was incredibly sad leaving there, seeing a terribly beautiful but damaged region, needlessly scarred, and a population denied the most basic of human rights, to live in peace.

Congress supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction of Israel, until it ends its apartheid treatment of the people of Palestine; please join in spreading the word to ensure that it is successful.

 
                                                                    Mags O'Brien in Gaza in January

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions on Monday (8th April), welcomed a commitment from the Minister for Social Protection to ratify an international convention on rights for Domestic Workers.

Minister Joan Burton told delegates at the International Labour Organisation's 9th European and Central Regional meeting in Oslo on Monday (8th April), that the Government would move to formally ratify the ILO’s Convention on Domestic Work and try to ensure ratification across the European Union. 

The Minister informed the ILO gathering that, as part of its presidency of the EU, Ireland would be “urging other EU Member States to ratify the ILO Domestic Workers Convention….we will be seeking a Council decision confirming that any legal impediments to ratification by member states have been removed at the level of the European Union.”

Her statement was warmly welcomed by Congress official Esther Lynch, a worker delegate at the ILO conference.

“This is a really good example of Ireland showing meaningful leadership, during the Presidency of the EU. The ratification of the Convention has the support of Congress and key NGOs, such as the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland, who have campaigned alongside unions to see that Domestic Workers get fair treatment and decent work

“We would urge the Minister to ensure that Ireland finalises the ratification process before the International Labour Organisation’s annual conference in June of this year,” Lynch said.

3rd - 6th May, 2013 in Kells and Crosakiel, Co. Meath

Friday: Official opening by Councillor Sarah Reilly, Cathorlaigh Kells Town Council and Paul Anderson M.P.

Saturday: Annual Summer School in Kells Recource Centre, Pig roasting event and Irish night in Jacks Porterhouse venue

Sunday: Annual commemoration at monument in Crosakiel, followed by entertainment in McCabes lounge.

Saturday Lunch: “161 Days” Film of the Vita Cortex dispute must be seen by everyone.

Prior to the weekend, the Kells Art Club in association with Jim Connell Society are showing Strumpet City, story of the Dublin City Lockout, main organiser, Eileen Morgan, each Thursday night, commencing 21st March.

Main Speakers:
Bob Crow, General Secretary, RMT; Steve Fitzpatrick, General Secretary, CWU; Paul Anderson MP for Blaydon; Jack O’Connor, General President, SIPTU; Dr. John Callow, London University; David Hopper, General Secretary, Durham miner and more still not confirmed.

Main Sponsors:
Sponsored by The Gathering, Meath Tourism & Local Authorities and the British and Irish trade union movement.

For more information contact: Tommy Grimes 087-9806688 or Brian Collins 087-6829205

Thursday, 2nd May at 7.00 p.m. Forster Court, Galway

SIPTU’s Galway District Committee is marking the occasion of the Centenary of the 1913 Lockout and celebrating May Day on Thursday, 2nd May 2013 at 7.00pm in the Sean Meade Room at the SIPTU offices on Forster Court.

Local labour historians John Cunningham and Mary Clancy will guide us through the history of trade unions in Galway in the early part of the 20th century in particular a strike for union recognition, which coincidentally also took place in 1913.

Other speakers will recall their own involvement in later recognition disputes in the town and there will be input from several trade unions at this point.

We will finish the evening with ceol agus craic!

Members of all trade unions are welcome and there is no charge, but for catering purposes, please let us know if you are attending. Tell us your name and your union by Friday, 26th April by any of the following means:-

E-mail aoreilly@siptu.ie  / Text (087) 6776819 / Telephone (01) 8588285