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.  

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.  

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.  

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.  

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

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.  

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.

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.  

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

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.  

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.

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.   

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.  

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

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.

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.  

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.  

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.  

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.”