In this issue:
SIPTU members in Irish Rail reject LRC proposals
Congress expresses disappointment at failure of DAA / Aer Lingus talks in pensions dispute
Sudden closure of G&K training centre on Cork’s north side
Unions call for early Referendum Commission to inform Same Sex Marriage debate
LGBT History Week marked in Liberty Hall
FETAC Health Care Assistants' graduation
‘Shameful’ privatisation of community programme condemned
SIPTU members in Tyndall Institute/UCC accept binding arbitration in dispute
SIPTU addresses Oireachtas Committee hearing into ambulance response times
SIPTU supports London Irish Centre Library initiative
Shop stewards' training course
Fairshop
Increase in staff numbers at Tallaght Hospital welcomed
Talks ongoing to resolve Shannon Aerospace dispute
Employment Law Course
Cautious welcome for increased numbers in work
Faith
Quietly
Big Telly Theatre Company to perform 'One sandwich short of a genius’
Record exports success for food firms backing Supporting Quality campaign
Exclusive offer for members from Taxback.com
Family annual travel insurance reduced to €55.54
Up to 80% discount on your car insurance with One Direct
SIMON Benefit Production of ’100 Years Ago’ in Liberty Hall March 4th by RADE
"A Song For The Green Crow"
Larkin Credit Union
Young Workers Network
SIPTU Basic English Scheme
Fair Hotels
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SIPTU members in Irish Rail reject LRC proposals

SIPTU members in Irish Rail have voted by 71% to 29% to reject proposals presented by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in relation to changes to their terms and conditions of employment, in a ballot which was counted today (Thursday, 27th February) in Liberty Hall, Dublin.  

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Congress expresses disappointment at failure of DAA / Aer Lingus talks in pensions dispute

Exploratory talks between the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), Aer Lingus and Congress unions to try to find a solution to the pension crisis at the company have ended without agreement. Talks between Congress unions and Aer Lingus on the pensions issue broke down on Thursday (27th February) and with the DAA on the previous day.


In a statement on the talks with the DAA, Congress “expressed disappointment at the failure of the DAA to engage in meaningful talks or to table any serious and substantive proposals to discuss the long-running pension dispute." 

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Sudden closure of G&K training centre on Cork’s north side

SIPTU representatives have demanded an immediate meeting with the Board of Management of G&K (Gurranbraher and Knocknaheeney) Community Training Centre on the north side of Cork city, following its shock decision to close the facility without prior notice.

On their arrival at work on Tuesday, 25th February, staff were called to a meeting at 10.00 a.m. to be informed that the Training Centre was to close with immediate effect. The Board of Management of the Training Centre read a statement to staff informing them of its decision to close the Centre immediately.

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Unions call for early Referendum Commission to inform Same Sex Marriage debate

SIPTU and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have jointly called on the Government to establish a Referendum Commission coinciding with publication of the proposed legislation on same sex marriage rather than waiting until the date has been set for the referendum.

From left to right: David Connolly (NEC member), Suzanne Griffin (National Equality Committee), Bernie Casey (NEC member),  Padraig McLoughlin (LGBTQ members network), Richie Keane (LGBTQ members network), Ethel Buckley (Campaigns and Equality Organiser), Joe O’Flynn (General Secretary) and Rachel Mathews McKay (LGBTQ members network)

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LGBT History Week marked in Liberty Hall

The SIPTU LGBTQ members’ network marked LGBT History Month with discussions and a screening of the film ‘Did Anyone Notice Us? Gay Visibility in the Irish Media 1973-1993’ in Liberty Hall on Wednesday, 26th February.


A public debate on media representations of the LBGT community followed the screening in the Liberty Hall Theatre at 6.00 p.m.  

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FETAC Health Care Assistants' graduation

Members from St Patrick’s Hospital who trained to be health care assistants were awarded their FETAC Level 5 certificates by Minister of State, Alex White on Thursday, 20th February.

From left to right Loraine Coombes, Carl Kelly, Denise Kelly, Paul Conroy, Margaret O’Keeffe, Bernie Stafford, Paula Byrne, Louise O’Reilly SIPTU and Nuala O’Halloran

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‘Shameful’ privatisation of community programme condemned

A decision by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government to subject the Local Community Development Programme (LCDP) to competitive tendering from 2015 was condemned as “shameful” by SIPTU.


The LCDP delivers job training, education and help in finding work to those most at risk of social exclusion. It has been successfully delivered by not-for-profit organisations for over 20 years.  

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SIPTU members in Tyndall Institute/UCC accept binding arbitration in dispute
SIPTU members at the Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork (UCC) have entered into a binding arbitration process aimed at securing a solution to a dispute of over pay inequality.


This followed a vote on Tuesday, (25th February) where the move was supported by an overwhelming majority of 88% to 12%.  

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SIPTU addresses Oireachtas Committee hearing into ambulance response times

SIPTU representatives working in the National Ambulance Service and Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance service attended a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children hearing into ambulance response times on Tuesday, 25th February.

The hearing discussed the resourcing of ambulance services in Ireland and those in other jurisdictions to which it is compared.


From left to right: Seán Nolan, (SIPTU Sector Organiser), Gerry Harris (Dublin Fire Brigade Convener), Fintan Ferrick (National Ambulance Service), Paul Bell (SIPTU Health Division Organiser), Glen Ellis (Dublin Fire Brigade), Brendan O’Brien (SIPTU Organiser), Peter Ray (Chairman, Irish Ambulance Representative Council). 

Click here to read the full submission.
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SIPTU supports London Irish Centre Library initiative

SIPTU made a donation of books and DVDs of the union’s history to the London Irish Centre in Camden Town Library initiative on Wednesday, 26th February. The Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and Gaeltacht is co-ordinating the collection of items for the Library initiative.



SIPTU General Secretary Joe O’Flynn presenting the books to Aaron McAllorum in Liberty Hall on Wednesday, 26th February.

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Shop stewards' training course

Shop stewards from Irish Rail, Bus Éireann, School Transport Drivers, Bord Gáis and the Port of Cork who attended a basic shop stewards training course for the Utilities Division held in Connolly Hall, Cork from 5th to 7th February.  Also present are Divisional Organiser, Owen Reidy who presented badges and certificates to the students who participated in the training and SIPTU tutor Margaret de Courcey. 
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Increase in staff numbers at Tallaght Hospital welcomed

SIPTU has welcomed commitments from the management of Tallaght Hospital, Co. Dublin, to increase staffing levels in order to ensure patient safety at the facility.


SIPTU representatives and their INMO colleagues met with management early in February to discuss concerns over staff numbers at the hospital.  

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Talks ongoing to resolve Shannon Aerospace dispute

SIPTU members and management in Shannon Aerospace, Co. Clare, met on Tuesday (25th February) at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) to begin talks concerning a dispute involving the company’s pension scheme.

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Employment Law Course

Participants from Utilities and Construction Division who attended a three day Employment Law course at SIPTU College last week, in discussion with Divisional Organiser Owen Reidy.
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LIBERTY VIEW
 
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Cautious welcome for increased numbers in work

Over 1.9 million people were employed in Ireland in the fourth quarter of 2013 according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. Unemployment now stands at 12.1%.


Both these figures indicate that the trend of falling numbers of unemployed and increasing numbers in work has been maintained throughout 2013.


These figures would seem to mark a welcome sea change in the unemployment crisis. However, caution is necessary not least due to the continuing flow of emigrants.  

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Big Telly Theatre Company to perform 'One sandwich short of a genius’

27th - 29th  March @ 7.30pm in the Main Space of Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin 8

Tickets are on sale at a special discounted rate of €10. Places are limited. If you would like to book for your group, call box office on 01 6770014 
and quote the code : One Sandwich to avail of this discount.


A funny, witty and ridiculous at times production from Big Telly Theatre Company to perform ‘One sandwich short of a genius’.  

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Record exports success for food firms backing Supporting Quality campaign
Companies featured in the SIPTU Supporting Quality campaign have made a massive contribution to the success of Irish food and drink exports which last year approached a record €10 billion for the first time.

According to figures released by An Bord Bia, there was a 9% increase in Irish food and drink exports in 2013 from the previous year with revenues almost €3 billion higher than in 2009.

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Exclusive offer for members from Taxback.com
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Family annual travel insurance reduced to €55.54
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Up to 80% discount on your car insurance with One Direct
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SIMON Benefit Production of ’100 Years Ago’ in Liberty Hall March 4th by RADE
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"A Song For The Green Crow"

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Larkin Credit Union

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Young Workers Network
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SIPTU Basic English Scheme

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Fair Hotels
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
 
Try something different this year - volunteer in Africa for 1, 2 or 3 weeks

“The idea of volunteering abroad had always appealed to me. I saw the Nurture Africa Volunteer placement being advertised, and having replied to the ad, I then attended an information session and an interview, and was accepted to the programme.”


“During these preparation stages, I wasn’t sure what to expect and had a million questions, all of which had been answered in the course of the pre-departure meetings with Kevin, our volunteer coordinator and the other volunteers, all in a fun, friendly and very informative manner that had put us all at ease. Having covered everything from an overview of Ugandan culture, values, staple diet and basic vocabulary to the essential items for building and teaching in schools, our expectations, hopes and fears and everything in between, we were all set and rearing to go.”  

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Fiscal Studies Research Prize

A Research Prize funded by the Foundation for Fiscal Studies was launched in 2013 and is now in its second year. Its purpose is to recognise outstanding original work from new contributors in the area of Irish fiscal policy.

The FFS was established in 1985 as an independent non-profit-making body whose primary objective is to promote the study and discussion of matters relating to fiscal policy. Their aim is to assist in the process of debate and decision-making on future fiscal policies and we are awarding this prize specifically to promote research relating to fiscal, economic and social policy and how they interact to support each other.  

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Peter McVerry Trust
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