Protesters outside Leinster House outlining the scale of the housing crisis and what actions the Government should take to alleviate it on Tuesday 1st December.
Hundreds attend National Demonstration on the Housing and Homeless crisis
SIPTU members joined hundreds of housing activists from across the country for a national demonstration on the housing and homeless crisis in Dublin on Tuesday (1st December).
The march began at the GPO, O’Connell Street, and concluded outside Leinster House, Kildare Street, with a rally. At the event, speakers outlined the scale of the housing crisis and what actions the Government should take to alleviate it.
Academic staff in DCU concerned by workload and precarious jobs
An extensive survey of SIPTU members of the academic staff of Dublin City University (DCU) has found widespread concerns over increasing workloads and stress associated with the growing use of short term contracts.
SIPTU Education Sector Organiser, Louise O’Reilly, said: “What has emerged from the responses to this survey is that DCU academics work extremely long hours, do not feel consulted about change, are sometimes subject to bullying and harassment, feel overburdened by administrative tasks and increasingly find their jobs overwhelmingly stressful.”
“Bethlehem is my home but Ireland will always be my second home”, says Rami Kamel, a Palestinian who was exiled from his homeland following the 39-day siege of the Church of the Nativity in 2002.
Although he was born and grew up within walking distance of the Church which Christians believe marks the birth place of Jesus, Rami had never expected it would play such a crucial part in his life. On 2nd April 2002, Rami and around 20 other members of the PLO took refuge in the Church following a battle to defend Bethlehem from an Israeli attack during the second Intifada.
The flags of Palestine, Ireland and the United Nations flew outside Liberty Hall in Dublin on the weekend of the 27th-29th November to mark UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, Ahmad Abdelrazek (centre), and SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor with members of the Palestinian community and trade unionists prior to the hosting of the Palestinian flag outside Liberty Hall, Dublin on Friday 27th November.
The US catering group Aramark should respect workers' right to a living wage and to negotiate collectively with their employer, according to the SIPTU Services Division Organiser, Denis Hynes. He said: “Aramark is a growing player in the food service sector in Ireland. It recently announced it is buying the Avoca chain of luxury retail outlets and cafés for a figure that it believed to exceed €60 million.
SIPTU has written to the management of Crown Paints Ireland calling on it to reconsider its plan to close the company’s warehouse in Coolock, Dublin, with the loss of 23 jobs.
SIPTU Orgsaniser Jim McVeigh, said: “The loss of these jobs will have a devastating impact on our members, their families and the local community. The closure of the warehouse and the outsourcing of these jobs is not due to take place until May 2016.
The CIE Group of Unions is to engage an independent pensions expert to undertake a full examination of the CIE Group Pension Scheme.
SIPTU Organiser, Paul Cullen, said: “The CIE Group of Unions is critical of management with regard to its failure to consult with the unions concerning the possible impact of new minimum funding standard proposals on the scheme.
The document ‘Employment Guidelines for the ‘Home Care Sector: The Workers Perspective’ was launched by SIPTU, the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland and the Carers’ Association in the Mansion House, Dublin, on Monday, 30th November. The policy document contains proposals to improve the working conditions of home care workers and services for their clients. The proposals draw upon information derived from an extensive survey of workers in the Home Care Sector.
Personal Assistants (PAs) are building the “Stronger Together” campaign with SIPTU, service users, the Irish Wheelchair Association and other organisations to fight for better jobs and services.
SIPTU disappointment at planned closure of SuperValu stores in Clonmel and Carlow town
SIPTU Organiser, Derek Casserly, has said union members are hugely disappointed at the announcement by retail chain SuperValu that it intends to close two of its stores, in Clonmel, county Tipperary and Carlow town, at the end of January.
“Our members are particularly disappointed at the timing of this announcement three weeks from Christmas as it follows the statement last week by analysts, Kantor, that SuperValu (formerly Superquinn) were the largest retail brand in Ireland.” he said.
Support Staff conduct two-hour work stoppage in Portiuncula Hospital
SIPTU members working as Support Staff in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, County Galway, engaged in a two-hour work stoppage from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. on 13th November in protest at a unilateral decision by management to begin using private contractors to cover the emergency department.
A section of the crowd on Molesworth Street during the climate change protest in Dublin on Sunday, 29th November. The march was intended to pressure the Government and world leaders ahead of the COP21 climate change summit in Paris which opened the following day.
EU fund providing opportunities for former airplane maintenance workers
An EU Fund is helping SIPTU members made redundant by the closure of PWA International and Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland (LTAI) to re-train for a future in a diverse array of new careers.
Among those availing of the retraining opportunities made available due to funding from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) is Tony O’Reilly, a former SIPTU Shop Steward in PWA International. The aircraft maintenance company based in North Dublin finally ceased all operations this June with the loss of over 100 jobs.
The management of Edenderry Power Ltd has refused to refer a long running dispute at the the Bord na Móna power plant in Edenderry, Co. Offaly, to the Labour Court.
SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, said: “SIPTU members are angry at the refusal of management to engage on the issues in dispute at the Labour Court. This refusal has been accompanied by threats from management to lay off workers and shut down the operation of the power plant.
Call for publication of HSE National Ambulance Review
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, has called on the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, to publish the recommendations of the HSE National Ambulance Review so that work on developing the service can commence. He said members will consider proposals for strike action if there is no move to increase staff numbers in the ambulance service.
Paul Bell said: “SIPTU members will be meeting over the coming month across the country to consider proposals for a ballot on strike action in order to secure increased recruitment and funding for the service.”
More Health Care Assistants needed to alleviate hospital crisis
An increase in the number of Health Care Assistants would help alleviate the worsening staff shortages and overcrowding crisis in hospitals across the country, according to the SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell.
“SIPTU has repeatedly called for the immediate deployment of Health Care Assistants to alleviate the pressure on nursing staff in hospitals”, said Bell.
SIPTU offers condolences and calls for solidarity in response to Paris attacks
SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, offered the union’s condolences to the families and communities of those killed in the series of terrorist attacks in Paris on 13th November.
“Even as we absorb the scale of the violence we must also be vigilant,” Jack O’Connor said.
Speaking at the graveside for the burial of former NEC member, Dick Duff on Wednesday 25th November, General Secretary Joe O'Flynn said: Dick was active for over fifty years serving the ITGWU, subsequently SIPTU, in virtually every voluntary capacity. From his time as a young boy working in Beamish and Crawford he was imbued with the desire to improve the position of his fellow workers and their families through his union activity. He served at section level within the brewery and from there became active in the Cork No 2 Branch in 1963, later serving as Branch president.
TASC research confirms growing exploitation in the hospitality sector
Preliminary research findings published in November by TASC confirms the concerns of union members about increased levels of exploitation in the hospitality sector.
SIPTU Services Division Organiser, Ethel Buckley, said: “The hospitality sector is a very important part of the Irish economy. In recent years, workers in this sector have had to confront decreasing real earnings, greater physical demands and diminishing career prospects.
Artist Robert Ballagh at launch of 1916 medal set on Wednesday 25th November
1916 Commemorative Medal Set
The Seven Signatories 1916 collection is a set of seven 51mm high relief art medals made to the highest quality in bronze alloy and commemorating the contribution made by the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation to the cause of Irish freedom. Each medal carries a portrait of one of the seven signatories who were court martialed and executed for their part in the 1916 Rising.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE MEDALS AND HOW TO ORDER CLICK HERE
The right to a home has been one that functioning societies have sought to guarantee their citizens since at least the beginning of the social democratic era, which followed the end of World War II.
However, in Ireland it has always been problematic, with vested interests attempting to place their supposed right to own more than enough property before working people’s right to a place of their own.
The current housing and homelessness crisis is once more throwing this contradiction into stark relief. In SIPTU, we are committed to working with all groups that seek alleviate immediate housing needs and are also focused on changing the way property is viewed in our society from merely a source of profit to a public good.
The issue of housing has been a critical social issue since before the foundation of the State. We must commit ourselves to solving this problem, in all its facets, so that future generations of working people can live and raise families in a stable environment. This is the challenge; it is not one that lends itself to simple answers but it is one from which we must not shirk.
UK Trade Union Bill: Latest in line of global attacks on right to strike
By Helen Russell
Across the globe trade unions are faced with increasing restrictionson their ability to take industrial action. Within daysof being elected to power, the British Conservative governmentannounced its intention to make it harder for trade unionsto take industrial action and introduced the Trade Union Bill, describing it as a “legislation to reform trade unions andto protect essential public services against strikes” (QueenElizabeth II 2015).
The Bill is an assault on British trade unions, containing a raftof draconian measures designed to stifle their ability to protectworkers’ rights. Although a continuation of the anti-tradeunion legislation passed since the 1980s by Conservativegovernments, the Trade Union Bill goes further than anythingthat Margaret Thatcher introduced.
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