SIPTU says no to compulsory redundancies in new Croke Park deal
SIPTU has stated that it will not sign up to a new public service agreement if it involves compulsory redundancies.
SIPTU Vice President, Patricia King, said: “Opposition to compulsory redundancies is a fundamental trade union position in both the public and private sectors.Trade unions exist to represent the best interests of their members; recommending that they are sacked is not in their best interests.”
 SIPTU Vice President Patricia King talks to the media outside Lansdowne House Dublin, on day two of the Croke Park Agreement talks on Tuesday, 15th January.
SIPTU has stated that it will not sign up to a new public service agreement if it involves compulsory redundancies
SIPTU Vice President, Patricia King, said: “Opposition to compulsory redundancies is a fundamental trade union position in both the public and private sectors.Trade unions exist to represent the best interests of their members; recommending that they are sacked is not in their best interests.”
King made the comments on Tuesday (15th January), the second day of talks between public sector management and trade unions on a possible extension of the Croke Park Agreement.
SIPTU and other unions have said that a deal would not be possible on the basis of the package of proposals tabled by public service management at the opening of talks on Monday (14th January). These proposals included discussion of “exit mechanisms,” which is believed to refer to compulsory redundancies in certain situations as well as a range of other proposals covering pay, allowances and hours of work.
Unions have also outlined measures that need to be satisfactorily addressed in the negotiations. These include an adjustment to the pension levy to exempt more earnings, measures to ensure the elimination of the two-tier workforce and curtailing outsourcing.
Negotiations on an extension to the Croke Park Agreement, which expires in March 2014, commenced with tense, and widely reported, exchanges between the government employers and unions.
Several unions reacted with shock and anger at the list of proposals put forward by management at the first meeting on Monday (14th January) although substantive negotiations only commenced the following day at Lansdowne House, Ballsbridge in Dublin.
The Government has said it hopes to achieve savings of €3 billion over the life-time of any extended agreement, including €300 million this year. The talks chaired by the chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission, Kieran Mulvey, are expected to continue for several weeks before any ballot of union members takes place.
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SIPTU calls on HSE to end attempts to recruit nurses on reduced pay
SIPTU has called on the HSE to end its attempts to recruit 1,000 nurses and midwives on 80% of the staff nurse salary scale following the refusal of graduates to sign up to the scheme.
SIPTU Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “The announcement today (Thursday, 17th January) that the HSE has extended the deadline for this scheme, while also allowing graduates from 2010 and 2011 to apply, indicates that graduate nurses have rejected this scheme.”
SIPTU has called on the HSE to end its attempts to recruit 1,000 nurses and midwives on 80% of the staff nurse salary scale following the refusal of graduates to sign up to the scheme.
SIPTU Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “The announcement today (Thursday, 17th January) that the HSE has extended the deadline for this scheme, while also allowing graduates from 2010 and 2011 to apply, indicates that graduate nurses have rejected this scheme.”
He added: “The HSE has refused to confirm the number of applications it has received for the scheme but the numbers have been referred to as paltry. It must now accept that this scheme is a failure and agree to pay nurses the proper rate of pay.”
On Tuesday, 8th January, SIPTU wrote to the Minster for Health, James Reilly, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, requesting that they halt the HSE scheme.
Kevin Figgis, said: “Minister Reilly has responded stating that the matter is being considered and we are now calling on him to finally end this attempt to create a two tier nursing service.”
“We have advised the Ministers that if graduates are employed on existing salary scales for nurses and midwives savings can still be accrued against the current expenditure on agency fees. We are calling for the current plan to be suspended to allow for consultation with SIPTU and for all alternatives to be examined in detail.” Successful candidates will be offered a salary of €21,700 per annum against the current rate for new entrants of €27,234 which is paid to all nurses and midwives employed since 1st January, 2011.
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Woman is awarded €3,000 as maternity leave 'top-up'
The Labour Court has recommended that a Galway woman be awarded compensation of €3,000 as a 'top up' payment for maternity leave.
Management at G4S Cash Solutions Ireland LTD had argued that payment of top up maternity payments applied only to clerical staff and not cash-in-transit staff. It said that the worker was employed "substantively in a position of cash-in-transit with only minimal cover as a clerical worker", and therefore the maternity payment was "inappropriate".
The Labour Court has recommended that a Galway woman be awarded compensation of €3,000 as a 'top up' payment for maternity leave.
Management at G4S Cash Solutions Ireland LTD had argued that payment of top up maternity payments applied only to clerical staff and not cash-in-transit staff. It said that the worker was employed "substantively in a position of cash-in-transit with only minimal cover as a clerical worker", and therefore the maternity payment was "inappropriate".
SIPTU argued the worker was employed in 2005 and had responsibility for both cash in transit and clerical duties. Maternity top-ups were given to clerical workers prior to 2008 and so she had a "clear expectation" that she would receive a payment.
The Labour Court, which issued its findings this week following a hearing, said that it was "not unreasonable to have some expectation of being treated in a similar fashion to clerical staff. However, it fully accepts that her contract is silent on the issue of maternity top-up benefit."
It added: "The Court is satisfied that the worker's circumstances are very different to others who occasionally act up inclerical duties and, accordingly, on a once off basis in all the circumstances of this case the Court recommends that the worker should be compensated by the payment of a lump sum to the value of €3,000 and the company should make it clear for future reference that her contract does not provide for maternity top-up."
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Unions to conduct full examination of Bus Éireann financial accounts
SIPTU representatives will attend a reconvened Labour Court hearing on Friday (1st February), into the dispute at Bus Éireann following a full examination of the company’s financial accounts.
An interim ruling of the Labour Court ordered the opening of the company’s accounts to a union appointed financial assessor following a hearing on the dispute on Wednesday (16th January).
SIPTU representatives will attend a reconvened Labour Court hearing on Friday (1st February), into the dispute at Bus Éireann following a full examination of the company’s financial accounts.
An interim ruling of the Labour Court ordered the opening of the company’s accounts to a union appointed financial assessor following a hearing on the dispute on Wednesday (16th January).
The company has agreed to defer introducing cuts in employees' terms and conditions until the Labour Court process is concluded. SIPTU members in Bus Éireann voted on Wednesday, 9th January, to commence strike action following management attempts to unilaterally impose reductions in workers terms and conditions.
SIPTU Organiser, Willie Noone, said: “Our members have always been willing to change working conditions and practices within reason but are not prepared to have changes unilaterally imposed on them. Bus Éireann workers are not prepared to continue to provide a public transport system while management is eroding every aspect of their conditions of employment, including their wages,”
The interim ruling by the Labour Court states: “The company should produce comprehensive financial data upon which its proposals are predicated, including the projected savings which could be realised from each of the proposals contained in its submission to the Court…Having received the report of their nominated assessor the unions should formulate such alternative proposals as they think fit in lieu of all or any of the Company’s proposals.”
The Court will reconvene on Friday, 1st February, at 10.00 a.m. and has stated that it will then proceed to make its recommendation on the substance of the dispute once it has been provided with all the relevant financial data by the company and unions.
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SIPTU to attend LRC regarding proposed jobs losses at Johnson Brothers
SIPTU representatives will attend the Labour Relations Commission on Friday (18th January) to discuss how to maximise the retention of jobs at Johnson Brothers in Ballymount, Dublin. SIPTU Organiser, Karan O’Loughlin, said: “The announcement by the management of Johnson Brothers on Friday, 4th January, that it planned to implement redundancies came as a shock to workers.
SIPTU representatives will attend the Labour Relations Commission on Friday (18th January) to discuss how to maximise the retention of jobs at Johnson Brothers in Ballymount, Dublin. SIPTU Organiser, Karan O’Loughlin, said: “The announcement by the management of Johnson Brothers on Friday, 4th January, that it planned to implement redundancies came as a shock to workers. “Since then the union has had a number of meetings with our members at Johnson Brothers. We have also held discussions with management and attended an initial LRC meeting on Friday, 11th January.” She added: “At the LRC meeting SIPTU representatives will discuss with management how the company can maximise job retention through staff redeployment within the company and where possible employment by DHL, the company to which distribution work at Johnson Brothers is being outsourced.” Johnson Brothers is a sales and marketing, merchandising, distribution and logistics provider based at Ballymount in West Dublin, currently employing 283 people. Management has proposed reducing the workforce to 200. Johnson Brothers is a wholly owned subsidiary of Shannon Transport Logistics, which is one of the largest logistics company in the country.
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SIPTU members welcome Labour Court recommendation on Aer Lingus/DAA/SAA pensions dispute
SIPTU members at Aer Lingus, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) have welcomed a proposal by the Labour Court for a structured and speedy negotiation process to resolve the crisis in the defined pension scheme at the companies.
SIPTU members at Aer Lingus, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) have welcomed a proposal by the Labour Court for a structured and speedy negotiation process to resolve the crisis in the defined pension scheme at the companies.
Speaking on behalf of the Aer Lingus pensions committee SIPTU Organiser, Dermot O’Loughlin, said: “The interim recommendation from the Labour Court provides for a structured foundation for a negotiated solution to the long running dispute over the inadequate funding of the pension scheme. It also recommends a robust time-frame within which the negotiation process must be completed. “It is the unanimous view of the Aer Lingus, DAA and SAA Committees that staff representatives should attend any deliberations that occur within the ‘Technical Group’ that is referred to in the recommendation. This will facilitate efficiency, transparency and accountability.” He said that there remained a lack of clarity on the benefits that can be derived from the current pension contributions and that members were also opposed to any attempt by the airline to seek ‘cost offsetting measures’ in return for meeting its responsibility to properly fund the pensions scheme. “We have no difficulty in negotiating pay stability in a manner that reasonably protects the well-being of our members. However, we are not prepared to allow the company to walk away from the agreed defined benefit scheme and to replace it with an inferior scheme in which our members would end up having to subsidise the employer’s contribution as well as paying their own,” Dermot O’Loughlin said.
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SIPTU agrees to Tara Mines discussions at LRC
SIPTU will begin intensive discussions with management at Tara Mines, Co. Meath, at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) on Friday (18th January).
SIPTU Organiser, John Regan said: “It was agreed following a meeting at the LRC on Wednesday, 9th January, that there would be a process of intensive discussions between the parties. A management decision to place workers at Tara Mines on protective notice on Thursday, 3rd January, was totally unacceptable.
SIPTU will begin intensive discussions with management at Tara Mines, Co. Meath, at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) on Friday (18th January).
SIPTU Organiser, John Regan said: “It was agreed following a meeting at the LRC on Wednesday (9th January), that there would be a process of intensive discussions between the parties. A management decision to place workers at Tara Mines on protective notice on Thursday, 3rd January, was totally unacceptable.”
“Our members welcome the management agreement to refrain from taking any further unilateral actions while discussions are ongoing.”
He added: “The Tara Mines’ workers signed a two year agreement on pay and conditions with management in July 2012, which the company had attempted to tear up. We believe it now understands that such an action will not be accepted by our members.”
In the lead up to the discussions with management union representatives have held a number of meetings with the 400 SIPTU members at Tara Mines.
Pre-tax profits for the firm that operates Tara Mines were €28 million in the 12 months until December last year.
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SIPTU welcomes government decision to criminalise forced labour
SIPTU has welcomed the decision of the Irish government to criminalise forced labour and to provide greater protection for victims of modern day slavery. SIPTU Services Division Organiser, John King, said that the Government decision on Monday (7th January) to insert a definition of forced labour into Irish law will help to eliminate the discrimination against, and exploitation of, workers in Ireland. It also means that employers who commit this criminal act can now be prosecuted.
SIPTU has welcomed the decision of the Irish government to criminalise forced labour and to provide greater protection for victims of modern day slavery. SIPTU Services Division Organiser, John King, said that the Government decision Monday (7th January) to insert a definition of forced labour into Irish law will help to eliminate the discrimination against, and exploitation of, workers in Ireland. It also means that employers who commit this criminal act can now be prosecuted. “This is another measure that will help to eliminate discrimination and the exploitation of people who are induced into forced labour or modern day slavery. It is an important protection for workers across a number of particularly vulnerable employment sectors,” he said. The decision to bring Irish law into line with government commitments under the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention of Forced Compulsory Labour follows a number of high profile instances where workers in this country were treated as slaves by their employers, John King added. The decision was also welcomed by the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) and other groups that have been campaigning for the criminalisation of forced labour. Gráinne O’Toole of MRCI stated; “The MRCI has campaigned for a number of years for a law to criminalise forced labour and we very much welcome this legal amendment. Our experience is that victims will not come forward if there are not clear protections, rights and supports in place.” She said that forced labour is an extreme form of exploitation and can involve deception, coercion, debt bondage and threats or actual physical harm. The MRCI has dealt with over 179 cases of forced labour over the last 6 years, she said.
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Support the Demonstration
Demonstration against Social dumping and to reject the draft report on the Enforcement Directive on Posting of Workers on Wednesday, 23rd January, 2013.
Click here for more details
Demonstration against Social dumping and to reject the draft report on the Enforcement Directive on Posting of Workers on Wednesday, 23rd January, 2013.
Click here for more details
National Commemorative Event

A major conference is being organised for March 2nd in Liberty Hall to mark the 100th Anniversary of the most significant battle for Workers’ Rights in Ireland in the 20th Century, the 1913 Lockout.
Hosted by Sinn Féin Workers Rights spokesperson, Senator David Cullinane, the Conference will be addressed by both National and International Trade Union Leaders, as well as prominent guests, including Writers, Historians, Musicians, and more.

A major conference is being organised for March 2nd in Liberty Hall to mark the 100th Anniversary of the most significant battle for Workers’ Rights in Ireland in the 20th Century, the 1913 Lockout.
Hosted by Sinn Féin Workers Rights spokesperson, Senator David Cullinane, the Conference will be addressed by both National and International Trade Union Leaders, as well as prominent guests, including Writers, Historians, Musicians, and more.
Join with us in celebrating and remembering the great lockout of 1913, and a century of struggle for Irish Workers’, and in considering our own contemporary struggles.
Further details to be published in coming weeks. For more information contact Senator David Cullinane at david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie or 01 6183176.
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EU meeting to focus on Youth Guarantee
SIPTU has endorsed the Government’s commitment to pursue the introduction of a ‘Youth Guarantee’ across Europe during the Irish Presidency of the European Union. The Youth Guarantee proposal will be the main focus of an informal meeting of the EU Social Protection Ministers in Dublin on Friday (8th February).
SIPTU has endorsed the Government’s commitment to pursue the introduction of a ‘Youth Guarantee’ across Europe during the Irish Presidency of the European Union. The Youth Guarantee proposal will be the main focus of an informal meeting of the EU Social Protection Ministers in Dublin on Friday (8th February). The idea is to provide young people under 25 years of age with education, training, work-placement or other labour market activation opportunities, within four months of becoming unemployed. Similar systems already exist in several member states, including Austria, Finland and Sweden. In Ireland 29% or 43,400 young people aged 20 to 24 were unemployed in the second quarter of 2012. Given that emigration has acted as a release valve, the real level may be underestimated. SIPTU researcher, Loraine Mulligan, said: “The rate of youth unemployment in Ireland is among the highest in the EU. However, the rate of young people under 29 years who are ‘not in employment, education or training’ (referred to as ‘NEETs’) is elevated at 18.4% in Ireland. In the main, this category has a heightened risk of being disengaged or distant from the labour market.” She added: “The expansion of apprenticeship/structured traineeships and vocational education should be prioritised as part of the roll-out of a ‘Youth Guarantee’ in Ireland, allowing young people to gain recognised industry-relevant qualifications.”
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MANDATE Trade Union
Guarantee for 'Principle of Consent' need in EU data protection regime
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions on Thursday (17th January) insisted that current European Union deliberations on a proposed new Data Protection Regulation reinforce and guarantee the principle of consent in relation to data collected by employers in the workplace.
Speaking ahead of the January 17-18 meeting of European Ministers for Justice & Home Affairs (EU Justice & Home Affairs Council), as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency, Congress Legal Affairs Officer, Esther Lynch said: “Special measures are needed to protect valid consent in the context of the employment relationship.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions on Thursday (17th January) insisted that current European Union deliberations on a proposed new Data Protection Regulation reinforce and guarantee the principle of consent in relation to data collected by employers in the workplace.
Speaking ahead of the January 17-18 meeting of European Ministers for Justice & Home Affairs (EU Justice & Home Affairs Council), as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency, Congress Legal Affairs Officer, Esther Lynch said: “Special measures are needed to protect valid consent in the context of the employment relationship.
“Congress is calling on MEPS and the Irish Presidency to ensure that the new Data Protection Regulation reinforces the principle that consent is freely given before data is collected, processed or used by requiring the collective consent of the whole workforce rather than leaving it to individual workers to make their own case.
“The proposed new Regulation needs to take account of changes in the EU legal framework, especially the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, so that practices such as ‘blacklisting’ and the use of surveillance technologies to interfere in workers right to organise or to discriminate against workers is prohibited in practice as well as in theory.
Lynch pointed out that the proposed Data Protection Regulation (DPR) will apply to all processing of personal data across the EU, including worker’s personal data.
“Employers collect a huge range of information on their employees: from CCTV records, information on phone use, data on website use, email traffic, health records, information about the family situations, trade union membership, GPS in mobile devices or vehicles trackers, drug and alcohol tests, biometric keys and lie detector tests and demands for Facebook and other social media account passwords have all featured in the recent past.
“Workers on their own, without the protection of their union are unlikely to be able to mount an effective defence of their individual data protection rights when faced with employers’ demands to introduce new monitoring and surveillance methods. They need assistance and protection,” Lynch said.
The Congress Submission to the EU Commission on Data Protection, is available to download here.
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Cuban Film Posters Exhibition
Cuban Film Posters Exhibition
17-31 January 2013 Cervantes Institute Dublin
The Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC), the Cuban film institute, was established in 1959; it aims to promote the medium of film through a range of diverse activities including film and television production. ICAIC also presents numerous screenings of locally produced and international films throughout Cuba each year. And for each, a unique poster is created by a Cuban graphic artist. ICAIC prints the majority of its originally designed film posters as silk-screens in a 20x30 inch format. These posters are widely distributed across Cuba, and highlight the important role that cinema and the visual arts play in contemporary Cuban life.
17-31 January 2013 Cervantes Institute Dublin The Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC), the Cuban film institute, was established in 1959; it aims to promote the medium of film through a range of diverse activities including film and television production. ICAIC also presents numerous screenings of locally produced and international films throughout Cuba each year. And for each, a unique poster is created by a Cuban graphic artist. ICAIC prints the majority of its originally designed film posters as silk-screens in a 20x30 inch format. These posters are widely distributed across Cuba, and highlight the important role that cinema and the visual arts play in contemporary Cuban life. These posters are totally handmade. In the silk-screen process a screen is hand cut for each individual colour. Each colour is applied separately. Each colour takes 24 hrs to dry before the next can be applied. This is a unique exhibition presented to the Irish public coinciding with the Cuban Film Season, as part of the celebrations of the National Day of Cuba, from 17-31 January 2013.
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Join Protest Against Bank Debt and Austerity
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This €64 billion burden was the cost of ‘saving’ the Irish banks, whose collapse brought down the whole economy. This debt is unfair, unjust and unpayable. It will keep Ireland trapped on a self-defeating austerity treadmill that has already destroyed hundreds of thousands of jobs and forced tens of thousands of our young people abroad in search of work.
Yet, on 14th January the Government repaid bank ‘bonds’ worth at least €1.35bn. And over the next three years it will pay out some €4bn in interest, on part of the bank debt. Some economists estimate the final cost of Anglo-Irish Bank alone could be DOUBLE the original €30bn estimate!
Imagine how many jobs those huge sums could create, or the services they could deliver in our communities?
The €64 billion burden is imposing huge costs and threatens to cripple Irish society for generations to come. No matter what sacrifices we make, no matter how ‘competitive’ we become, there is no hope of recovery while this unjust burden remains.
We must act now and send a clear message to the people of Europe that this debt is unsustainable.
Across the country, thousands have protested against the symptoms of this unjust debt burden – attacks on wages and cuts in services. Saturday, 9th February is your chance to rally against austerity and the bank debt.
This €64 billion burden was the cost of ‘saving’ the Irish banks, whose collapse brought down the whole economy. This debt is unfair, unjust and unpayable. It will keep Ireland trapped on a self-defeating austerity treadmill that has already destroyed hundreds of thousands of jobs and forced tens of thousands of our young people abroad in search of work.
Yet, on 14th January the Government repaid bank ‘bonds’ worth at least €1.35bn. And over the next three years it will pay out some €4bn in interest, on part of the bank debt. Some economists estimate the final cost of Anglo-Irish Bank alone could be DOUBLE the original €30bn estimate!
Imagine how many jobs those huge sums could create, or the services they could deliver in our communities?
The €64 billion burden is imposing huge costs and threatens to cripple Irish society for generations to come. No matter what sacrifices we make, no matter how ‘competitive’ we become, there is no hope of recovery while this unjust burden remains.
We must act now and send a clear message to the people of Europe that this debt is unsustainable.
Across the country, thousands have protested against the symptoms of this unjust debt burden – attacks on wages and cuts in services. Saturday, 9th February is your chance to rally against austerity and the bank debt.
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NERI pessimistic on economic outlook
By Dr. Micheál Collins
In the latest edition of the Nevin Economic Research Institute’s Quarterly Economic Observer we have outlined where we expect the economy of the Republic of Ireland to go over this and the next two years. In the institutes first set of economic projections, we detailed our expectations for economic growth, employment, unemployment and government finances. Unfortunately, our projections are pessimistic, highlighting an ongoing economic stagnation as a result of continued contractions to domestic demand, sustained uncertainty at a European level and a related slow recovery of the international economy.
By Dr. Micheál Collins
In the latest edition of the Nevin Economic Research Institute’s Quarterly Economic Observer we have outlined where we expect the economy of the Republic of Ireland to go over this and the next two years. In the institutes first set of economic projections, we detailed our expectations for economic growth, employment, unemployment and government finances. Unfortunately, our projections are pessimistic, highlighting an ongoing economic stagnation as a result of continued contractions to domestic demand, sustained uncertainty at a European level and a related slow recovery of the international economy. Over this year and next, we expect the Republic of Ireland economy to marginally grow, with annual GDP growth of less than 1% per annum. While we anticipate some improvement in 2015, we expect growth will still be less than 2%. Within the economy, we note the likely expansion of exports and the sectors of the economy strongly linked to the external economic environment. However, this contrasts with the domestic economy and an ongoing decline in domestic demand which is likely to continue for at least another year as a consequence of continuing fiscal austerity combined with high level of indebtedness and a lack of domestic consumer and investor confidence. The impact of weak growth is also relevant for the labour market. In general, the economy needs to be experiencing more than 2% GDP growth per annum to generate higher employment. Given our growth expectations, we envisage that unemployment will remain stubbornly high for the next few years, climbing to over 15% this year. We also expect a small decline in the total number of employees over each of the next three years with employment growth only returning in 2016. The lack of growth and the combined effects of less employment and more unemployment add further pressure to the Government’s financial situation. While we anticipate that the Government will reach its fiscal targets in 2013, the prospect of higher budgetary deficits, larger numbers unemployed, further austerity measures and the contracting domestic economy leads us to question the Government’s capacity to reach its 2015 fiscal target of reducing the deficit to below 3% of GDP (the key target set out in the Troika agreement). However, despite the gloomy outlook, there are options which Government can take to improve the overall outlook and assist the domestic economy as we await further improvements in international conditions. As the NERI, ICTU, SIPTU and others have outlined over the past year, there remains a clear need for a sizeable frontloaded investment stimulus for the domestic economy focused on job intensive projects in the areas of water infrastructure, broadband, early-childhood education, energy production and retrofitting. Funded by resources for commercial semi-states, pension funds and the European Investment Bank, there remains potential to expand such a stimulus well beyond that announced last July and significantly kick-start the domestic economy. Similarly, Government action on restructuring the bank debt element of our national debt, and in particular the Anglo Irish promissory notes, has potential to provide an important source of fiscal adjustments in 2013. If this is achieved and is of a significant scale, it offers the prospect to reduce day-to-day Government expenditure and dampen some of the fiscal pressure outlined earlier. Finally, our projection on the sustained nature of the unemployment crisis should remind us of the real need for public policy to take greater measures to address this. With more than 60% of the unemployed being long-term unemployed, many for multiple years, the challenges facing individuals, families, communities and the country as a whole in getting people back to decently paid sustainable work is likely to be the major public policy challenge of the next decade. The latest NERI QEO is available at www.NERInstitute.net Dr Micheál Collins is Senior Research Officer at the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI).
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Global Labour Column (GLC)
Universal social protection floors - a minimum the world is too rich not to have
The problem of capitalism is not its wealth-creating capacity, but its inability to share it. A global economic system that produces incredible wealth, but cannot ensure “zero hunger” on this planet is deeply flawed. Markets lacking the visible helping hand of democratic and accountable governments are producing socially undesirable, and most likely unsustainable, outcomes.
The problem of capitalism is not its wealth-creating capacity, but its inability to share it. A global economic system that produces incredible wealth, but cannot ensure “zero hunger” on this planet is deeply flawed. Markets lacking the visible helping hand of democratic and accountable governments are producing socially undesirable, and most likely unsustainable, outcomes.
The most successful – and actually the only – way to provide universal minimum social protection in modern societies is the welfare state that guarantees basic rights for those in need, and is financed through compulsory payments (contributions or taxes) by all members of society according to their abilities. Systems might be organised in different ways, but at the end of the day all systems are based on the capacity and willingness of governments to impose on their citizen obligatory solidarity with the poorer members of society.It is impossible to protect the poor through voluntary social security systems and it proved very difficult to extend contributory social security systems beyond the formal economy. Recognizing how few advances were made to move from informal labour markets to rights-based employment in many developing countries, it became increasingly clear that progress in extending coverage requires new decisive and innovative state policies to extend social security coverage. Following intensive debates at national and international levels, and at the International Labour Conference (ILC) in 2012, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopted the new Social Protection Floors (SPF) Recommendation[1] (No. 202) (“the Recommendation”) stating that universal social security coverage is necessary, desirable, and possible: “… social protection floors … should comprise at least the following basic social security guarantees: a) access to a nationally defined set of goods and services, constituting essential healthcare, including maternity care, that meets the criteria of availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality; b) basic income security for children, at least at a nationally defined minimum level, providing access to nutrition, education, care and any other necessary goods and services; c) basic income security, at least at a nationally defined minimum level, for persons in active age who are unable to earn sufficient income, in particular in cases of sickness, unemployment, maternity and disability; and
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Super Surprise for Seamie
Seamie Briscoe is usually the man behind the scenes, promoting others and helping to organise whatever is needed, but his last day in his role as the head of FÁS scheme based out of the rugby club - and his birthday - saw the tables turned completely on him.
Family and friends gathered from as far away as Scotland, for a surprise bash at the rugby club on Friday, 21st December.
Seamie Briscoe is usually the man behind the scenes, promoting others and helping to organise whatever is needed, but his last day in his role as the head of FÁS scheme based out of the rugby club - and his birthday - saw the tables turned completely on him. Family and friends gathered from as far away as Scotland, for a surprise bash at the rugby club on Friday, 21st December. Old pal Eamon Duffy was the culprit this time as he organised a team of workers to set the scene, the family getting Seamie to the doors of the club with the offer of a ' few quiet drinks' only to be greeted by the Mayor of Drogheda Paul Bell, the head of SIPTU Jack O'Connor and Boyne President Reggie McHugh. After that he was caught in a 'rolling maul' of best wishes from all quarters while a special video show saw best wishes coming from around the world, some live from Wales and Australia. Former referee John West described Seamie as the 'catalyst' for the creation of Boyne RFC from the former Drogheda and Delvin clubs while Niall Ronan, the Munster star, was delighted that Seamie could now get the ' bus pass' - adding 'now you can come down and support us in Thomond Park!' Friends in Wales gathered live in Llanelli while George Hunter in Australia and Craig McGrath in Italy also spoke of Seamie's dedication as did the clan in Kilkelly in Co Mayo, where his sister and family reside. Tom Carolan was praised for putting the whole package together. Various speakers rose to applaud Seamie's career, with Mayor Paul Bell describing him as an 'amazing citizen and a huge role model, a friend of everybody's who could talk to anyone.' He revealed Seamie proposed him for union membership as he started put in his own career. 'His contribution to Boyne is more than people realise,' club president Reggie McHugh added, as he bestowed Hon Life Membership on his fellow clubman. Jack O'Connor expressed a wish that Seamie never retire from the community, because it needs him too much. 'Like any good official he has vision and his dedication has been to the working people,' he added. Ken Kearney from Dalkeith, Scotland, came over for the night and spoke of his own first introduction to Seamie and Delvin in 1974. 'A lot of us were coming to Ireland for the first time on a tour and the lads wanted a drink in an old Irish thatched bar and the next thing we turned into a place called the El Molino in Julianstown!' Former Ireland star Shane Horgan also got in touch by phone on the night from the UK. As for Seamie he outlined his own working life, starting on New Year's Day in 1961 as a farm hand on Sweeneys farm in Milltown, before moving to GEC in Dunleer and Unilever. McDonnell's was a special place too. 'I remember going in on my first morning and Dessie Hand asking me to sing ' A Scottish Soldier'. His love and work for Boyne RFC won't change he added, 'retirement is not over and out,' he declared.
Drogheda Independent (2nd January, 2013)
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Spanish Anti-Fascist War 1936 - 1939
INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE COMMEMORATION COMMITTEE
Invite you to their
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Saturday 19 January 2013 @ 1:00pm Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre 45/47 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2FG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guest Speaker – Manus O’Riordan The Enigma of Frank Ryan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more details contact Ciaran Crossey: 07759393607 or Ernest Walker: 07751951785 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE COMMEMORATION COMMITTEE
Invite you to their
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Saturday 19 January 2013 @ 1:00pm Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre 45/47 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2FG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guest Speaker – Manus O’Riordan The Enigma of Frank Ryan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more details contact Ciaran Crossey: 07759393607 or Ernest Walker: 07751951785 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Win €100 Voucher from Newbridge Silverware!

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Larkin Credit Union
SIPTU Basic English Scheme
Fair Hotel
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