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." 

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.

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)

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.  

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

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.  

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

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.

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.

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

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.  

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’.  

“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.”  

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.