As the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) spreads across the world, paralysing entire countries, underprivileged families bear the brunt of the crisis, with parents unable to work and support their children. Educators in Palestine and Morocco have decided to donate part of their wages to help the most vulnerable and the fight against the virus. With over 1.3 billion students worldwide out of school (over 80% of the global student population), millions of children from disadvantaged backgrounds are missing out on essential social services provided in their schools, such as school meals. To make matters worse, quarantine measures mean that many […]

Helen Yaffe— COVID-19 surged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December 2019, and by January 2020 it had hit Hubei province like a tidal wave, swirling over China and rippling out overseas. The Chinese state rolled into action to combat the spread and to care for those infected. Among the thirty medicines the Chinese National Health Commission selected to fight the virus was a Cuban anti-viral drug, Interferon Alpha 2b. This drug has been produced in China since 2003, by the enterprise ChangHeber, a Cuban-Chinese joint venture. Cuban Interferon Alpha 2b has proven effective for viruses with characteristics […]

The National Federation of Public Hospital Doctors of Greece (OENGE) held a protest at the Ministry of Healthcare on Thursday, March 19 demanding immediate measures for the protection of the people’s and doctors health faced with Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically the doctors denounced the Governments tactics that even today refuse to stuff the Public Hospitals with the necessary doctors and personnel. Additionally the doctors protested for the shortages in necessary materials such as protective masks, gloves, etc. The Federation also protested symbolically against the measure that prohibits gatherings of more than 10 persons, by 20 doctors standing together with their banner […]

Government must immediately intervene and put forward a comprehensive Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme for workers -ICTU 20 Mar 2020 General Secretary Patricia King has expressed grave concern at  reports that employers who temporarily lay off workers because of coronavirus will not be refunded for paying them anything over and above the new Covid-19 unemployment payment of €203 per week offered by the State. Patricia King said this is an unprecedented emergency for  the country, and she called for immediate intervention by Government to immediately develop a ‘Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme for Workers.’  which would seek to  uphold their  net income. She […]

Fórsa members are advised follow the HSE advice on protecting yourself and others from the coronavirus. Reporting for work The union advises members to report for work as normal unless: You have been told not to attend work by your manager or HR department Remote working arrangements have been put in place, and you have been told to work at home by your manager or HR department You have a medical reason for not attending work You are self-isolating on medical or HSE advice. If you are in vulnerable group (ie, if you are over 60 or have a long-term medical condition like heart […]

On the occasion of this year’s March 8th anniversary, the World Federation of Trade Union addresses a warm militant greeting to every woman all over the globe, working or unemployed, self-employed, in the city or in the countryside, young mother, student, retiree, refugee or immigrant, life fighters of the everyday. We all, stand on the side of the women who struggle with the WFTU and the international class-oriented movement, and strongly believe in the necessity of the organization of the women’s fight for real equality and do not limit our militancy and struggles just in one day a year. 2020 […]

Fórsa will ballot health and social care professionals (HSCPs) for industrial action if the health department proceeds with the recruitment of a chief nursing officer (CNO) on the basis of the current job description, and prior to appointing a specific HSCP advisor to the department. The CNO post, which is currently being advertised, would subsume all other health and social care professions under the authority of a chief nursing officer. Fórsa will not allow independent health professions to become a subset of nursing, as they would under this propos.   For a further update click here Nipsa: Community organisations, charities, […]

New Assembly Committee Expected to be set up on Monday Community organisations, charities, trade unions and academics have written to the First and deputy First Minister and other party leaders urging them to ensure that a new Committee established under the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement is the final stage of agreeing a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. It is expected that the Assembly will set up the Committee on Monday and the community groups want party leaders to guarantee it will deliver the long-awaited Bill of Rights, originally promised in the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement in […]

Cleaning staff at University Hospital Waterford are taking to the picket lines this morning. Around 125 members of the Unite trade union are striking in a row over changes to their working conditions without consultation. Momentum Support took over the cleaning contract at the hospital from ISS last September. Commenting on today’s strike action, Unite Regional Officer Tony Kelly accused Momentum of seeking to impose changes to working conditions without consultation: “Our members have suddenly found themselves assigned to different work areas and tasks without either consultation or explanation, contrary to long-standing practice at the hospital. They have been forcibly […]