The Covid-19 pandemic represents a crisis of unprecedented proportions for the working classes and yet the response of the leadership of the large trade unions has been lacklustre to put it mildly. In an Irish Times article co-authored with SIPTU General Secretary Joe Cunningham (“Social solidarity must be central to post-emergency” April 20th), and again in a lengthy article on Fórsa’s website (“Ireland, the Pandemic and the EU Recovery Plan”), Fórsa’s General Secretary Kevin Callinan has articulated a vision for the way forward based on social partnership (re-packaged as “social dialogue”) at both Irish and EU level. The Trade Union […]

Press Release SIPTU calls on Programme for Government negotiators to stop pension age increase Date Released: 28 May 2020 SIPTU representatives have called on Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to ensure that the deferral of the planned pension age increase to 67 next year is included in any agreed Programme for Government. SIPTU research, Michal Taft said: “The campaign to stop the increase in the pension age to 67 next year and to establish a Stakeholders Forum to examine the future of our pension system won the support of many voters in the general election earlier this […]

Exposure to COVID-19 is a public health risk which affects all citizens. The COVID-19 pandemic also has implications for all workplaces as it can present a health risk to workers and other persons at a place of work. The reopening of the economy goes hand-in-hand with the provision of public health measures to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19 as well as the existing occupational health and safety measures. Watch this video

SIPTU representatives call on Aer Lingus to ensure current pay arrangements continue Date Released: 22 May 2020 SIPTU representatives at Aer Lingus have called on the company to continue with current pay arrangements following a statement by the company that it will unilaterally cut pay and working hours after 21st June. SIPTU Sector Organiser, Neil McGowan said: “The management of Aer Lingus has informed union representatives that the current pay arrangements for staff will continue until 21st June. However, it said that, after this date, it intends to unilaterally make further reductions in working hours and pay, including lay-offs in some […]

In the current crisis, we are hearing a lot about digital tools to track, monitor and share data about people. In the workplace, technology has the potential to help us respond to the health pandemic – and causes concerns about data, privacy and power. Digital monitoring and data gathering by employers has been growing at pace over the past few years. There is already evidence that workers are either unaware or being excluded from information and decision-making about workplace surveillance. Our own research at Prospect shows that most workers are unsure what data is currently collected about them by employers. The workplace […]

Dorel Giurca, 53, died of Covid-19 on May 8th. He had been earning €10.80 an hour working as a cleaner in St James’s Hospital in Dublin.   His wife Mirela, who has Covid-19, said from her hospital bed “I don’t know how I will live without him”.   Momentum Support Ltd, Dorel’s former employer, say they have adhered strictly to the protocols and guidelines that have been put in place by the relevant authorities in response to Covid-19.   Clearly, the company didn’t do enough to protect Dorel.    Dorel died keeping people safe for €10.80 per hour. He was […]

A member of Unite the Union working at Moy Park Dungannon sadly passed away this week after contracting Covid-19.    Workers in the Dungannon and Portadown plants are isolating at home in fear of their own safety that of their families.   Moy Park will not facilitate testing of staff.   A similar story has unfolded in meat processing plants in the twenty-six counties, where SIPTU has reported over 600 confirmed cases among workers who are badly paid and forced to flout social distancing guidelines during shifts.   The agrifood industries in both parts of Ireland are closely connected – many workers cross […]

The Government must now immediately commit to refund the additional childcare costs that essential health workers have incurred since schools and crèches were closed on 12th March, according to the country’s largest public service trade union. The Government must now immediately commit to refund the additional childcare costs that essential health workers have incurred since schools and crèches were closed. Fórsa said that this evening’s (Wednesday’s) announcement that a Government plan to provide childcare for essential health workers was not going ahead – less than a week after it was announced – was a let-down for staff struggling to balance […]

Date Released: 13 May 2020 Workers at National Pen in Dundalk, county Louth have insisted that they wish to be represented by SIPTU during discussions on redundancy terms following the decision by the company to remove 176 employees from its workforce. SIPTU Industrial Organiser, Denis Sheridan said: “The management of National Pen has failed to respond to a request by employees to be represented by our union during the 30 day consultation period prior to any redundancies coming into effect. Instead, the company has asked workers to nominate representatives from groups of employees chosen by management. This process is deeply […]