Fórsa has sought an urgent engagement with the education department over concerns that special needs assistants (SNAs) and school secretaries with underlying health conditions could be at unnecessary high risk once schools start to reopen later this week. The union is concerned that standard occupational health advice, and new guidance issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) today (Monday), give insufficient protections against Covid-19 to classroom-based staff with underlying health problems including lung and respiratory conditions, heart disease, and some cancers. The union’s head of education, Andy Pike, said these workers have been told they must work […]

Department of Finance Consultation: Public Service Pension Schemes: Changes to Transitional Arrangements to the 2015 Schemes  Published: 19 August 2020 Pensions Members will be aware that the Fire Bridge Union (FBU) successfully challenged the UK Government on the transitional protection arrangements which came about following the introduction of the public sector pension schemes in April 2015. Today the Department of Finance has launched a formal consultation on the proposals to remedy the age discrimination in NI devolved schemes since 1 April 2015. This consultation will provide proposed remedies for affected individuals with a retrospective choice to have their pension entitlements […]

Date Released: 20 August 2020 SIPTU members have given a cautious welcome to the decision of the Government to provide funding to ensure that the cultural sites, King John’s Castle in Limerick City and Bunratty Castle in County Clare remain open until the end of 2020. SIPTU Organiser, Rachel Keane, said: “Shannon Heritage which operates the sites had intended closing both Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and King John’s Castle at the end of August. It has now been confirmed that the Shannon Group, which operates Shannon Heritage, will receive €2.6 million in Government funding to keep both sites open […]

  18 Aug 2020   2021 Nobel Peace Prize for Cuba’s Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade! “Our country does not drop bombs on other peoples, nor does it send thousands of planes to bomb cities. Our country does not possess nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, or biological weapons. Our country’s tens of thousands of scientists and doctors have been educated in the idea of saving lives” Fidel Castro Dear colleagues, brothers and sisters of the world working class, The World Federation of Trade Unions salutes its members, friends and simple workers around the world who have been struggling day by day […]

COMMENTARY ON THE LABOUR CLUSTER OF THE OMNIBUS BILL ON JOB CREATION (RUU CIPTA KERJA) 17 August 2020, Index number: ASA 21/2879/2020 The rights to participate in public affairs, freedom of expression, the right to information, as well as the right to just and favorable conditions at work, are protected by international law. Since all human rights are interdependent, the protection of these rights is essential to the protection of other human rights. The Government of Indonesia is undergoing a process of producing an Omnibus Bill on Job Creation, which, Amnesty International believes, will weaken protection of existing workers’ rights. […]

SIPTU awaits full response from Sisters Of Charity on redundancy payments for workers Date Released: 13 August 2020 SIPTU representatives have said they have received an initial response from the Sisters Of Charity to their call for discussions on the issues arising for employees from the decision to place into liquidation the Caritas Convalescent Centre, St. Mary’s Centre Telford and St. Monica’s Nursing Home in Dublin. SIPTU Organiser, Brian Condra, said: “The Sisters have acknowledged the correspondence sent by the unions which represent workers at this institutions. We further note that they have committed to a full response to our […]

Over a third (36%) of Irish employees stated that their mental health & wellbeing has suffered as result of working longer hours during Covid-19 and 47% of managers believe their employees may be at risk of burnout, following a change in work pattern or behaviour bought on by Covid-19. The findings come from a new report published this week by global recruiter Robert Walters: Burning the Candle: Strategies to Combat Workplace Burnout. The survey was conducted in July (a good few months into lockdown/working-from-home). It was a global survey taking place across 31 countries with 1,000 Irish professionals taking part and […]

WFTU CONDEMNS THE NON-EXISTENCE OF THE NAME OF PALESTINE ON GOOGLE MAPS 13 Aug 2020 ARAB WORLD, MIDDLE EAST, PALESTINE   The World Federation of Trade Unions, which is the militant voice of 105 million members in 132 countries all over the world, strongly condemns the non-existence of the name of Palestine on the maps of Google, fact that contributes to the Israeli aggression against the People of Palestine. The excuses presented by Google cannot convince anyone, while they further expose the company in the eyes of all users. Despite this provocative attitude of the US colossus company, the State […]

Over 3,000 local authority staff working in water services have raised fears about their jobs and the continued public ownership of Ireland’s water services after senior civil servants were reported to have advised incoming local government minister Darragh O’Brien to transfer local council water operations to Irish Water. This follows media reports of the details of a civil service briefing for the new minister, which warned that current arrangements increased the “risk” of service failure. Fórsa, the union that represents most of the staff, has rejected this assertion and says workers fear the real motive is to prepare water services […]

TULF are actively supporting the Debenhams workers in their struggle for justice. What has happened the Debenhams workers is atrocious. Some workers have given decades of service to the company and then when it suits the company just abandons them. But what is inspirational is the fact the workers are trying to change legislation to protect all other workers from this terrible predicament.” On Wednesday 22nd July the workers and their supporters marched to the convention centre Dublin where the Dáil was debating a motion in support of their plight. Picture of some of the workers before they set off […]