“Patients are on chairs” – 80 go without beds in Limerick today       80 admitted patients are without beds in University Hospital Limerick today – with more than 12 being cared for on chairs overnight, without even a trolley. See here for full figures.   This is the highest figure recorded in an Irish hospital since the COVID-19 restrictions began.    The INMO has called for urgent intervention from the Minister for Health, with the immediate appointment of an external crisis management team to oversee governance at the hospital. This team would set out a clear plan to:   – […]

Hospital pharmacist members working in acute hospitals have backed a range of proposals to revise career structures in a ballot of members. The ballot passed by just over 67% on a turnout of 65%.  Fórsa official Catherine Keogh said the proposals backed by members contain significant and immediate gains for hospital pharmacists. These include a shorter pay scale, an enhanced career structure, additional specialist and new senior posts, in addition to greater protections on the issue of weekend services, out of hours and extended working days. Fórsa’s  ballot follows a WRC conciliation process that sought to implement the 2011 McLoughlin […]

SIPTU Divisional Organiser, Greg Ennis, has called for the immediate recommencement of Covid-19 testing for workers in the meat processing industry. He said: “We are extremely concerned that serial testing in meat plants has been halted by the HSE. SIPTU representatives were calling for mass testing of workers across the industry for months before it was finally commenced on 21st August. It has now emerged that the HSE has withdrawn from the meat processing plants since 8th September without providing any advance notice of its decision to workers, their union or to public representatives in the Oireachtas. “There have been […]

11 September 2020 School Steward online training dates are Tuesday 6th, 13th and 20th October. Open to all School Stewards and are particularly helpful for newly elected Stewards.  Participants will receive comprehensive e-packs in advance with links to information and videos on key aspects of the role.  The emphasis in the training is on responding to current issues in your school and how best to represent your colleagues.  Substitution is provided by the ASTI.  Issues covered are: role of the school steward contracts leave for teachers disciplinary and grievance procedures conducting school ballots update on national issues To register, contact Eileen at Eileen@asti.ie News […]

Solidarity with the Debenhams workers The arrest without a court injunction of the Debenhams workers for the occupation of stores brings the crisis in workers rights to a new level. This marks a massive change of direction by the state where workers are now arrested for defending their rights even before an employer goes to court. This demonstrates which side the government is on. This is the state attacking its own citizens. The trade union movement must challenge this. Support strikes are banned under the 1990 industrial relations act, it is unlikely any Union will be willing or able to […]

The Department of Health, by refusing to make provision for compensatory rest for health managers who have worked 60 to 70 hour weeks over seven days in recent months, has confirmed it is not prepared to comply with the state legislation on working time. In a letter to members on 21st August, Fórsa’s head of health and welfare Éamonn Donnelly (pictured), said the department does not have the authority to ignore its obligations under the law. Éamonn’s comments follow the union’s claim for staff at the level of Grade VIII and above, who work in areas such as primary and […]

Trade Union Left Forum offer our sincere condolences to the family, fiancee, friends of the deceased, the Brazilian community and workmates of Thiago Cortes a young Deliveroo worker who has died following a hit and run incident on Monday night.  Tereza Dontas, Mr Cortes’s fiancée, kept a bed-side vigil as Thiago fought for his life before he finally succumbed to fatal injuries. The Brazilian community, Deliveroo workers and many ordinary citizens gathered at the Spire this evening to remember Thiago and express their anger at this outrage. A passing demonstration by striking Debenhams workers stopped and held a minutes silence […]

There was strong support for the Debenhams workers last night outside the Convention Centre. Clearly the government is feeling vulnerable after their golfing debacle: the Gardaí felt it necessary to erect two barricades to stop us getting too close … The Debenhams workers have been blockading stores for almost 150 days to stop KPMG’s hired goons making off with the stock. Every trade unionist worth their salt should be down on the picket lines as monitoring the depots 24/7 is no easy task. Their struggle is our struggle. ✊✊✊ An injury to one is an injury to all !

In light of the ongoing struggle by the workers in Debenhams, We publish the Duffy Cahill report from 2016 in full. Click on this link Expert Examination and Review of Laws on the Protection of Employee Interests when assets are separated from the operating entity (Duffy Cahill Report) 26th April 2016  |   Reports, Research and Analysis An expert examination of legal protections for workers with a particular focus on ways of ensuring limited liability and corporate restructuring are not used to avoid a company’s obligations to its employees. The examination was to look specifically at situations where assets of significant value are separated from […]

The well written Trade Union paper Shopfloor is not out. You can read it on this link.