Trade Union Left Forum are delighted to offer our support and Solidarity with the new Cuban Support group. Cuban Solidarity Forum Ireland
Feb
12
ASTI news
Leaving Cert 2021 proposal not viable
The ASTI has announced it is withdrawing from discussions on the Leaving Cert 2021 pending a guarantee that the talks will focus on the Minister’s stated objectives of planning for examinations and scoping out a corresponding measure.
ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie said it is unacceptable that a plan is being developed which will effectively see students preparing for two versions of a Leaving Cert, with Calculated Grades being the dominant option, and the Leaving Cert exams filling in assessment gaps.
“We entered a process in good faith to explore the position whereby if the Leaving Certificate or elements of it do not go ahead, a fair and credible choice or option would be available to students,” said Mr Christie.
“It is clear to us that the approach being developed would not provide the meaningful Leaving Certificate experience this cohort of students deserve.
“The process is being developed in a manner that would see the Leaving Certificate relegated to a secondary position with Calculated Grades the premier option. The lack of data this year would make the delivery of a credible Calculated Grades process extremely challenging.
“Given the widely accepted additional stress that students are currently experiencing, it is extraordinary that the only option being explored is that they would effectively prepare for two versions of a Leaving Certificate rather than one.
“We are calling for the Minister to re-establish the focus of the talks so that a meaningful Leaving Certificate experience is provided to this cohort of students, which they rightly deserve.”
The ASTI will continue to engage constructively with the re-opening of schools process.
Ends
Feb
11
Campaign to Stop CETA.
A chara,
I am writing to you, to urge you to vote against the upcoming Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada. CETA is much more than a trade deal and has huge ramifications for Ireland.
CETA will damage Ireland’s ability to legislate for stronger Workers’ Rights & climate actions such as, compulsory company sick pay/ pension schemes or a ban on plastic bottles.
CETA enables Private corporations to sue government’s for potential loss of profits as a result of governments changing policy, in private dispute settlement courts ISDS.
There is no end to the possibilities, billions of euros have already been paid out by governments in fines and costs to corporations who have successfully sued governments in ISDS in other trade agreements such as North American free trade agreement Nafta.
I am urging you to vote no and reject CETA.
ISDS has been used by corporations to sue national governments, undermine politicians and the democratic process across the world – everything from tobacco companies suing against the introduction of plain packaging to companies seeking massive compensation when governments tried to limit fracking in Canada or the introduction of a minimum wage in Egypt.
Canadian owned company IRES is the largest private landlord in Ireland. The signing of CETA could have huge implications for tenants and exacerbate the housing crisis.
We need strong leaders to guide this country not transfer power to Multinational Coporations, Vulture funds and private courts.
Signed
(Your name here)
Your TDs email addresses can be found here 👇
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?tab=party&party=%2Fie%2Foireachtas%2Fparty%2Fdail%2F33%2FGreen_Party
Feb
10
Nurses and midwives deserve pandemic compensation – INMO tells Oireachtas
Ireland’s nurses and midwives deserve additional compensation for their work during the pandemic, the INMO will tell the Oireachtas health committee today (Tuesday).
Healthcare workers in Northern Ireland and Scotland are set to receive a once-off £500 bonus for their work so far. In France, they are to be awarded a €1,500 bonus for their work.
The INMO lodged a claim in November for compensatory leave due to fatigue and overwork throughout 2020, which has not yet been responded to.
The INMO will also tell the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health that decisions on worker safety have had “insufficient priority” since the start of the pandemic. The union will say that healthcare workers’ safety has been at risk as a result, while students have been left with a bad experience of the Irish health service.
The INMO submission will also call for improved social distancing in hospitals, mental health supports for the frontline, childcare provision, and mandatory health and safety inspections in workplaces with clusters or outbreaks of COVID.
INMO President, Karen McGowan, said:
“Despite great risks, our colleagues across nursing and midwifery have made an incredible contribution to the fight against COVID. It is a matter of simple justice that the debt of gratitude owed to frontline staff is recognised.”
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said:
“This has been a long hard year for those who work in the health service. Time and time again, frontline healthcare staff have stepped up to provide care in extreme circumstances. It is beyond time that their efforts are recognised.
“We have lodged a claim for compensation for our members, given all they have sacrificed and contributed during this pandemic. We are still awaiting a response.
“Ever since the virus arrived on our shores, we have had to push for basic safety for frontline staff. We were forced to launch a public campaign simply to get facemasks. The government refused to classify COVID as an occupational injury until an EU directive forced their hand.
“Even basic issues like childcare for the largely female healthcare workforce were not dealt with when schools closed.
“It’s time for a clear message from government that our frontline nurses and midwives are truly valued.”
-end-
Notes to editors:
A full copy of the INMO’s opening statement to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health is here
The INMO’s Phil Ní Sheaghdha and INMO President Karen McGowan will address the committee from 10am.
Jan
14
Mandate saddened by passing of Mel Corry
Mandate saddened by passing of Mel Corry
Thursday 14 January 2021
Mandate is deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of our brother Mel Corry yesterday afternoon after a short battle with Covid.
Mel had been working for Trademark Belfast as a tutor on Mandate’s education courses since 2013 where our staff and our members had the pleasure of learning from a trade union stalwart.
Members loved his dry wit and twinkle in the eye. Mel was working class. Therefore he acutely felt and understood the struggles met by workers and their families. Through his union work it was obvious he felt a deep affinity with our members and they with him. He was an important part of their struggles and journey through life. His life was a life well lived and he will leave an irreplaceable hole both in our hearts as well as in our trade union movement.
Mel spoke at our 2014 conference in Killarney where this picture was taken. He spoke about the great inequities and social injustices we faced, and continue to face. When we arrived the morning the conference was to start, Mel was already there setting up a stall where he could recommend books to our members and activists to help them on their learning journey. That was Mel. A trade unionist, socialist and educator every minute of every day.
When Mandate became involved in the Right2Water campaign, we immediately made contact with Trademark Belfast and asked them to involve themselves in the campaign. Through Unite the Union they provided educational courses to water activists across the country which gave them a good grounding and understanding about the privatisation agenda that was and is destroying living standards for workers and their families across the island of Ireland.
Understated, knowledgeable, empathetic and communist. He had a vision for a better future and he spent his life searching for it and fighting for it every single day.
All of us in Mandate wish to extend our sincere condolences to Mel’s family, friends, his comrades in Trademark Belfast and all who are impacted by this terrible loss.
Thank you Mel for all your hard work on behalf of our class. You will be sorely missed.
We all are better for having known you. Rest In Power comrade
Jan
13
Retail workers demand early vaccination
Retail workers demand early vaccination
Tuesday 12 January 2021
Mandate Trade Union has written to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, seeking clarity on the prioritisation of retail workers in the rollout of the vaccination programme.
Gerry Light, Mandate General Secretary, said the HSEs listing of priority groups published on 6th January for vaccination is ambiguous and doesn’t explain where retail workers are in its listing of priorities.
“Retail workers, particularly grocery and pharmacy staff, have kept the country going over the last 12 months and they deserve recognition as essential workers risking their health every day. As such, the Minister needs to confirm that retail workers are in the ‘Key workers in essential jobs who cannot avoid a high risk of exposure to COVID‐19′ category.”
He added, “Shop workers and pharmacy workers are key to tackling this virus and reducing transmissions. They experience daily interactions with the public and with other key workers, and if they are infected, there is a strong possibility that they could infect others, whether at work, or in the community. It makes perfect sense to vaccinate them as early as possible so that we can keep infections in the community under control and protect both the retail worker and the public.”
Mandate has also written to all major retail employers in Ireland seeking their support for the early vaccination of retail workers.
“Grocery retailers have been buoyed by an increase in sales over the last year with many companies experiencing growth of up to 18 percent on the previous year. Their workers, who have been on the frontlines since the beginning of the pandemic, have kept the businesses going, at great risk to themselves. We believe all major employers should now do everything possible to ensure their workers can avail of an early vaccination.”
Jan
10
SIPTU says Minister for Health must act now to remove roadblocks to health service recruitment
SIPTU says Minister for Health must act now to remove roadblocks to health service recruitment
Date Released: 08 January 2021
SIPTU representatives have today (Friday, 8th January) urged the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to immediately intervene and remove any roadblocks to health service recruitment as part of an emergency effort to address the unsustainable staffing crisis that is spreading right across the health service.
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “The current stress on our health services is completely unsustainable. Patient numbers are rising while staffing levels are falling. The Minister must act now and make sure recruitment is fast tracked to ensure health workers are supported in this hour of national emergency.”
“The reality is that health staff shortages are everywhere. They are all across the board in acute settings, mental health services, care in the community and the National Ambulance Service, no area of care hasn’t been severely impacted upon in recent days from Covid-19 infections, symptoms or the challenges health workers are facing attending work due to care commitments.
“There is a growing, distinct and deep frustration from our members that despite the fanfare, the Government, the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) have not moved quick enough to recruit at least some of the 16,000 additional health workers they pledged as part of an additional €4 billion for the health service in Budget 2021.”
He added: “Over recent weeks, and as the spread of the virus has intensified, our members have also been left in the dark over how many health care workers have tested positive for Covid-19. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) were producing weekly reports to give health workers and their representatives a fuller understanding of the infection rates in essential health settings but since Wednesday 23rd December there has been unacceptable silence. We would ask that the Minister would also rectify this as a matter of urgency.”
Dec
30
220 Cuban doctors arrived in Panama on Christmas Eve.
A brigade of 220 Cuban doctors arrived in Panama on Christmas Eve. The Cuban medics will help in the fight against COVID-19 in the Central American country which has one of the highest rates of infection in the region. Socialism at work.
500 Cuban medics also travelled to Mexico in December to treat patients infected by the pandemic there. Since March, 4,000 medics have worked in 40 countries affected by coronavirus. Please sign our Nobel Peace Prize for Cuban Doctors petition here
Dec
23
TULF offers International Solidarity with Bus Drivers of Arriva-Moravia Company & trade unionists of Transport Company of Ostrava City (DPO).
Trade Union Left Forum offers it’s Solidarity & Support to the bus drivers of Arriva-Moravia Company, who went on strike this week December 19, 2020. We consider their demands fully legitimate and right. We agree with their trade unionists’ saying that the employer’s proposals make worse their both working and wage conditions. We fully agree with the fully logical and rightful claim that working hours to increase, moreover, to be coupled with the wage cuts, is totally unacceptable for the employees. We consider unacceptable, too, the Arriva-Moravia Company to transfer its economic losses onto its employees’ shoulders by both working hours increasing and wage cuts. The employees have their full and unalienable rights to be provided with fair payments for their work. Any and every wage cuts are unacceptable. With longer working weekly hours, there is a more security risk; that why neither in this case any compromise could be done.
Once again, we are seeing capitalists to blame the weight of external circumstances and their own shoddy economic policies entirely on the shoulders of their employees, even beyond the point of any acceptability, leading to impacts on living standards, personal lives, and personal and public safety. It is full liberalization of the public transport’s sector, with security and other consequences. It is impossible to withdraw from demands of the employers. We stand firmly on the side of Arriva-Moravia drivers, supporting their demands and offering them our solidarity and support.
We also offer our Solidarity & Support to the trade unionists of Transport Company of Ostrava City (DPO) who came into strike emergency on December 21, 2020.
We consider the reasons for the strike alert, namely the company’s failure to meet its agreed commitments, to be fully legitimate, as are the previous demands of trade unionists. As it has done many times before in the transport sector, the OS ČMS now adds its voice to the protest against the conditions under which the drivers work, against they to be overburdened and exposed to the safety risks that arise from such a company policy. We endorse trade unionists’ critical criticisms of working conditions, optimisation and security risks, and we call for unity of trade union action in which we offer our solidarity and support. You can’t give in to employers’ demands at the expense of workers!
Unity is strength!
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