Vol. 17 No 5ISSN 0791-458X

The adverse impact of the out-sourcing of public services onour society and how the tide can be turned on the creepingwave of privatisation was a major focus of the recent SIPTUBiennial Delegate conferences for members working in thepublic service.Both the SIPTU Health and the SIPTU Public Administration and

Community conferences dealt with motions mandating the union totake action to secure as many services as possible under public control.There was also calls to accelerate moves to reclaim those services whichhave been lost through out-sourcing to the private sector.In his address to the conferences, SIPTU Deputy General Secretary

for the Public Service, John King, made clear the extent of the threat ofout-sourcing and the union’s resolve to end this push to place profitsbefore citizens’ right to services.He said: “We know all too well the full costs of out-sourcing, the

commodification of our public services and the impact that has on ourcommunities. This deterioration of services goes hand in hand with anincreased risk to jobs and the running down of the terms and conditions of workers.“What out-sourcing amounts to is an unacceptable risk to our

by Scott Millar

Continued on page 2

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ERTNECSTHGIRSREKROW

October 2018

Over 10,000 people joined the ‘Raise the Roof’ housing rally at Leinster House on Wednesday 3rd October. See page 3.Photo: Derek Speirs.

Remembering the BrigadistasPage 27-28

Brexit is comingPage 12-13

Time to reclaim public services

Michael D HigginsPage 16-17

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

2 News

Continued from page 1 — Time to reclaim public services

Budget analysisPage 11

PAC Conference report Page 4-5

Health Conference report Page 8 - 9

In this month’s Liberty

No housing budget Page 14

Liberty ViewPage 15

Workers Rights Centre Page 21

Soccer in crisis Page 30

Editor: Frank Connolly, SIPTU Head of CommunicationsJournalist: Scott Millar Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU), Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media)Publications Assistant: Deirdre PriceAdministrative Assistant: Karen HackettProduced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labour. Printed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin.Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views.If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: communications@siptu.ieLiberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn • General Secretary Designate, Joe Cunningham • Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley • Deputy General Secretary, John King • Deputy General Secretary, Gerry McCormack Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: communications@siptu.ie

society, to the delivery of effi-cient, effective and safe servicesto our citizens. There is no starkerexample of this than the cervicalcancer tragedy.”At the Health Conference dele-

gates pledged to take action to en-sure that the clause in the PublicService Stability Agreement(PSSA) that commits employers toavoid the outsourcing of publicservice provision, wherever andwhenever possible, is fully en-forced.Similarly, members working in

the Local Authorities warned ofpotential industrial action if IrishWater continues to undermine aclause in a Service Level Agree-

ment which should ensure thatdirectly employed workers ratherthan contractors are used when-ever possible in the maintenanceand delivery of water services.Speakers at the conference also

made clear that the union wasnow intent on turning the tide onthe privatisation agenda and willbegin a process of “reclaiming ser-vices” by bringing them backunder public control. The successof such moves internationallywas highlighted at the PAC confer-ence by Satoko Kishimoto of theTransnational Institute who ex-plained the trend towards the re-municipalisation of utilityservices across Europe. This in-

volves bringing services includingwaste collection and water sys-tems, back under public control.There was also good news from

closer to home with the Presidentof SIPTU’s local authority sector,Frank Lee, informing the PACconference that in South DublinCounty Council the union hassuccessfully brought some ser-vices which had been outsourcedback under public control.He told delegates “that the key

to the future of our communities”was bringing back under local au-thority control, or “insourcing”,roles that had been lost to the pri-vate sector.

LibertyView

A young man from countyKerry has been detained ina Greek jail for the past twomonths because of his workin assisting refugees andasylum seekers on the island of Lesvos.A graduate in sociology from

Trinity College, Dublin, Sean Binderwas doing voluntary work with anon-government organisation in-volved in the emergency rescue ofmigrants when he was arrested inAugust and charged with allegedpeople trafficking. Also charged arehis volunteer colleagues Sara Mardini and Nassos Karakitsos.All three have been refused bail

and could be held for up to eighteenmonths before a trial hearing takes place. On Saturday, 20th October, several dozen people

protested outside the embassy ofGreece in Dublin and called on theIrish government to “rescue the res-cuers.”

Although Sean Binder is a Ger-man citizen, he has lived almost allof his life in west Kerry with hisfamily. According to Sinn Féin MEP,

Lynn Boylan, the authorities inGreece appear to be demonisingthose who help asylum seekers andrefugees when they arrive in Greecein order to deter the human trafficfleeing from conflict torn and im-poverished countries.She called on the Irish govern-

ment to intervene with its counter-parts in Greece to at least secureSean Binder’s release on bail. Shesaid it is blatantly evident that heand his colleagues were emergencyrelief workers helping to clothe andfeed distressed refugees disembarking at Lesvos after enduring harrowing journeys acrosssea and land.“Sean and his colleagues should

not be punished for trying to helpsome the most vulnerable and des-perate people fleeing violence, civilwar and starvation,” she said.

Rescue the rescuers

Sean Binder

Protesters including Lynn Boylan MEP (centre)at the Greek Embassy in Dublin on Saturday20th October

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

3News

PICTURES: Derek Spiers; Tommy Clancy

UP TO 12,000 workers and stu-dents converged on LeinsterHouse on Wednesday 3rd Octo-ber for the Raise the Roof rallyorganised to highlight thehousing and homeless crisis. The rally was organised by the

recently-formed Raise the Roof al-liance involving the Irish Congressof Trade Unions, the Housing andHomeless Coalition, the NationalWomen’s Council of Ireland, andthe Union of Students in Ireland.Hundreds of SIPTU members

mobilised by the union’s districtcouncils in Dublin and neighbour-ing counties joined with workersfrom across the public service andthe private sector, as well as 3,000students from around the countryfor the huge rally.Congress President Sheila

Nunan told the assembled thou-sands that the rally was organised

to coincide with a motion in theDáil on the same day which calledfor the declaration of a nationalemergency over the housing andhomeless crisis and for a massive

public investment programme tobuild social and affordable homes. The motion, supported by all the

main opposition parties, includingSinn Féin, Labour, the Social

Democrats, Solidarity/PBP and Fi-anna Fáil, also called for a referen-dum to enshrine the right tohousing in the Constitution and anend to forced evictions. DespiteGovernment opposition it waspassed by the Dáil on the day afterthe rally.Among those who addressed the

rally were homeless campaigner,Peter McVerry; Aisling Hedermanof the Take Back the City cam-paign; and Sonia Cahill, Presidentof USI. Singers Damien Dempsey (below

center) and Frances Black enter-tained the huge crowd and received a rousing reception. Further rallies and events are

planned by the Raise the Roof al-liance over the coming months ina determined effort to force theGovernment to build tens of thou-sands of social and affordablehomes across the country.

Call: ICTU President Sheila Nunan

Thousands Raise the Roof

4 PACD ConferenceLibertyOCTOBER 2018

DEVELOPING services in amanner which benefits soci-ety while ensuring the inter-ests of workers are respectedwas the focus of two days ofdiscussion at the SIPTU PublicAdministration and Commu-nity (PAC) Division BiennialDelegate Conference.More than 170 delegates from

across the country attended theconference held in the ImperialHotel, Cork, on Monday 15th andTuesday 16th October. Under a slogan of ‘Rebuilding

Our Communities and Public Ser-vices’ out-sourcing, precarious em-ployment and the future of waterservices were among the issues de-bated.In his address, SIPTU PAC Divi-

sion Organiser, Adrian Kane, high-lighted the union’s call for there-municipalisation of waste ser-vices which since their removalfrom local authority control haveincreased the costs to the publicwhile workers’ conditions have de-teriorated.He said that while it was essen-

tial for the good of society that asmany services as possible be maintained or brought back underpublic control it was equally im-portant that public servants showflexibility, where necessary, to improve their provision. The issue of re-municipalisation

was also the central focus ofSatoko Kishimoto, of the Transna-tional Institute, in her wide-rang-ing address. She outlined thesuccess of such moves to “reclaimpublic services” internationally.SIPTU members must take the

lead in developing public servicesbut will continue to totally opposetheir outsourcing to the privatesector, said SIPTU Deputy GeneralSecretary, John King, in his addressto the conference.He said that due to the short-

term thinking of successive gov-ernments it was essential thatunion members play a more activerole in developing plans to im-prove public services and such con-cerns would be to the fore infuture public sector pay talks. King continued: “As part of our

preparation for any such [talks]process, over the next 12 to 18months we will be commencing aconsultation with you, our publicservice members. I am asking you

Time to reclaim public servicesPAC Division conference is told

today, delegates, to work closelywith us on this, as it is essential tous, as a union, in formulating thebest plan for progress that we can.”We can turn the tide on the out-

sourcing agenda was the messagedelivered in a rousing address bythe President of the Local Author-ity sector, Frank Lee. He told dele-gates “that the key to our future”

for our communities and serviceswas bringing them back underlocal authority control, or “in-sourcing”, roles that had been lostto the private sector. Lee outlined that several ser-

vices in his own workplace, SouthCounty Dublin Council, such astree maintenance had been savedfrom outsourcing. Other services,

ordinator of the SIPTU Big StartCampaign, Darragh O’Connor,said: “For over 40 years the tradeunion movement has highlightedthe high cost of childcare and thelow wages of workers, but nothingmuch has changed. This can teachus a valuable lesson – workersdon’t get what the deserve, theyget what they fight for. “That’s why our union SIPTU is

building a union for Early Years ed-ucators. Worker power has beenthe missing piece of the jigsaw inachieving high-quality, affordablechildcare with decent jobs.”Among the other key measures

endorsed by delegates at the con-ference was the renewal of theunion’s call for a referendum onthe public ownership of water ser-vices, the integration of commu-nity development services into thepublic service and more action onclosing the gender pay gap.

including some road maintenanceand cleaning, had actually been in-sourced after it was shown directlabour was the most effectivemethod of delivering them.In a call for delegates to get be-

hind the union’s demand for thecreation of a quality, cost-effectiveand professionally-run Early Yearseducation service, the Co-

Satoko Kishimoto:international perspective

Researcher Michael Taft addresses delegates. Photo: Dan O’Neill

From left SIPTU General Secretary Joe Cunningham, SIPTUDeputy General Secretary Ethel Buckley, SIPTU HonoraryPresident Padraig Peyton, Theresa Butler, Minna Murphy andEva Mitchell all proudly supporting the Big Start campaign.

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

5PACD Conference

AN imminent threat to priva-tise public water services hasemerged after proposals byIrish Water and the Govern-ment to fully wrestle controlof the utility from local authorities.The move comes despite the

disastrous impact private sectorcontrol has had on both servicesand costs in other countries. Delegates at the recent SIPTU

Public Administration and Com-munity Division conference gaveunanimous backing to a motioncalling for direct labour for waterservices to be maintained and fora constitutional referendum to be

held to safeguard it as a public re-source. SIPTU Sector Organiser, Brendan

O’Brien, said: “Late last year themanagement of Irish Water re-vealed its plans to remove the de-livery of the public water systemfrom local authorities and bring itfully under its control. “In July 2018, the Minister for

Housing, Planning and Local Gov-ernment, Eoghan Murphy, con-firmed these plans and that IrishWater would become a stand-aloneutility, separate from its currentparent organisation Ervia.“This would entail ending a Ser-

vice Level Agreement (SLA) with

unions representing local author-ity water workers in 2021. That isfour years before the first SLA wasdue to expire in 2025.” He added: “Talks between

unions and the management ofIrish Water on these issues beganunder the auspices of the Work-place Relations Commission inJuly 2018. “The motion to conference made

clear that whether agreement is fi-nally reached to create a single util-ity or a group of regional entitiesto deliver water services they mustremain under public control andutilise direct labour.”

Unanimous backing for motion to keep water a public utility at the recent PAC Division conference

Direct labour for water services

LOCAL authority water work-ers are strongly resisting at-tempts by Irish Water tobreach a Service Level Agree-ment (SLA) which should pro-tect their terms andconditions of employmentuntil 2025.As well as the stated intention by

Irish Water management to departfrom the SLA by 2021, SIPTU mem-bers have also reported repeatedbreaches of its terms over the useof private contractors rather thandirectly-employed workers. In response, a letter was sent by

SIPTU to all the local authoritychief executives in the country on17th October. In the letter, SIPTUSector Organiser, Brendan O’Brien,informed the CEOs that the unionwould be convening a meeting ofits members in water services todiscuss what actions to take to en-sure future compliance with theSLA. This general meeting is sched-

uled to take place in Liberty Hall,Dublin, on 31st October and willconsider balloting workers on in-dustrial action, including strike ac-tion.The letter states: “Our members

are of the strong view that thesebreaches of our agreements havebeen orchestrated by managementto bring about the collapse of theSLA and to facilitate the transfer oflocal authority staff to a commer-cial entity. Our members believethis is to ultimately prepare theground for the privatisation of this

publicly-provided, essential ser-vice.” SIPTU Local Authority Sector

President, Frank Lee, told Liberty:“In 2013, the ICTU and the unionsrepresenting workers in the watersector secured an agreement thatresulted in local authority manage-ment and Irish Water putting inplace a 12-year SLA for the runningof the water service. This SLA ensured that a work-

force with decades of experience inpublic water provision would con-tinue to deliver water services tothe highest standard possible andthat the 4,000 water services staffwould remain employees of thelocal authorities. “The SLA states that private con-

tractors will only be engaged tocarry out functions within thewater services when they areneeded in addition to local author-ity water services staff.”He added: “The real cost of these

private contractors, like the mil-lions of euro spent on consultantsby Irish Water can be hidden incapital costs, while creating the il-lusion of decreased operationalcosts. “The bottom line is that both the

capital and operational costs willbe paid for from public funds.These monies could be put to bet-ter use in upgrading the networkinfrastructure.”

Irish Water members considerstrike action

WATER provision is perhapsthe most essential service forthe functioning of our com-munities and that is why theyhave historically been pro-vided as a public service ac-cording to a key SIPTUactivist.. The threat of their removal from

public control follows decades inwhich local authorities have relin-quished responsibility for deliver-ing important local services such aswaste collection. The removal of such services

from local authorities has not ben-efited citizens either in terms of thequality of service provided, the en-vironmental impact or costs.

SIPTU Local Authority WaterWorkers Section Committee mem-ber, Paddy Beirne, said: “Interna-tionally where there is privatesector involvement in water ser-vices there is a trend to re-munici-palise them – that is bring themback under public ownership andcontrol. This is because of thehigher cost and poorer service fromprivatised water services. The mainaim of such private companies is togenerate profits.” He added: “For example, in Eng-

land and Wales, it is estimated thatthe cost to the public of water ser-vices has risen by 40% in real termssince privatisation, while £18 bil-lion (€20 billion) has been paid out

in dividends to private sharehold-ers in water companies.” There are moves to re-munici-

palise water services in Paris,Berlin, Scotland and Barcelona. Beirne added: “In Ireland, local

authority water service workers fre-quently have to return to rectifypoor quality work done by privatecontractors hired by Irish Water. “I believe this is because such

companies are only focused onshort-term profits and do not reallycare about the long-term mainte-nance of the system. Their involve-ment results in extra cost for thepublic which is not reimbursed bythe private contractors.”

Water: public control the only way

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

6 Services Division News

Fighting for freelances,the need for a Sector Em-ployment Order for thecontract catering industryand how to stop the spreadof precarious work prac-tices will be the mainthemes of the 2018 Ser-vices Division Biennial Del-egate Conference.The conference will be ad-

dressed by activists and expertson the challenges facing workersin the services sector. Among theguest speakers will be SarahCollins, Policy Officer at the Scot-tish Congress of Trade Unionsand Owen Reidy, the AssistantGeneral Secretary at the IrishCongress of Trade Unions.

There will also be presenta-tions on Brexit, Pay and Pensionsas well as the Pathways to DecentEmployment.SIPTU Services Divisional Or-

ganiser, Karan O’Loughlin, toldLiberty: “It is without any doubtthat the world of work haschanged significantly over thelast ten years. While SIPTU repre-sentatives have secured some im-provements in workplacelegislation, there is still a realconcern around bogus self-em-ployment and the failure of em-ployers to recognise andregularise hours workers by theiremployees. Conference gives ourmembers the opportunity to de-bate these key issues, to organiseand to fight back.”

Fighting for a fairer future for Service workers The ending of the 9% prefer-

ential VAT rate for the hospi-tality industry and itsrestoration to 13.5%, in the2019 Budget, has been wel-comed by SIPTU Sector Or-ganiser, Ed Kenny, as a “winfor workers”.He said: “SIPTU and the ICTU

has for several years campaignedfor the ending of the preferential9% VAT rate for this sector, whichhas returned to profit and has em-ployers who will not engage withtheir workers to negotiate fairconditions of employment.“The Government introduced a

9% VAT rate for this sector in2011. This has ensured increasedprofits. However, our members

have always believed that suchtax based incentives should beaccompanied by social obliga-tions. Accordingly, they cam-paigned for VAT rates in thehotel sector to be restored totheir original level of 13.5% un-less the employers entered intothe Joint Labour Committeeprocess and negotiated in goodfaith.”He added: “We took our mes-

sage to the Dáil in July this yearwhere we met with TDs from allparties, except Fine Gael. At thismeeting we outlined the levelsof exploitation in the sector andthe amount of the public fundsthat were being lost by main-taining the reduced VAT rate.”

Win for workers on hotel VAT rate

Picture caption: SIPTU activist JessicaSpears and SIPTU Sector Organiser EdKenny address TDs concerning theworking conditions in the Hotel Indus-try in Dáil Eireann, 3rd July.

A talks process has com-menced between manage-ment and unions at Newry,Mourne and Down DistrictCouncil in a dispute concern-ing attempts to erode condi-tions of employmentfollowing the amalgamationof the local authorities thatwere combined to create the‘super council’.The discussions, which involved

union representatives and seniormanagement, followed an over-whelming vote by workers to con-sider industrial action during

September. The meeting was facili-tated by the Labour Relations Agency.SIPTU chief shop steward in

Newry, Mourne and Down Dis-trict Council, Phelim Jennings,said: “They gave a commitment tothe trade unions to find a wayforward that will protect thetransfer of undertaking arrange-ments which resulted from theamalgamation of the councils.”He added: “The consultative

ballot certainly concentratedminds. There are now hopes ofprogress. All action by union

members has been suspended atthe moment to allow room for ne-gotiations. We are currentlyawaiting another date when wecan sit down and discuss the is-sues in dispute.”There are approximately 240

SIPTU members employed inNewry, Mourne and Down Dis-trict Council. The dispute withmanagement is being conductedthrough the Joint Trade UnionSide (JTUS) which brings togetherSIPTU, NIPSA, Unite and GMBmembers.

Preliminary ballot concentratesminds in council dispute

SIPTU members work-ing in Oxfam across theisland of Ireland areset to enter pay negoti-ations at the end of themonth.SIPTU Organiser, Niall Mc-

Nally told Liberty that recentsuccessful and strategic organ-ising campaigns in the com-pany have been instrumental inleaving workers hopeful that apay rise can be achieved at thenegotiations.He said: “Thanks to the ef-

forts of our Shop StewardsKaren Russell and Chris Scott aswell as our organisers across

the island of Ireland we nowhave 80% density in the retailend of Oxfam. The growingstrength of our membership inthe company is already payingdividends with the increase inour members’ Time Off In Lieu(TOIL) rate to 1.5 for workingSunday’s and Public/Bank Holi-days. It has also led to the settingup of a Joint TU/ManagementForum which has given ourmembers working in retail avoice and an opportunity to improve their working condi-tions. We are hopeful that thesenegotiations will lead to a further increase in pay forOxfam workers.”

Organising key tosuccess for Oxfamworkers

News

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

7TEAC Division News

A NATIONAL Transport Authority(NTA) proposal to offer 10% ofBus Éireann services to privateoperators from 2021 is “ideolog-ically driven” and will result infurther privatisation of publicbus services, SIPTU Organiser,John Murphy has claimed.Responding to the NTA an-

nouncement in early October, hesaid: “We are totally opposed tothe proposals to remove 10% of theBus Éireann services from the stateoperator. This is part a flawed, ide-

ologically-driven agenda.“Public transport services should

not be privatised on the basis ofspurious competitiveness argu-ments. Bus users are entitled to de-cent, reliable services not thoseprovided as part of a race to thebottom in standards and in condi-tions of work.“We have all seen the problems

associated with the open tenderingof waste collection services acrossthe State and the chaos they havecreated.”

SIPTU vows to resist bus route privatisation

THE Bord na Móna (BNM) Groupof Unions has called on the Gov-ernment to ensure workers andcommunities affected by its decarbonisation policy receivehelp to compensate for any associated job losses and the economic impact suffered as aresult.SIPTU Organiser and BNM

Group of Unions Secretary, WillieNoone, said: “The decarbonisa-tion policy will result in BNMcontinuing to transition awayfrom peat-based activities. Thiswill invariably result in job lossesas current activities are discon-tinued. The Group of Unions iscalling on the company to liaisewith government departments toensure that proper funding is ac-cessed through the EU’s JustTransition Fund to assist theworkers and communities af-fected by the move by BNM frompeat-based activities.”

He added: “We are calling on allpoliticians to get involved in thedebate about the decarbonisationpolicy. In particular, the newly-appointed Minister of Communi-cations, Climate Action and theEnvironment, Richard Bruton,must ensure that BNM has the re-sources to ensure workers aretreated fairly in this transitionperiod.”

SIPTU members at the CocaCola production plant in Athy,county Kildare, have acceptedredundancy terms over thephased closure of the plantwhich will begin at the end ofthis year and conclude in De-cember 2019.A significant number of SIPTU

members have taken up an optionto transfer from Athy to the com-pany’s other production facility inBallina, county Mayo.Speaking after a vote by mem-

bers to accept the redundancyterms in early October, SIPTU Or-ganiser, Terry Bryan, said: “Theloss of these good jobs will have amajor impact on the town of Athyand south Kildare generally. Some

of our members have many yearsof loyal, committed service to thecompany and it will be a sad dayfor the town when the plant closesin December 2019.

“However, we have negotiatedgood severance terms and the re-dundancy package that our mem-bers have voted to accept is one ofthe best redundancy agreementsconcluded in the last number ofyears.”Senior Shop Steward, Paul

Walsh, told Liberty: “We have con-cluded an agreement on terms thatare the best that could be achievedfor our members in the circum-stances. The closure of the plantwill be a difficult time for all ourmembers and their families.”

Unions call for action to offset decarbonisation policy

Childcare provision, direct em-ployment initiatives and pen-sion poverty will be some of theissues discussed at the Manufac-turing Division Biennial Dele-gate Conference in earlyNovember.However, SIPTU Manufacturing

Division Organiser, Teresa Han-nick, said much of the focus at theconference will be on the chal-lenges posed by Brexit. “The big issue facing our mem-

bers, North and South, will be theconsequences of a hard Brexit,”she told Liberty. “Over the lastyear our Division has taken thedebate to workplaces and to com-munities and it is clear that Brexitwill have a very negative impacteconomically on workers on bothsides of the border.”There will also be discussion on

the bullying and harassment ofworkers on precarious contracts.Members will debate the impact

precarious work is having on society and hear plans on how the Division plans to combat bullyingthrough a dedicated training programme in SIPTU College.Speakers at conference will

include ICTU General Secretary,Patricia King, Dr Michelle O’Sulli-van from the University of Limer-ick and SIPTU General Secretary,Joe O’Flynn.

Brexit to take centre stage at Manufacturing Conference

Manufacturing Division News

Phased closure: Coca Cola plant, Athy

Badges and scrolls marking 25years of union membership wereawarded to SIPTU members inGlen Electric at an event in theForesters Hall in Newry, countyDown, on 12th October. The event was a major success

due to the organising abilities ofthe Glen Electric section commit-tee of Malachy McShane, OllieWhite, Alan Clark and DonalDowney. The badges and scrollswere presented by SIPTU DeputyGeneral Secretary, Gerry McCor-

mack, and SIPTU ManufacturingDivision Organiser, Teresa Han-nick. Also in attendance wereSIPTU Organiser Denis Sheridanand SIPTU Sector Organiser PatFlannery.

Glen Electric SIPTU members receive 25 year awards

SIPTU Coca Cola members acceptredundancy and transfer terms

The funding of public transport,the importance of the role of theState in the aviation sector andending bogus self-employmentin the construction industry willdominate proceedings at theTransport, Energy, Aviation andConstruction (TEAC) Division Bi-ennial Delegate conference inLiberty Hall, Dublin next month.Much discussion is expected to

focus on Division members’ promi-nent role in a number of recenthigh-profile disputes over pay in

the transport sector and the organ-ising of workers in the constructionsector.Among the speakers at the con-

ference will be Professor GuyStanding who will outline the chal-lenges posed by precarious workand SIPTU Economist Marie Sher-lock who will discuss the impactBrexit could have for workers onboth sides of the border.“Our members have put their

shoulders to the wheel over the lasttwo years to secure their fair share

of the uplift in the economy. Wehave won pay increases and pro-tected jobs in the transport sectorand fought tooth and nail toachieve a Sectoral EmploymentOrder for construction workers.Our next challenge is to prevent arace to the bottom across the trans-port sector and putting an end tobogus self-employment and precar-ious work across the Division.” saidTEAC Division Organiser, GregEnnis.

TEAC rebuilding for the future

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

8 Health Division Conference

By Paddy

Cole

OUTSOURCING, precarious workand public sector pay dominatedthe proceedings the SIPTU HealthDivision Conference in Páirc UiChaoimh in Cork earlier thismonth. More than 250 delegates, guests

and observers, including authorJames Bloodworth, SEIU Health Di-rector Phillip Cryan, and SIPTUGeneral Secretary Designate JoeCunningham, packed into thevenue for a debate on the new di-rection the division was mandatedto take over the coming years.In a break from tradition, the

Health Division held their confer-ence over one day instead of two.Liberty was at the conference andwe spoke to delegates who leftfeeling revitalised and armed witha new ambition for the provisionof health care services in Ireland. SIPTU National Executive Coun-

cil (NEC) member, Broc Delaney,moved a motion calling on the

CERVICALCHECK campaignerVicky Phelan had a specialmessage for delegates at theSIPTU Health Conference inCork. Ms Phelan, who has recently

helped set up a support group forthe 221 women and their familiesaffected by the CervicalCheck con-troversy, thanked delegates fortheir contribution to the healthservice and supported the union’scampaign to bring all healthscreening back to Ireland and outof the hands of profiteers. Speaking following Vicky’s video

address to conference, SIPTUDeputy General Secretary, Ethel

OVER the coming weeks,SIPTU members working inSection 39 organisations areset to ballot on pay proposalsthat have the potential to endthe protracted pay dispute..SIPTU Health Division Organ-

iser, Paul Bell, told Liberty: “Theseproposals have the potential toprovide members not only withmoney in their pocket but a clearplan for Section 39 organisationworkers to have their pay restoredin a manner which corresponds totheir counterparts directly em-ployed by the HSE.”Under the proposals members

will receive an additional paymentof €1,000 in their pay packetsfrom April 2019 going a long wayto restoring pay for thousands ofSection 39 workers. Payments willalso be made in 2020 and 2021. Bell said: “These proposals en-

sure that, after a long and hardfought campaign, our members

Vicky’s bravery hailed

Journalist Susan McKay, CervicalCheck campaigner Vicky Phelan, Deputy General Secretary Ethel Buckley and Health Division member Rosie Condra

Buckley condemned the privatisa-tion of cancer screening services.She said that the human tragedyof outsourcing has now been laidbare for all to see with the Cervi-calCheck scandal. She told delegates: “Women

were yet again let down badly bythe State. SIPTU stands in solidar-ity with these brave women. Thebravery and resilience of VickyPhelan in fighting a High Courtbattle to uncover the real reasonwhy she had been misdiagnosed– resulting in a fatal delay in hertreatment for cervical cancer – re-vealed the appalling impact ofcreeping health privatisation.”

working in Section 39 organisa-tions will get full pay restoration.“SIPTU representatives will rec-

ommend the acceptance of theseproposals as it is the best vehicleto achieve pay justice for all Sec-tion 39 workers. In the comingweeks, the proposals will go toballot following a full consulta-tion with members.”SIPTU Sector Organiser, Eddie

Mullins, said: “Our membershave fought, not only to havetheir salaries restored, but also toacknowledge a pay link with thepublic service. During this dis-pute, our members demonstratedgreat compassion and responsibil-ity by doing everything in theirpower to achieve a legitimate ob-jective without affecting servicesto vulnerable clients. Our mem-bers now have a result and lightat the end of the tunnel.”

SIPTU workers in Section 39 bodies ballot on pay proposals

NEC to engage with the IrishCongress of Trade Unions PublicServices Committee in an effort toexpedite the process for negotiat-ing a successor to the Public Ser-vice Stability Agreement (PSSA). He said: “The Government has a

responsibility to address issueswhich impact on the pay of ourmembers. Many of our membersare experiencing serious difficul-ties in paying rent, paying mort-gages, the cost of travelling towork, child care costs, the costs oftaking care of elderly parents. Allof these cost factors are increasingwithout regard to the ability ofworkers to pay.”Delaney added: “SIPTU Health

Division in recognition of thevalue of addressing public servicepay and conditions through na-tional agreements is calling on thePublic Services Committee of theICTU to engage with Governmentby mid-2019 on a successor to thecurrent Public Service StabilityAgreement. This initiative wouldtake into consideration theprogress made in the wider econ-omy and the challenges ahead.”In a wide-ranging speech Minis-

ter for Disabilities, Finian McGrathacknowledged the dedication, pro-fessionalism and commitment ofSIPTU Health members to thehealth service. He told delegates:“Many of you are at the front lineof service delivery and you play acrucial role in improving healthand wellbeing and in supportingand treating people across thehealth and social care spectrum –be it in our hospitals, in our com-munities or in people’s homes.” The Minister also paid tribute to

Section 39 workers and their re-solve to secure pay justice withoutimpacting on services. Moving a key motion on the dan-

gers of outsourcing, SIPTU Nursingmember, Rebecca Donohue said:“It is now independently acceptedthat outsourcing of services is notas cost effective or efficient as di-rect employment and direct invest-ment in capital infrastructure.” Delegates unanimously sup-

ported her calls for the union tomount a campaign to insource ser-vices deemed as non-core by theHSE and return quality jobs andquality services to the publichealth service system.SIPTU General Secretary Joe

O’Flynn closed the conferencewith a rousing speech on publichousing. He paid tribute to Cervi-calCheck campaigner Vicky Phelanand stressed the importance of establishing a healthcare systemthat prioritises people over profit.O’Flynn also made a special pre-

sentation to the widow of JamieLyons, Fifimay, and thanked all theLyons family for the contributionJamie made to the union.

Focus on pay, precarious workand outsourcing at conference

SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn, with Health Division President Padraig Heverin, HonorarySIPTU Vice President, Bernie Casey and SIPTU Health Division Organiser Paul Bell making a presentation to Fifimay Lyons in recognition of her late husband Jamie’s contribution to the Ambulance Sector and wider trade union movement. Photo: Jimmy Weldon

Minister for Disabilities, Finian McGrath is greetedby SIPTU Honorary VicePresident, Bernie Casey

PICTURES: Jimmy Weldon

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

9Health Division Conference

IT IS hoped a new governmentproposal will deal with out-standing pay issues for work-ers who have joined thepublic service since 2011.SIPTU Deputy General Secretary

for the Public Sector, John King,told Liberty: “SIPTU, in conjunctionwith other unions on the PublicServices Committee of the ICTU,have secured a proposal from theGovernment to address the out-standing issue of post-2011 new en-trant pay in the public service. Theagreement was part of the negotia-tions on the extension of the Lans-downe Road Agreement and itsdate of implementation is 1stMarch 2019.

Describing the issue as a “long-standing pay injustice”, he said thatworkers would receive increases totheir pay “significantly earlier thanoriginally anticipated”.King continued: “The negative

impact this policy has had on thou-sands of workers across the publicsector, including in health, local au-thorities and education is undeni-able, but now these workers havesome light at the end of the tun-nel.”He added: “SIPTU representatives

accept these proposals as laid outand will be demanding that theagreed dates for implementationare strictly adhered to by the Gov-ernment to the benefit of our mem-bers.”

UP TO 50 SIPTU membersworking as porters at Univer-sity Hospital Limerick staged alunchtime protest on Tuesday,9th October, in a dispute overthe failure of management toengage with their union on in-dustrial relation issues.SIPTU Sector Organiser, Tony

SIPTU Health Division haspartnered with Cornmarket tolaunch a series of income pro-tection and other insuranceschemes for members work-ing in the health service. SIPTU Sector Organiser, Kevin

Figgis told Liberty that theschemes are designed to secure thebest value for money for members

Kenny said: “The porters in Uni-versity Hospital Limerick are at theend of their tether with manage-ment and were left with no optionbut to take this collective protest.“The support from the rest of thestaff, patients and the public wasoverwhelming. “We plan to keep taking these ac-

tions until management listens toour members’ genuine concernsand grievances.”Contingency measures were in

place during the industrial action.The closure of a communal room

is understood to be one of themajor bones of contention raisedby frustrated staff members.

Porters protest outside University Hospital Limerick

across all grades and that talks areunder way to roll out an incomeprotection scheme across the en-tire division.He said: “We are delighted to

partner with Cornmarket and offermembers more bang for their buckwith major additional benefits ofbeing a member of SIPTU.”SIPTU Ambulance Sector mem-

New scheme offers ‘more bang for the buck’

Plan addresses ‘long standingpay injustice’

ber, Robert Fitzgerald said: “Having

income protection is essential for

all ambulance workers. SIPTU has

worked hard to get this scheme up

and running and I will be encour-

aging all my colleagues to come on-

board and sign up.”

SIPTU members Rory Hawkins, left, Matt Reilly and Paul Boyle, centre, Rebecca Donohue, second from right, with Cornmarket representatives at the launch of SIPTU Health Rewards.

PICTURE: Jimmy Weldon

SIPTU Deputy General Secretary John King addressing conference in Cork.

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

10 Economy

The first step on the power ladder is collective bargaining. Unfortunately, Ireland has been stepping in the wrong direction

A majority of UK voters support McDonnell’s proposal to set upWorker Owner Funds(even more Tory voters supported itthan opposed it)

IN SOME countries, power isbeing put on the agenda. In theUK, the Shadow Exchequer JohnMcDonnell has committed a future Labour government tolegislate for one-third employee-directors on the boards of largecompanies, and for 10% of largecompany shares to be placed inWorker Owner Funds. In the US similar initiatives are

being proposed. In particular, Sen-ator Elizabeth Warren – a popular Democrat – has introduced legislation requiringlarge US companies to set aside40% of Board directorships for employees. In his WorkplaceDemocracy Bill, Senator BernieSanders proposes sweeping awaydecades of legislative obstacles tounion organising in the workplace.That these initiatives come frompotential Presidential candidatesshows that workplace democracyis now moving up the agenda.It’s easy to see why. These and

similar proposals are based on asimple principle: extending polit-ical democracy into the economyand the workplace; giving morepower to those who produce thegoods and services (the workers),providing them with a greaterstake in the enterprise.None of this is particularly new

in many European countrieswhere workplace democracy ismore advanced. Germany has op-erated a system of co-determina-tion for decades while othercountries have similar arrange-ments. In addition, workers havestronger rights to bargain collec-tively - stronger than in the UK orthe US. And Ireland.When we turn to Ireland, the sit-

uation is not as positive as inthose European counties. The Eu-ropean Trade Union Institute com-piles a participation index basedon the level of worker representa-tion rights at company board level,employee participation, collectivebargaining rights and trade uniondensity. In the workplace democ-racy stakes, Ireland is, along withthe UK, at the bottom of the class.(Fig 1)Our local business class will

argue that workplace representa-tion and collective bargainingwould undermine ‘competitive-

ness’. However, those countriesthat rank high in the participationindex also rank high in businesscompetitiveness according to in-dexes compiled by organisationssuch as the World Economic Forum(the Davos Summit group). Of course, each country’s labour

market institutions and politicalculture dictate different strategiesto increase workplace democracy.

other civil society groups to showthat our agenda is their agenda.Want to reduce inequality? Closethe gender pay gap? Create moreopportunities for minorities andpeople with disabilities? Then let’s

work together. SIPTU has starteda discussion about a Good JobsAgenda with activists at DistrictCouncil level. Such a campaigncould have the capacity to buildthose coalitions and enhance thepower of all participants.Organisation, ideas and co-oper-

ation: these are the foundationsof power. Rather than just com-plain about an unresponsive gov-ernment, let’s go out and do itourselves. Once we start growingour organisation, winning overpublic opinion, and building largercoalitions with more and moregroups – then we can start to movethe agenda, shifting the centre ofpower in the workplace and theeconomy to where it belongs, withthe creators of wealth and the pro-ducers of goods and services. Theworkers.At that point, no force will be

able to ignore us.

And in Ireland we are starting froma very low base. The first step onthe power ladder is collective bar-gaining. Unfortunately, Ireland hasbeen stepping in the wrong direction(in the private sector). (Fig 2)

Given that almost all public sector employees are coveredunder collective agreements, thissuggests the proportion of privatesector workers benefitting is muchlower. These numbers comparebadly with other countries wherecollective bargaining coverage isvery high: Austria, Belgium, Den-mark, Finland, France and Swedenall have more than 80% collectivebargaining coverage, while othercountries (except the UK) are sub-stantially higher than Ireland.Many trade unionists rightly

point to poor statutory supportsfor collective bargaining. Clearly,the law is not on the side of work-ers. However, the extent to whichwe can win legal changes dependson the power we hold in the work-place, in the popular debate and

society. How do we address this?There are three elements of powerover which we already have control.First is the power of organisa-

tion. James Connolly was onceasked how we could bring aboutthe classless society. He answered– one workplace at a time. Organ-ising in the workplace is not onlyabout convincing workers of thepotential power if they act to-gether; it is also about giving work-ers control over their ownorganisation so the union becomestheir union. Each worker we con-vince, each workplace we organise,enhances all of our collectivepower.Second is the power of our ideas.

Interestingly, a YouGov pollshowed a majority of UK voterssupport McDonnell’s proposal toset up Worker Owner Funds (evenmore Tory voters supported theproposal than opposed it). Lead-ing the debate, winning over pub-lic opinion is crucial to increasingpower. As part of this we need to re-

frame the issues. For instance, itis well-established that collectivebargaining and employee participa-tion increase business perfor-mance. We should put corporatemanagers and politicians on thedefensive – why are they degradingbusiness competitiveness by deny-ing workers their rights? This is anunsustainable cost to the economy.If we need to be competitive, weneed workers and their voice. Third is the power of coopera-

tion. Building power is aboutbuilding coalitions, reaching out to

UK Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and possible US Presidential candidate ElizabethWarren, above right, have bothcalled for sweeping changes to the make-up of company boards to include employee directors

Securing our seats at the table

Fig 1 European Participation Index: 2016

Fig 2 OECD: % of Irish workers covered under collective bargaining agreements (2000-2014)

By Michael

Taft

Over recent months, financeminister Paschal Donohoe hasspoken about the need for a“steady state” approach to thepublic finances. In short, this as-sumes that outside of infrastruc-tural provision, our existinglevels of public spending are suf-ficient. It implies that thereshould be just marginal in-creases in spending each year tokeep up with demographicgrowth. What it doesn’t consideris the very large and growingunmet demand for access tohealth services, affordable child-care, the burgeoning problem offunding for third level educationand most seriously of all, the dev-astating shortage of adequatehousing in this country.So for all the lofty words con-

tained within Budget 2019 that itwas fixing the housing crisis, start-ing the implementation of Sláinte-care - the plan for fundamentalreform of the health service - andmaking a difference for families

with childcare costs, the actual de-tail was very different. This was abudget designed to get over thehump of the next election - de-signed to give a bit to everyoneand yet make no real difference.That Government chose to re-

store 100% mortgage interest reliefto individual small-scale landlordswithout a corresponding move toimprove the rights of tenants,which is indicative of where its po-litical values and economic priori-ties lie. For years, we have beentold that strengthening renter’srights to longer tenure and impos-ing fewer grounds for notice to va-cate would scare off landlords.Then the view was that institu-

tional investors should be incen-tivised. Accordingly, Real EstateInvestment Trusts (REITS) were es-tablished where their propertyrental income is exempt from cor-poration tax and profits from thesale of property assets are exemptfrom capital gains tax. Now, €10mwill be spent each year on furthersubsidising existing individuallandlords, many of whom are ex-ploiting the current housing short-

age to push up rents by an averageof 10% over the past two years.Despite the early warnings that

this would be €800m budget, inthe end the total packageamounted to €1.7bn. This wasmade possible, by and large, by theending of the special reduced rate,of VAT for the hospitality and hair-dressing sectors. It became appar-

ent months after the reduced ratewas introduced in mid-2011 thatthe subsidy was not having the in-tended effect of reducing prices inthe hospitality sector. Nor did itboost the pay of workers in thesector. Instead, it boosted the prof-its of business and while employ-ment has risen significantly in thesector since 2012, the growth in

profitability of the sector has faroutpaced the growth in the paybill. The Department of Finance’sown research last year highlightedwhat we in the union movementhave been arguing for years - thatthe VAT rate should be restored to13.5% from 9%.

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

11Budget 2019

By Loraine

Mulligan

Mixed bag for women and kids

BUDGET 2019 was a mixedbag for women and children.While some of the social wel-fare changes are to be wel-comed, the opportunity tomake a tangible improvementfor many women in paid-em-ployment has been missedand pressures relating tochildcare remain unresolved. The national minimum wage

will increase from €9.55 to €9.80from 1st January 2019. Analysispublished in 2017 by the Economicand Social Research Institute(ESRI) showed that women weremore than twice as likely as mento be earning the national mini-

mum wage. The issue of low-paywas combined with the fact thatmore than half of these womenworked on a part-time basis1. SIPTU has consistently cam-

paigned for a Living Wage whichcan meet the basic expenditureneeds of workers. For 2018 thiswould mean a rate of €11.90 perhour – the Government has fallenfar short of this. While tax changes mean that a

full-time worker on the minimumwage will not pay the top rates ofthe Universal Social Charge, thiswill be of no benefit for the verymany women whose only viableoption is to work part-time. The intention to expand access

to the state’s Affordable ChildcareScheme – taking in 7,500 extrachildren next year – is positive.The base income threshold for eli-gibility will increase from €22,700to €26,000, the maximum income

threshold will rise from €47,500 to€60,000 and the deduction formultiple children will go from€3,800 to €4,300. However, while a modest in-

crease in funding for providers hasbeen allocated, major questionmarks remain about the extent towhich this will boost capacity

1 https://www.esri.ie/pubs/BKMNEXT332.pdf 2 https://bit.ly/2OtEMg2

within the sector to absorb de-mand. Moreover, Budget 2019 failed to

address the issues of low-pay andprecarious work in the childcaresector, which has a predominantlyfemale workforce. SIPTU’s BigStart campaign for quality child-care remains resolute in pursuingproper representation rights, im-provements to terms and condi-tions and enhanced investment inthe sector. The viability of taking up em-

ployment has been somewhat im-proved for lone parents by the factthat from the start of next yearthey will be able to earn an extra€20, up to €150 while keepingtheir full One-Parent or Jobseeker’sTransition payment. SIPTU has been vocal in high-

lighting the perverse effect thattighter income disregards had onfemale participation in Commu-

nity Employment (CE) schemes. In 2016, 11.1% of children (0-17)

lived in consistent poverty (CSO)2.Budget 2019 sees an increase inthe qualified dependent child rateby €2.20 per week for childrenunder 12 and €5.20 for those over.Decent work and quality servicesare also essential to improve thestandard of living for families.Speaking at The National

Women’s Council of Ireland’s Gen-der Budget Assessment event, Dr.Mary Murphy from Maynooth Uni-versity, highlighted that a lot morework needs to be done by govern-ment to put in place a comprehen-sive process for effective equalitybudgeting.

Dr Mary Murphy: more needs to be done

By Marie

Sherlock

Scattergun Budget

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

12 Brexit

A CONFERENCE on Brexit hasheard that communities alongthe border will actively resistany attempt to impose customsposts or infrastructure whichmight interfere in movement between Northern Ireland andthe Republic.Addressing the seminar for trade

union members in Dundalk on19th September, Bernard Boyle ofBorder Communities againstBrexit, said that thousands ofworkers across a range of employ-ments will be adversely affected ifa hard border is introduced follow-ing Brexit next year.Boyle said that people who cur-

rently travel across the existingfrictionless border to work or whotransport goods could face lengthy

delays while excessive tariffs ongoods entering the UK market willthreaten the viability of industriesand jobs in the Republic.“To put it bluntly, the people

from our border communities willnot accept any imposition of ahard border that could damagetheir quality of life or business,”he said.Addressing the conference, Sinn

Féin TD for Louth, Gerry Adamswarned that people living alongthe border will not accept any in-frastructure or border posts thatcould impede the free movementof people and goods.He said: “It is not dissident or

any other groups but ordinary peo-ple living along the border whowill physically remove any obsta-

cles to the free movement of peo-ple and goods. “At the moment, a hard Brexit

looks increasingly likely as theBritish government, which depends on support of the DUP isunable to negotiate an acceptabledeal with the EU which will ensureno hard border in Ireland.”Adams added that the prospects

for Irish unity were enhancedgiven that most voters in NorthernIreland had rejected Brexit andwished to remain within the EU.Labour Party senator, Senator

Ged Nash, also called for an out-come from Brexit negotiations thatwill ensure that no hard border isre-introduced in Ireland butwarned that the time for a success-ful outcome for negotiations is fastrunning out. He also said that he supported a

united Ireland but did not agreewith the call by Sinn Féin for anearly border poll given the compli-cations posed by Brexit.The conference, which took

place on 18th and 19th Septemberin the Ballmascanlon Hotel, Dun-dalk, county Louth was also ad-dressed by Orla Keane of theDepartment of Foreign Affairs,ICTU Assistant General SecretaryOwen Reidy and SIPTU economistMarie Sherlock.The meeting was organised by

the SIPTU Manufacturing Divisionwith Northern Ireland Committee-ICTU and IUF/EFFAT. Members ofUNITE and other unions from Ireland and the UK also attended.

Border communities will resist border infrastructure

UNITE Brexit co-ordinator Simon Dubbins, ICTU Assistant General Secretary Owen Reidy, SIPTU Manufacturing Division Organiser TeresaHannick and SIPTU Deputy General Secretary Gerry McCormack spoke at the two-day conference. Photo: Liadh Connolly

SIPTU’s Marie Sherlock makes a point at the Brexit conference with Ben Norman of UNITE UK. Photo: Liadh Connolly

Conference highlighted need for trade union co-operation andco-ordination in the face of Brexit. From left to right SenatorGed Nash, Gerry Adams TD and Bernard Boyle of BorderCommunities against Brexit.

Concert for Palestine

8.00 p.m.Thursday 22ndNovember, 2018Liberty Hall,Dublin

withFrances BlackSaoirse CaseyAndy IrvineMick HanleyDonal LunnyPaddy Casey& Special Guests

Tickets: €20Information re bookings from info@siptu.ie

Proceeds to the Middle East Children’s Alliance

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

13Brexit

We must fight the dangerous English nationalism,racism and xenophobia thatthese people havestoked and are playing with

Our values canand will triumphover the darkforces of division,injustice and inequality, but wewill need to fightmore than ever tomake sure of that

By Simon

Dubbins

AS UNITE’s Brexit co-ordina-tor I have taken part in manyconferences and meetings aboutBrexit during the last couple ofyears, but it was special privilegeto take part in the Brexit confer-ence organised by SIPTU in Dun-dalk in the middle of October thisyear. The focus of the conference was the

food, drink and agricultural sector andthe potentially massive – and disas-trous – consequences that Brexit couldhave for our members and their fami-lies on both sides of the border. But theconference also discussed the vast arrayof complicated and dangerous issuesthat the Brexit process has thrown up,and, most importantly, laid bare the ab-solute necessity for our unions tostrengthen our co-operation and co-or-dination in order to protect our mem-bers during these difficult times. From the outset of the referendum

campaign UNITE, along with virtuallythe whole of the UK labour movement,campaigned to remain in the EuropeanUnion. Although UNITE had no illu-sions about the problems with the EUand we had always opposed the neo-liberal drift and the austerity pro-grammes etc., we were also crystal clearthat leaving the organisation was no so-lution to the problems that existed inthe UK. We feared what the effect of a Brexit

vote would be for future investmentsin the hundreds of multinational com-panies that our members work. Wefeared for the social and employmentrights that would be put in jeopardy,and we feared for the potential impacton peace and stability, not least for ourmembers on the island of Ireland. Sadly our worst fears are being

proved absolutely correct as the night-mare of a Tory-led Brexit unfolds. In-vestments have been put on ice orcancelled in many, many companies asthe possibility of tariffs and complica-tions in trade mount by the day. With the EU Withdrawal Bill now on

the statute books, Ministers have thepower to strike off any EU legislationwithout recourse to a vote in parlia-ment – and do any of us seriously be-lieve a Tory-led government is not goingto use that option? And the massive threat that Brexit

poses to the carefully and painstakinglycrafted Good Friday Agreement is becoming frightening and real. That’s why it’s essential that as work-

ers we pull together and strengthen oursolidarity in these difficult timesand that’s why the initiative tohold this conference was such animportant one. We need to fighttogether to make sure that West-

minster politicians don’t onceagain impose politically divisiveand economically destructive hardborders on this island or betweenthese islands. We need to fight together to pro-

tect jobs and stop employers usingthe situation to drive down wagesand conditions, and we need tostand together against the risingtide of racism and xenophobia thatBrexit has released. And all the time that we are

fighting these battles we need toconstantly remind ourselves ofwhat led to the Brexit vote in theUK. The decades of deindustriali-sation that Thatcher started, 10years of grinding austerity sincethe financial crisis, the massive re-duction in public services and the

huge growth in poverty and in-equality, and the complete lack ofperspectives and opportunities foryoung people. It is also essential that we under-

stand and lay bare the right-wingpolitical project that lies behindBrexit and fight it at every turn. We must constantly expose the fact

that the real leaders of the Brexit move-ment are extremely right-wing multi-millionaires whose only ‘vision’ is toturn the UK into a deregulated taxhaven off the coast of Europe. We must expose the fact that it

is precisely their policies that haveled to the desperate state of the UKtoday, and that even more will bein store for us if they get their way.And we must fight the dangerousEnglish nationalism, racism and

Police out in force at an English Defence League march in London – Brexithas stoked the fires of xenophobia

PICTURE: David Holt(CC BY-SA 2.0)

Confronting the true face of Brexit

xenophobia that these people havestoked and are playing with.We have difficult times ahead of

us but I am convinced that if wereach back to the very foundationsof our movement, we will find thevalues that will guide us to a betterfuture. Our values of solidarity, toler-

ance, equality and inclusivenesscan and will triumph over the darkforces of division, injustice and in-equality, but we will need to fightmore than ever now to make sureof that. The conference in Dundalkwas a great starting point tostrengthen our solidarity and pre-pare us for the battles ahead.

Simon Dubbins is head of International

Research at UNITE in the UK.

Orla Keane (right) Deputy Director EU-UK Unit of Department of Foreign Affairs answering questions from the floor at the conference in Dundalk. Photo: Liadh Connolly

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

14 Housing Crisis

By Michael

Taft

FOLLOWING numerous protestsculminating in the highly success-ful #RaiseTheRoof rally outsideLeinster House, following Dáilsupport for the opposition mo-tion demanding greater invest-ment in housing – all eyes wereon Budget 2019. However, so minimal was the

Government’s response that if youblinked you’d miss it.There was little new in the bud-

get. There was provision of morethan €1 billion to deliver 10,000new ‘social homes’ but this was al-ready part of the Rebuilding Ire-land plan and announced severaltimes throughout the year. And even here the Government

admitted its target for buildinghouses would not be met. Thiswill have to be made up throughmore leasing and acquisitions,which are more expensive and donot add to the housing stock.There will be more funding for

Housing Assistant Payments (HAP)which are, in effect, state subsidiesto landlords. This will reach nearlyhalf a billion euros next year. There will be some more money

for emergency accommodation.There is also increased provision

for ‘affordable’ housing – morethan €300 million over the nextthree years. This sounds like a lotbut it only amounts to 2,000houses per year. And that’s about it: a restate-

ment of targets, continued relianceon private sector solutions, moresubsidies to landlords, additionalfunding for emergency sheltersand a token ‘affordable’ housingprogramme. This minimal housing budget

might suggest ministerial indiffer-ence to an escalating crisis, but thefact is that any major interventionor policy re-direction would leadthe Government away from the un-derlying premises of their pro-gramme, Rebuilding Ireland. Andthat is something they are unwill-ing or unable to do. Rebuilding Ireland is based on

two foundations. First, it sees theprivate market as the main instru-ment in resolving the housing cri-sis. 70% of what the Governmentcalls social housing ‘solutions’ willbe delivered through the privaterental sector, with high rents being

subsidised by HAP. The ‘afford-able’ housing programme may alsoend up subsidising high prices forprivate developers. The Government has reduced it-

self to the role of a broker: payingout massive subsidies in order toaccommodate people’s needs with-out interfering with high pricesand, so, high profits.Secondly, where there is a role

for public housing, Rebuilding Ire-

land narrowly restricts it to socialhousing for the ‘poor’ – thosewhose income is so low that theycannot afford the private market.For everyone else, they must makedo with private rents or privatehouse-purchase. The last thing public housing

must be allowed to do is competewith private providers, for thiswould undermine high prices andprofits. The private rental market

is an excellent example of this. TheGovernment could build accommo-dation which would be rented topeople at cost only (this is calledthe ‘cost-rental’ model). This ac-commodation would be open to allregardless of income, and if peoplecouldn’t afford the rent they couldapply for HAP which would thensubsidise public, not private hous-ing. However, if the Government did

this, it would compete with thehigh rents charged by private land-lords. And that would undermineRebuilding Ireland’s principle thatpublic housing should be for thepoor only. That’s why the only measure in

It was all build up on housing then all let down in budget...

the budget for the private rentalsector was to increase a tax breakfor landlords. So while the budget’s impact on

housing was minimal, it was inkeeping with the Government’sstrategy as outlined in RebuildingIreland. That this policy is notworking – rising homelessness, ris-ing rents, rising prices – may be ob-vious but the Government cannotbreak from its own premises.Why is that? It should be a prag-

matic issue of what works. For in-stance, doesn’t it make sense torent accommodation at cost, to sellhouses at cost, to remove privateprofit from addressing housingneed? Yes, of course. But thatwould challenge the way Minis-ters, TDs, Government depart-ments and public agencies look atthe housing issue – their ideologi-cal bias. It would also challenge very

powerful financial interests, espe-cially as global capital is now enter-ing the housing marketdetermined to earn a high return(imagine the reaction from themoney markets if the Governmentstarted competing with foreigncapital in the rental market).This is the challenge to the coali-

tion that came together to#RaiseTheRoof. It’s not aboutconvincing the Government of a‘better way’. It is about challeng-ing the deeply-entrenched ideol-ogy that has produced this crisisand the powerful interests whichare profiting from it. It is abouttransforming the way societyviews and participates in the hous-ing market. We have a lot of roofs to raise be-

fore we can resolve the housing cri-sis.

The ‘affordable’housing programme mayalso end up subsidising highprices for private developers

Global capital isnow entering thehousing marketdetermined toearn a high return

Protestors at the #RaiseTheRoof rally outside theDáil but were TDs listening? Photos: Derek Speirs

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

15Liberty View

Liberty View

A major theme at the SIPTU divisional conferences this Autumn has been the out-sourcing of public services.Union members working inthe health services weredeeply critical at their conference in Cork in October at the manner inwhich some of their employers are wilfully ignor-ing the commitment made inthe Public Service StabilityAgreement (PSSA) to avoidthe out-sourcing of publicservice provision whereverand whenever possible.At the Public Administration and

Community (PAC) Divisionconference, also held in Cork,SIPTU members working in thelocal authorities warned ofpotential industrial action if IrishWater proceeds with proposals toterminate the Service LevelAgreement it has with the workforce.This could result in the out-sourcing ofthe entire public water service to

private contractors. Delegatesagreed that any utility or entitydelivering the supply of crucial waterservices “should be staffed andoperated by Local Authority directlabour staff who would continue to

enjoy the protections and benefits ofall future public service agreements.”The conference delegates also calledon the Government “to proceed witha referendum to ensure the retentionof water services and assets withinpublic ownership.”The concern over the outsourcing

of public services is not unique tothose who provide them nor is it oneexclusive to workers and their tradeunions in Ireland. Similarly, theprivatisation of public services,including in public health, housing,water and transport provision haslong been favoured by right winggovernments across the world. Theideas that produced policies ofprivatising and out-sourcing publicservices, so effectively espoused byRonald Reagan and MargaretThatcher from the early 1980’s, arerooted in the relentless drive byemployers and shareholders tominimise the cost of labour in orderto maximise their profits.It could be argued that this neo-

liberal economic model has workedfor the rich and powerful as theglobal wealth of the few hasmultiplied over recent decades. Butat what cost to workers, their familiesand to society? The simple answer isthat the cost to workers and societiesof the ideological drive to privatiseand outsource public services tooften badly run and greedy providershas been enormous. The result acrossthe developed world has beenpoorer and more expensive healthservices, inefficient and more costlybus and train services and thecomplete collapse in theconstruction of decent andaffordable housing.Forty years on from the Reagan and

Thatcher era, it is absolutelyunquestionable that their ‘revolution’has achieved nothing but the

enrichment of a tiny number ofalready wealthy people andcompanies, the so-called 1%. Eventhe International Monetary Fund (IMF)which once so warmly embraced theneo-liberal agenda has nowconcluded that its has destroyedmany economies and societies whereit has been applied.In a report published earlier this

month, the IMF measured the publicdebt against the assets of 31countries. It found that the UK, thebirthplace of privatisation, had theweakest public finances of anycountry surveyed, holding less than£3 trillion of assets against £5 trillionin pensions and other liabilities. Thisis, in large part, the consequence ofselling off public assets from thepostal service to airlines, telecomsand trains, often at knockdownprices. Such policies, the IMFconcluded, “increase revenues andlower deficits but also reduce thegovernment’s asset holdings.”Privatisation and its associated

austerity policies imposed bysuccessive right wing ledgovernments here and elsewherehave not just reduced the wealth andfinancial status of individualeconomies but have handedenormous, unearned wealth to aselect few, the IMF states.Shareholder dividends get priorityover the payment of a utilities’ debtthus pushing them into further debtand forcing customers to pay biggerbills, for water, electricity, gas,broadband etc. Workers’ wages getpushed down while the cost ofservices continue to rise, and whenthe inevitable crash comes, as it didin this country a short decade ago,the liabilities of the banks and theirfriends in the construction sector aredumped on the public. Given the

crisis in the supply of water, health,waste collection and other vitalservices it is unsurprising that manylocal councils in Britain and acrossEurope are re-municipalising i.e. theyare taking back control of serviceprovision from high cost “for profit”private companies.In Ireland, the trend towards

outsourcing and privatisation issimilar to those examined by the IMFin its report. The local authorities, forexample, hand out contracts worthmillions of euro each year to manyproviders who provide low quality

services at high cost while forcingtheir, mainly non-union, employees toendure precarious workingconditions with low pay anduncertain hours. However, as thePresident of SIPTU’s local authoritysector, Frank Lee told delegates atthe PAC conference, it is not all bad.In South Dublin County Council,where he works, the union hassuccessfully argued to retainimportant services which areprovided by the direct labour ofcouncil staff.The District Councils of SIPTU, in

co-operation with members acrossthe union who provide vital publicservices are to campaign to ensurethat public monies are used topromote decent employment.

Bring services back into public control

The ideas that producedpolicies of privatising and out-sourcing public services,so effectively espoused byRonald Reagan and MargaretThatcher from the early 1980’s, are rooted in therelentless drive by employersand shareholders to minimisethe cost of labour in order tomaximise their profits

In South Dublin CountyCouncil, where he works, theunion has successfully arguedto retain important serviceswhich are provided by thedirect labour of council staff

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

16 Retrospective - The Presidency of Michael D Higgins

Photo: RollingNews.ie

IN October 2016, Sabina Hig-gins took to the Liberty Hallstage in James Connolly’sshort play Under WhichFlag?. It was just one aspectof the very active role thatthe wife of the President hastaken in the cultural life ofour union.Sabina has often attended

SIPTU associated events with herhusband in his presidential ca-pacity. However, just as regularlyshe has visited Liberty Hall or at-tended union events in her per-

sonal capacity or as an activemember of Irish Equity, theSIPTU affiliated union for actors.She was awarded life member-ship of Irish Equity earlier thisyear.Sabina Higgins attended the

Jim Larkin commemoration inGlasnevin Cemetery on Sunday,2nd February, 2014. Later thatyear she was present at the offi-cial opening of the Rosie HackettBridge which crosses the Liffeyunder the shadow of LibertyHall.

Sabina Higgins... actress & activist

Michael D Higgins: Rebuildingour damaged society

Presidential couple:Michael D and Sabina

President Higgins speaks to Congress – he hasshown a lifelong allegiance to progressive causes

PICTURE: Kevin Cooper/Photoline

Among the commemorationevents the President attendedwas the unveiling of the GreenFlag of Ireland hoisted over Lib-erty Hall in the lead up to the Ris-ing. The flag was loaned to theunion by the Inniskillings Mu-seum in County Fermanagh,Northern Ireland. It had beencaptured by members of theRoyal Inniskilling Fusiliers froma ruined Liberty Hall in the after-math of the Rising.The first major event of the

SIPTU calendar of commemora-tions was the showing of the

iconic films Mise Eire and Saoirse?in Liberty Hall on Sunday, 13thMarch, which featured a presenta-tion by President Higgins to the di-rector of the two epics, GeorgeMorrison. He also attended a galaconcert on Easter Saturday, 26thMarch, in Liberty Hall featuringChristy Moore, Damien Dempsey,Karen Casey and other performers.On Easter Tuesday, 29th March,

President Higgins laid a wreath atthe statue of James Connolly oppo-site Liberty Hall on Beresford Placein a State commemoration of those

who lost their lives fighting withthe ICA in Easter week 1916 and inthe executions that followed.

THE last seven years havebeen eventful ones for ourunion and our country. To thefore for both has been Presi-dent Michael D Higgins, whohas placed progressive causesand commemorating the his-tory of the labour movementhigh on his agenda during histime in Áras an Uachtaráin.From the launch of his campaign

to become President in October2011, when he batted away a hos-tile question from one journalistfrom the right-wing press with theputdown “being called indepen-dent and having independence of

mind are two different things”, itwas clear he was not going to shyaway from his lifelong allegianceto progressive politics.As a long-time SIPTU member

and trade union activist, Michael Dmade sure that the role of the so-cialist and labour movements weregiven their rightful place duringcommemorations of the DublinLockout of 1913, the 1916 Rising aswell as the First World War. Early in his presidency he

summed up his views on the im-portance of trade unionism whenhe said: “The trade union move-ment has been central to the devel-opment of community for over acentury and I believe that the tradeunion movement…will, or shouldI say must, play a pivotal role in re-building our damaged society.”

...the trade unionmovement…will, orshould I say must,play a pivotal role in rebuilding ourdamaged society

President Higgins and thenICTU President John Douglasview a 1913-era tram duringthe Lockout commemorations

Labour Rights and the Rising

Laying a wreath at the James Connolly statue at Liberty Hall at Easter 2016.Photo: RollingNews.ie

Sabina Higgins was awarded with an honorary life-long membership of Irish Equity at the Lá na mBan/Women’s Day 1918 event in Dublin last June. PicturedLeft to right. Granddaughter of Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, Dr Micheline SheehySkeffington, SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley, SIPTU Honorary President Padraig Peyton, SIPTU Honorary Vice President Bernie Casey, Actressand political activist, Sabina Higgins. Photo: Lucy Ording

LibertyOCTOBER 2018

17Retrospective - The Presidency of Michael D Higgins

A NEW progressive ideologymust be developed to help or-ganise those in casual andprecarious employment into aforce that can change societyfor the better, PresidentMichael D Higgins declared inearly 2015.His strong call for action for

workers in precarious jobs came ina speech delivered on 26th Febru-ary, 2015, in the Royal College ofSurgeons in Dublin, to commemo-rate the role of Irishman EdwardJoseph Phelan in establishing theInternational Labour Organisa-tion.In the important address the

President rubbished the neo-lib-eral ideology which has “under-pinned the systematic deregulationof national systems of labour andthe promotion of competition between them”. He said such an approach had

not only led to economic disasterbut also created a new class ofworker, the “precariat”, which “isdefined by partial involvement inlabour combined with extensive‘work-for-labour’, that is, a grow-ing array of unremunerated activ-ities – often internships of various

DURING his years as an ac-tivist and politician the Pres-ident was strongly focusedon international justice is-sues. And President Higginshas maintained this keenconcern throughout hisseven years in the Aras.He has made a number of state

visits where he has highlightedstruggles for justice including dur-ing his tour of Latin America andCuba in 2017 and when visiting arefugee camp in Greece earlier thisyear. While in South Africa in Novem-

ber 2014, President Higgins visitedthe Apartheid Museum in Johan-nesburg. This visit inspired thehosting of a Nelson Mandela exhi-bition in Kilmainham Gaol inDublin, to commemorate the 100thanniversary of the birth of the lateSouth African President and 25years of diplomatic relations be-tween Ireland and South Africa. At the opening of the exhibition

in July 2018, the President high-lighted the strength and breadth ofIreland’s relationship with SouthAfrica, from support for the anti-apartheid movement to the vibrantpartnership which exists betweenthe two countries today.

In his speech, President Higgins,praised the Dunnes Store strikersaction as “a touchstone moment ofthe protest against apartheid in Ire-land” and emphasised the powerof workers to bring about politicalchange. He said: “In July 1984, agroup of workers mainly youngwomen, in Dunnes on HenryStreet, took a moral stand and re-fused to handle produce importedfrom South Africa. It was an utterlyselfless act.” He added: “The power of their

protest and principled stance even-tually led the Government of Ire-land to ban South African goodsfrom being sold in Ireland, and thisban remained in place until theend of the apartheid regime.”

sorts – that are required to get ac-cess to remunerated jobs.” The speech by the President

played an important role in begin-ning a national debate on thespread of precarious work prac-tices throughout many sectors ofthe economy. He said: “The shifttowards precarious employment isfar from being confined to low-skilled jobs.”He added: “In Ireland today, a

considerable volume of teachingand research work is carried out by‘temporary lecturers’, ‘adjunct lec-turers’, and so-called ‘teaching as-sistants’ who have no job securityat all and must repeatedly resumetheir elusive and exhausting huntfor the next short-term contract.”

Call for action for precarious workers

President Higgins and Sabina tour the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg during a state visit in 2014

President’s speechplayed important role in beginning a national debate onthe spread of precarious work practices

President Michael D Higgins lays a wreath in Liberty Hall in commemoration of the Irish Citizen Army onThursday 22nd March 2018. Photo: Tommy Clancy

Highlighting the fightfor global justice

Michael D and Sabina Higgins pictured with ICA re-enactors during the 1916 centenary celebrations Photo: RollingNews.ie

PRESIDENT Higgins worked closelywith the union in commemoratingthe Great Dublin Lockout of 1913. InNovember 2012 he visited Liberty Hallto launch the SIPTU Lockout Tapestryproject commemorating the strugglewhich defined the early years of ourunion.At the launch, he said: “It is through the

power of collective action that the workers ofthe Irish Transport and General Workers’Union sought to establish their right to organ-ise to secure a better deal for the ordinaryworkers of Dublin, and it is very fitting thatit is through collaboration that they are beingremembered.”

Weaving the storyof the 1913 Lockout

With artists the late Kathy Henderson, Robert Ballagh and tapestry volunteers in Liberty Hall. Photo: Tommy Clancy

18 District Council NewsLibertyOCTOBER 2018

PICTURES: RollingNews.ie

Clerys new owners must respect dealTHE reported new owners ofthe iconic Clerys departmentstore in Dublin must adhereto an agreement with SIPTU,local community groups andcity councillors concerningthe development of the site,according to former workersand union activists.In early October, it was reported

that a unit of the New York-basedreal-estate firm Rockefeller Grouphad joined up with the Irish busi-ness Press-Up Entertainment tobuy the former Clerys departmentstore from the Natrium consor-tium, for an estimated €63 million.Natrium, led by businesswoman

Deirdre Foley, bought the depart-ment store for €29 million fromUS group Gordon Brothers in June2015 under controversial circum-stances that resulted in the loss of460 jobs. Last month there was press spec-

ulation that Ms Foley had receiveda several million euro sum from re-cent sale.SIPTU Dublin District Council

secretary (and former Lord Mayorof Dublin) Brendan Carr, said: “InMarch 2017, the owners of thestore and representatives of theformer workers concluded a de-tailed agreement which brought to

an end the dispute surrounding theunacceptable manner in whichClerys was put out of business. “An integral part of this agree-

ment was co-operation betweenthe developers, local communitygroups and unions on the futuredevelopment of the site in a man-ner which ensured the maximumbenefit for the North East Inner

City of Dublin. The agreement in-cludes clauses concerning the em-ployment of former Clerysworkers, local training and employ-ment programmes as well as mea-sures to ensure the safeguardingand development of the culturaland historical importance of thesite.” He added: “A Dublin CityCouncil sub-committee, which in-

cludes representatives of the for-mer workers and local communitygroups, councillors and city councilofficials was formed to oversee itsfull implementation.”Justice for Clerys Workers

spokesman, John Finn, said: “AnBord Pleanála initiated a full publichearing into the proposed develop-ment of Clerys due to concerns

over its adherence with the Schemeof Special Planning Control for theO’Connell Street area.“The agreement between SIPTU

and the developers ensured thatthe future development of the sitewould adhere with the aims of thisscheme. We expect this agreementto be fully respected by the newowners.”

John Finn: ‘aims of schememust be adhered to’

SIPTU Northern Ireland Dis-trict offers you the chance tobe immortalised on its newbanner.The Northern Ireland Dis-

trict Committee has retainedthe services of the famousDurham Banner Makers to de-sign and create a new banner.The front central portion of

the banner will be a silk paint-ing of James Connolly speakingto workers in the shadow ofBelfast factories.Durham Banner Makers have

offered to paint your likenessonto the faces in the crowd.Your face or the face of a

loved one will be regaled onthe banner for a lifetime.A number of people have al-

ready taken up this unique op-portunity and a few placesremain.For a donation of £200 or

€200 you can guarantee yourplace in this exciting new Peo-ple’s Art Project.Contact Anne at the Belfast

Hub office for more details.02890314000, or 048 90314000from ROI. You can also donate through our JustGiving pagehttps://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/anne-thompson-3

Become a work of art

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ORGANISERS involved inthe co-ordination of thework of District Councilsmet in SIPTU College on10th October to discuss thedevelopment of the union’slocal structures over thenext few months.The meeting was addressed by

Honorary President Padraig Pey-ton, Deputy General SecretaryEthel Buckley, researcherMichael Taft, Scott Millar of theCommunications Department,and campaigner Paddy Cole on

digital organising strategies. Among the issues discussed

was the holding of seminars onhousing and precarious workover the coming months. Therewas also feedback from organis-ers on the current state of theunion in their areas. A further meeting of the Co-or-

dinator Group is scheduled forSligo on 29th November to coin-cide with a seminar being hostedby the S