NION POSTMAY/JUNE 2013

PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONSTHE

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HIGH NOON FOR SOCIALEUROPE

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Picture: John Mueller (CC BY 2.0)

l ORGANISATION l SOLIDARITYlEQUALITY lMINIMUM STANDARDS

EUROPEAN UNIONS IN DUBLIN SUMMIT

EUROPEAN trade unions are to setout a range of alternative policies to deal with the economic crisis at a major summit in Dublin nextmonth.

Leading trade unionists will bedemanding that EU govern-

ments make radical changesto restore growth, tackle unemployment and build afairer Europe,

The two-day event,

organised by the European TradeUnion Confederation and hosted byCongress, starts on June 5 in DublinCastle.

A Congress source said: “Theconference theme is High Noon forSocial Europe and no doubt speakerswill be training their big guns, so tospeak, on the disastrous austeritypolicies being pursued by many EU governments that cause so muchharm to working people.”

The conference consists of anumber of panel discussions – ontrade union organisation, solidarity,equality and minimum standards –that involve, among others, ETUCchief Bernadette Ségol, left, Con-gress general secretary David Begg,TUC general secretary FrancesO’Grady, EPSU chief Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, Oliver Rothig,who heads up UNI Europa, andCGT leader Thierry Lepaon.

ETUC chiefBernadetteSégol

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2 THE UNION POST y May/June 2013

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Irish Congress of Trade Unions31/32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, Republic of IrelandTel: +353 1 8897777 Fax: +353 1 8872012Email: congress@ictu.ie www.ictu.ieUNION POST

THE

TUC general secretary FrancesO’Grady has claimed the public isbeing “brainwashed” into believ-ing the benefits system in the UKis “riddled with fraud”.

She made the comment afterDepartment for Work and Pen-sions data published earlier thismonth revealed that benefit fraudaccounted for just 0.7% of thewelfare budget.

This is in stark contrast to thepopular perception of benefitfraud – hyped up by sections ofthe media and by some politicians.Polling carried out by the TUC inJanuary, showed that on averagepeople think that 27% of the welfare budget is claimed fraudulently.

Ms O’Grady said: “While benefitfraud is a problem, these figuresshow there is a significant issuewith underpayment too, with onein 10 housing benefit claimantsbeing underpaid at a time whenliving costs are soaring.

“Instead of seeking to demonisethose on benefits, ministersshould be getting tough on tax-evading companies who are cheat-ing the Treasury out of £25bn ayear.”

PCS general secretary MarkSerwotka said: "At just over £1billion a year fraud in the benefitssystem is dwarfed by tax fraud,which is 70 times as much andwhose perpetrators are not subject to the same level of vitriolfrom politicians and sections ofthe press.

"While more resources in theDWP would bring the benefitfraud and error rate down evenmore, the government must alsoaggressively chase down the taxdodgers who deprive our economyof tens of billions of pounds ayear."

Benefits fraud:UK public being‘brainwashed’

UK & Irish workerstrail in hols leagueWORKERS in the Irish Republic aresecond only to UK workers when itcomes to having the worst holidayentitlement in Europe, accordingto a survey carried out by travelcompany hotels.com.

They enjoy seven fewer days offa year than their Italian or Swedishcounterparts. In Ireland, the average annual leave entitlementis 20 days, supplemented by ninepublic holidays, the same total as Germany and Switzerland.

UK workers are entitled to onlyan average of 28 days off whereasthe French, Finns and Norwegiansget to put their feet up on 35 dayseach year.

The total for the Danes andSpanish was 34 while in take-it-easy Russia, employees had an annual tally of 40 days off.

Picture: Qamrul Anam Coordinator, Textile & RMG, IBC

UNI Global Union general secretaryPhilip Jennings has described a newaccord on fire and building safety inBangladesh as “a turning point”, following the horrific April 24 collapse of the Rana Plaza whichclaimed the lives of 1,100 garmentworkers.

Dozens of leading retail compa-nies have already signed up to thenew safety guidelines.

The legally-binding agreement be-tween the signatories and Industri-ALL, UNI Global and many localunions provides for independentsafety inspections, mandatory repairsand renovations as well as a vitalrole for workers and their unions.

At the heart of the accord is a

commitment from the companies topay for the renovations and repairsnecessary to make factory buildingsin Bangladesh safe.

Mr Jennings said: “We are puttingin place rules that mark the end ofthe race to the bottom in the globalsupply chain.”

Retail labels that have signed upso far include: H&M, Inditex, C&A,PVH, Tchibo, Tesco, Marks & Spencer,Primark, El Corte Inglés, jbc, Mango,Carrefour, KiK, Helly Hansen, G-Star, Aldi, New Look, Mothercare,Loblaws, Sainsbury’s, Benetton, NBrown Group, Stockmann, WE Europe, Esprit, Rewe, Next, Lidl,Hess Natur, Switcher, Abercrombie& Fitch.Jennings: ‘turning point’

Labels sign up to safety accordafter factory collapse horror

Rescue workers desperately search for survivors after the Rana Plaza factory collapse

3May/June 2013 y THE UNION POST

CONGRESS has warned that cutsto health and safety budgets willturn the clock back on progressmade in safeguarding employeeswhile at work.

A total of 47 people were killedin workplace accidents and 7,000non-fatal injuries were reported inthe Republic last year.

Speaking ahead of Workers Memorial Day (April 28), TEEU gen-eral secretary Eamon Devoy said:“The Health and Safety Authority isfacing devastating cuts in its govern-ment grant over the next threeyears, which will hit health andsafety inspections and the body’s

prevention work hard. In recentyears big strides have been made inprotecting people at work from injury and ill health.

“Health and safety inspections arethe backbone of this approach andthere still more needs to be done,especially as increasing numbers ofemployers are contracting out corework.”

He added: “Cuts are jeopardisingthe progress made and the price willbe paid by ordinary, hardworkingpeople.”

Congress legal affairs officer Esther Lynch claimed progress hadstalled on efforts to get employers

to report occupational diseases andillnesses and urged the governmentnot to buckle to opposition frombusiness groups “in the mistaken belief that health and safety rulesare a burden on business”.

She said: “Congress is calling onthe Health and Safety Authority tothink again about removing the re-quirement on employers to reporton the range of internationallyrecognised occupational diseasescaused by chemical, physical and biological agents.

“In spite of advances in occupa-tional health and safety practicesover the last few decades, the

impact of the crisis has meant in-creased work intensity and less timededicated to prevention, poor main-tenance schedules for equipmentand machinery, and a lack of invest-ment in newer equipment.

“Moreover, psycho-social factorssuch as stress in the workplace, areexacerbated as employment be-comes more precarious and thosewho retain their jobs often worklonger hours to compensate for jobcuts.

“Obeying safety rules is a respon-sibility, not a burden. Business efficiencies cannot be at the ex-pense of workers’ health and lives.”

Business efficiencies cannot bemade at expense of workers’ lives

CONGRESS has claimed thehealth of healthcare workers inthe Republic is being endangeredby the Irish government’s failureto implement an EU ‘Sharps Directive’ on the use of medicalneedles.

Legal affairs officer EstherLynch said: "Sharps and needle-stick injuries are a silent epi-demic as they are notoriouslyunreported – estimates for Ireland range from 1,000 to6,000 injuries a year.”

In 2011, an INMO study revealed that one in three nursessouth of the border had sufferedneedlestick injuries.

The EU directive protectshealthcare workers through

increased safety precautions andsafer working proceduresthrough the use of medical devices that shield or retract the needle after use.

It specifically bans the practiceof ‘recapping’ needles.

The Republic failed to meetthe May 11 deadline for thetransposition of the directive, butMs Lynch has called for its swiftimplementation.

She said: "Acting now is essen-tial. The directive requires a part-nership approach and Congressis recommending the setting upof needlestick and sharps injuryprevention committees to oversee the implementation ofthe directive. These committees

should include representativesfrom employers and unions, including health and safety reps, occupational health, risk manage-ment, purchasing, housekeeping,infection control, employee education and training.”

Ms Lynch pointed out the directive applied to all healthcareworkers but noted that prisonofficers, refuse collectors, teach-ers, tattoo artists and thousandsof other workers “who maycome across discarded hypoder-mic needles” were not included.

And she urged the govern-ment to extend the directive’sprotection to “all workers at riskof needlestick or sharps injury.”

Picture: stevendepolo (CC BY 2.0)

ICTU call on Sharps Directive

CONGRESS general secretary DavidBegg has called on the Troika to do “thehonourable thing” and admit that aus-terity as a cure for Ireland’s problems iswrong, socially destructive and damag-ing to prospects for economic recovery.

He delivered the blunt message aspart of a Congress delegation that metwith officials from the IMF/EC/ECBTroika in Dublin on April 29.

Mr Begg said: “The wheels [have]come off the austerity wagon as more evidence of its unsuitability anddestructive impact emerges.

“The IMF concedes that the approachtaken here was wrong. Equally, the casefor austerity is now known to be basedon flawed calculations.

“But most damning of all, we haveheard Prof Ashoka Mody – an architectof the Irish bailout – admit major errorsin the construction of Ireland’s rescuepackage.

“In other words, the ideological underpinning of this entire policy approach – in Ireland and across theEU – has been utterly discredited. TheTroika should now do the honourablething and admit their policy failure.”

He added: “It’s time for a new departure. It’s time for a new deal forIreland.”

‘Wheels have comeoff austerity wagon...’

HUNDREDS of journalists from across theworld are attending the 28th Congress of theInternational Federation of Journalists inDublin between June 4 to June 7.

The event, at Dublin Castle, is beinghosted by the National Union of JournalistsUK and Ireland.

And the NUJ’s Belfast & District branch isholding a special event North of the borderto mark the IFJ World Congress.

The branch has invited a panel of nationaland international speakers to present a num-ber practical workshops on safety for jour-nalists working in conflict zones and in publicorder situations.

Branch secretary Gerry Carson told TheUnion Post: “Since the start of this year jour-nalists, photographers and camera operatorshave, in the course of carrying out theirwork, been subjected to verbal and physicalabuse, been threatened, harassed and suf-fered serious injury.

"Now, in the light of the ‘flag protests’, theforthcoming ‘marching season’ and ‘G8’meeting, to help better inform individuals,management and owners about self-protec-tion and how best to perform risk assess-ment, our branch has organised a specialseminar on Wednesday, June 5 in the Linen-hall Library, Belfast.”

Irish secretary Séamus Dooley added: "It isfitting that as the World Congress of the IFJdiscusses global threats, in Belfast our col-leagues will be offering practical assistancebased on experience of conflict."

Journo safety seminarto mark IFJ Congress

THE UNION POST y May/June 20134

From left: NUJ’s Barry McCall, Jim Aughney, Seamus Dooley (NUJ Irish secretary), Gerry Curran, MartinFitzpatrick, Des Coughlan and Tony Jones. Front row: Ashling Seely and Noleen Hartigan from Amnesty International lay a wreath at the Veronica Guerin memorial in Dublin Castle on World Press Day Picture: Maxwells

NUJ President Barry McCall hasdemanded action to protect mediaplurality across Europe.

He made his comments onWorld Press Freedom Day – May3 – at a meeting of the union’sDublin branch in Liberty Hall.

Mr McCall said: “It is standardpractice for governments and competition authorities to intervene when a firm becomesdominant in any sector.

“But the media industry is even

more sensitive to such dominanceas with it comes potentially immense political power and influence.

“This is why different standardsand thresholds must be applied tothis bulwark of democracy andwhy the NUJ is supporting the Eu-ropean Citizens’ Initiative aimed atgathering a million signatures to apetition calling on the EuropeanCommission to bring forward toprotect media pluralism and press

freedom.” He added: “We need9,000 signatures from Ireland toplay our part in this critically important initiative. The NUJ willbe campaigning to get its ownmembers to sign up to the petitionand we are calling on all tradeunions, political parties, and theIrish people generally to get behindit so that we can prevent abuses of media power in this country infuture.”

Later Mr McCall joined senior

NUJ and Amnesty InternationalIreland figures in laying a wreath atthe Veronica Guerin statue inDublin Castle gardens.

He said: "It is our duty to ensurethat each one of those journalists[killed in the course of their work]is remembered.

“Here in Ireland we know thepain felt by the murders of MartinO'Hagan and Veronica Guerin, bothNUJ members committed to thehighest principles of journalism."

THE NUJ has condemneddeath threats issued earlierthis month by loyalist paramilitaries against twoNorthern Ireland-basedjournalists.

Bob Miller, chair of theunion’s Belfast & Districtbranch, told The UnionPost: "The naked threat ofviolence by paramilitaries,whatever their back-ground, against membersof this union is to be deplored.

“We ask those behindthese threats to withdrawthem immediately and we call on their public representatives to issue a statement to that effect."

NUJ general secretaryMichelle Stanistreet said:“A free press is a hallmarkof a democratic society andanyone making threatsagainst journalists for carrying out their work attempts to underminedemocracy as well as pressfreedom. Threats againstjournalists from any quarter must stop.”

Media plurality ‘must be protected’

NUJ hits out atdeath threats

THE Republic’s next Budget will befairer, and more likely to hasten economic recovery, if it has a “greaterorientation towards collecting moretaxes rather than cutting spendingand services”, a leading economist hasclaimed.

Dr Micheál Collins, from theunion-backed Nevin Economic Re-search Institute, made the commentsin an address to the IMPACT confer-ence in Portlaoise earlier this month.

He said this changed emphasis ingovernment policy was needed toend the prolonged period of austeritypredicted by most economic commentators.

Dr Collins outlined NERI’s forecastof continued stagnation, with sluggishgrowth and high unemployment, overthe next two years.

He told delegates: “While there aresigns of some stabilisation in domes-tic demand, the amount being spentby households, companies and thegovernment remains depressed.

“The lack of any ‘pick-up’ in domestic activities remains a keyproblem for the Irish economy. Asthis is the job-intensive sector of theeconomy, recovery is dependent onthings getting moving on the groundaround the country.”

Dr Collins called on the govern-ment to change course in three ways:

l It should adopt a large scale investment programme drawing onfunds from the European InvestmentBank, the borrowing abilities of commercial semi-state companies,pension funds, and the savings fromvarious debt restructuring deals,

l It should address the unemploy-ment crisis in a more focused waywith investment in additional retrain-ing and upskilling, and

l It should ensure that the nextBudget takes a fairer approach to thedistribution of the adjustment, with agreater orientation towards collectingmore taxes rather than cuttingspending and services.

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Govt needs change of emphasisDr Collins: ‘fairer approach to distributionof adjustment’ requiredPicture: Dylan Vaughan Photography

YES forPEACE, HOPE and HEALING’

May/June 2013 y THE UNION POST 5

To join UNISON tel 028 90270190 or email

sayssays

15 years on – still campaigning for completion of the promises in the Good Friday Agreement on equality, human rights and dealing with the past

unisonnorthernireland@unison.co.uk

YES forPEACE, HOPE and HEALING’‘‘

THE UNION POST y May/June 20136

THE Construction Industry Com-mittee of Congress has claimed theSupreme Court judgment on REAspaves the way for a devastating attack on the living standards ofbuilding workers in the Republic.

The warning followed a May 15meeting of the CIC to discuss theimplications of the ruling.

CIC member Fergus Whelan said:“When taking on contracts employ-ers are now free to ignore existingrates of pay set by the LabourCourt and free to offer skilled experienced craftsmen the nationalminimum wage. This will amount toa 50% pay cut.”

And he warned that the May 9court ruling could lead to the end ofthe Construction Industry PensionScheme.

Mr Whelan told The Union Post:

“This pension scheme – which hasserved hundreds of thousands ofIrish workers well since 1964 –has been killed off by a stroke of thejudicial pen.

“The clauses in public procure-ment contracts designed to ensurethat public projects and any stimuluspackage would result in decent jobsfor experienced unemployed work-ers have been struck down.

“Unless something is done, thesejobs will go to companies based outside the state who will milk theprojects with exploited foreignlabour. There will be no jobs for Ireland and little or no indigenousIrish construction industry in thenear future.

“The Supreme Court judgmenthas left construction workers exposed to a level of exploitation

THE TEEU has described the May 9Supreme Court ruling that RegisteredEmployment Agreements were uncon-stitutional as “another dark day foremployment in Ireland”.

The five-judge court’s decision –which ruled that Part 3 of the IndustrialRelations Act 1946 raised serious issuesof incompatibility with the Constitu-tion – would have “a profound effect”on thousands of construction workers,the union warned.

The court said the REAs "passed un-

mistakably into the field of legislationwhich was the sole preserve of theOireachtas".

However, the TEEU has counteredthat the decision – prompted by a legalchallenge from electrical contractorsgroup, the NECI – did not overturn ex-isting pay rates and conditions.

A TEEU statement said: “While ex-isting contractual rights of workers insectors covered by REAs are unaffectedby the ruling and contractual rights canbe altered only by agreement between

the parties involved, it will no longer bepossible to enforce minimum standardsagainst foreign contractors competingfor Irish contracts and who can pay aslittle as €8.65 per hour for all hoursworked up to 48 hours per week with-out interference.”

TEEU general secretary EamonDevoy warned that any attempt to un-dermine current standards would bemet “with the wrath of the TEEU whowill use all means at its disposal to pro-tect our members in the industry”.

Supreme Court ruling ‘dark day for employment in Ireland’

and abuse unknown in this countrysince the 1930s. The judgment is thelatest and most blatant attack on the

protections developed over a longperiod, protections designed toavoid gross exploitation of vulnera-ble workers.”

Mr Whelan said that unions in-tend to ensure that all constructionprojects are carried out under theterms agreed in the Labour Courtand “will fight for the national agree-ment country wide, project by proj-ect and contract by contract.”

He added: “It behoves the politi-cal system to work to fix this prob-lem.

“Employers now celebrating thevictory the Supreme Court hasgiven them could yet find that theymight have been better to honourLabour Court agreements ratherthan watch idly as our industry isdestroyed by social dumping and exploited foreign labour.”

Whelan: Construction workershave been ‘left explosed’ by ruling

‘No jobs for Ireland’ warningREAs JUDGMENT

May/June 2013 y THE UNION POST 7

Communications Workers’ Union

To find out more about the facilities at William Norton House, or to book your next event, please contact:Imelda Wall, Communications Workers’ Union, William Norton House, 575-577 North Circular Road,Dublin 1

E-mail: imelda@cwu.ieTel: +353 1 866 3000 Fax: +353 1 866 3099

TECHNICAL SPEC & CAPACITIESConference Hall capacity Theatre Style 240Conference Hall capacity Classroom Style 180National Executive Boardroom 45Leinster Boardroom 22Munster Boardroom 20Connacht Boardroom 16Ulster Boardroom 10Breakout Areas for various no delegates 3Secluded Private GardenRooftop GardenComplimentary parking for over 25 carsComplimentary wifiVideo/Tele conference facility

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THE UNION POST y May/June 20138

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THE NUJ has welcomedrecommendations to address the “toxic problem” of bullying atthe BBC.

A number of meas-ures are set out in theRespect at Work reviewconducted by DinahRose QC.

General secretaryMichelle Stanistreetclaimed the reportbacked up the union’sown probe into bullyingand harassment at thebroadcaster.

She said: “It is quiteclear that bullying hasbecome an institution-alised problem at theBBC, one that has takenhold over many years

“The report's findingsunderline the fear factorthat exists, particularlyfor those staff on free-lance and short-termcontracts.”

She added: “That the BBC is now taking action and getting a gripof what is a toxic prob-lem can only be a goodthing. It is positive newsthat investigations willbe carried out by an independent panel in future, although we re-main concerned abouthow efficiently this canbe delivered by an in-house approach.

“It’s vital that this is agenuine fresh start, onethat marks the disman-tling of a culture thathas allowed bullying andharassment to takehold.”

NUJ backsanti-bullyingmeasuresset out inBBC report

THE newly-refurbished headquarters ofthe CWU was formally opened by IrishPresident Michael D Higgins on March 28.The building, which has been located at575 North Circular Road since 1982, hasbeen renamed William Norton House.

Union officials are very proud of thenew building which was refurbished “tothe highest standards to create an excitingand dynamic office and conference venue”.

A CWU source told The Union Post: “It’sa venue like no other and the beautifullyappointed building still incorporates a real

sense of history. The original building,which once housed St Canice’s School, hadthe staircase lovingly restored, honouringthe school’s position as the essence of thelocal community.

“The new facility includes a conferencehall, five boardrooms, break-out areas,complimentary WiFi, and state-of-the-artteleconferencing facilities.

“Every CWU member can be enor-mously proud of William Norton Houseand take the opportunity to avail of its superb facilities.”

CWU UK’s Billy Hayes and Andy Kerr greets thePresident along with CWU chief Steven Fitzpatrick

Michael D opens refurbished CWU HQ

9May/June 2013 y THE UNION POST

*

NIPSA general secretary Brian Campfieldhas called on union members and their families to join a protest march and rally inBelfast on Saturday, June 15 to coincide withthe meeting of G8 leaders in Co Fermanagh.

Trade unions in the North have linked upwith organisations such as Friends of theEarth and Amnesty International to plan theprotest, which organisers hope will ensure adissenting voice is heard amid all the mediabrouhaha over the much-hyped summit.

Writing in the latest issue of the union’snewspaper NIPSA Reports, Mr Campfield said:“While G8 leaders have it in their power totake decisions that could be in the interestof millions of people across the globe, in reality they will pursue policieswhich are designed to prop upand defend a system that is incapable of tackling worldpoverty, global hunger andunemployment.

“All the rhetoric aroundmeasures to tackle corporatetax evasion and avoidance, behind the use of words like‘democracy’, ‘peace’, and ‘development’ belies thereality that poverty and in-

equality continue to increase because of the system and the policies they support.”

Mr Campfield pointed out that big business interests in the UK had “overflow-ing” bank accounts – worth more than£700bn – that contributed nothing to “the economy or people”.

He said: “If the G8 leaders were seriousabout tackling hunger, poverty or unemploy-ment, steps would be taken to force the release of some of these reserves for economic development and/or socially-useful investment. However, that is not themindset of the G8 leaders as they defer tothe sacred cow of the free market, the interests of the large corporations and the

wealthy.”Claiming that the hosting of the

summit in Northern Ireland was “atbest, a dubious honour”, he added:“We owe it to ourselves and to allthose across the globe, who are thevictims of an economic system thatcares nothing for working people, to mark the G8 summit with a re-sounding message that there is, astrade union movement has pro-

claimed, a better and fairer way.”

Campfield: ‘Resounding message’

NIPSA chief callsfor big G8 protest

G8 protestors at the May 2011 Le Harve summit and, below,

at the Quebec summit in 2010Pictures: Guilliaume Paumier; Socialist Canada,

Socialist Quebec (CC BY-SA 2.0); NIPSA

CONGRESS has welcomedthe Republic’s EducationMinister Ruairi Quinn’s decision to appoint moni-tors to audit compliancewith terms and conditionsof employment in theschool building programme.

Congress official FergusWhelan said: “We havebeen concerned for sometime that unsustainable

tendering and procurementpractices have been leadingto hidden economy activity,runaway contractors andthe exploitation of work-ers.”

He claimed the appoint-ment of auditors wouldsend “the right message” towould-be, non-compliantcontractors.

But he added: “We

believe that public procur-ers will have to go furtherand adopt a policy of ensuring that tender pricesare sustainable, so as not to encourage bad practice and to give contractors the possibility of finishing work without having to rely on cheap, exploited labour.”

School ‘monitors’ welcomedPOPE Francis has blastedthe “tyranny” of free-mar-ket capitalism in a speechto foreign ambassadors earlier this month.

He told them: “The worship of the golden calfof old has found a new andheartless image in the cultof money and the dictator-ship of an economy whichis faceless and lacking anytruly human goal.”

Cult of money

THE UNION POST y May/June 201310

IBOA CALL

THE IBOA has called for a “Leve-son-style” inquiry to probe the dramatic collapse in banking in theRepublic and its impact on the Irisheconomy.

General secretary Larry Broder-ick told delegates at the union’s recent Biennial Delegate Confer-ence that it was remarkable thatfive years into the crisis peoplewere no nearer to understandingthe precise causes of the crisis andthe interaction of the various players which contributed to it.

He said the purpose of such aninquiry was not to promote awitch-hunt but to achieve a thorough understanding of the role

We need Leveson-styleprobe into Irish banking

of bank boards, senior management,the regulatory authorities and government in both the creation ofand response to the crisis.

And he claimed the inquiryshould also have the power to sub-poena witnesses as well as invitingsubmissions from interested partiesand the general public.

Mr Broderick said: "There may besome expense involved in conduct-ing such an inquiry.

“But how much more expensiveis the alternative likely to be? Unlesswe take the time to find out whatwent wrong, we run the risk of repeating the same disastrous mistakes in the future.”

Larry Broderick: ‘disastrous mistakes’

AROUND a quarter (24%) ofnurses in the UK have been discouraged or warned off raisingconcerns about patient care, anew survey carried out on behalfof the Royal College of Nursinghas revealed.

Following the results, the RCNwarned of a “culture of fear andintimidation” in some workplaces.

Nearly half (46%) of respon-dents who had raised concernshad done so the last six months,and nearly one in 10 nurses (8%) inthe week leading up to the survey.

Worryingly, just under half(45%) of those who raised con-cerns said their employer hadtaken no action and roughly thesame number (44%) said fears ofvictimisation would make themthink twice about whistle blowing.

RCN general secretary Dr PeterCarter said: “These responses illustrate that despite the recentattention which has been drawnto the importance of whistleblowing, many nurses are still experiencing a culture of fear andintimidation if they try to speakout. This is putting patient safetyat risk.

“Nursing staff want to provideexcellent care, but sometimes thesystems they work in do not allowthis. Staff know what is safe fortheir patients and what is not.However, they cannot raise con-cerns if they feel unsure aboutwhat their employer’s policy is orwhat the repercussions will be.”

The RCN runs a dedicated whis-tle blowing hotline for its mem-bers – 0345 772 6300 – if they haveserious or immediate concernsabout patient safety in theirworkplace, which local processesare unable to resolve.

RCN warns ofculture of fear insome hospitals

Action suspendedin goodwill gestureTHE TEEU has suspended a workto rule action involving 23 windfarm technicians employed bySiemens as a goodwill gesture in itsfight to secure recognition for theworkforce.

It is understood the union –which has asked formally forLabour Relations Commission in-volvement to settle the dispute –has reminded local managementthat an international agreementon collective bargaining was bro-kered with the parent companyand global union IndustriALL.

A TEEU source said: “The unionhas been actively seeking dialoguewith Siemens since January but tono avail. Ironically Siemens recog-nises and negotiates with unionsthroughout Europe, but refuses todo so here in Ireland.”

Siemens technicians providemaintenance to more than 200wind turbines, mostly situated inthe northwest and southwest.

Picture: IBOA

A NEW report published by theITUC has claimed labour marketpolicies being pushed by the IMFpose a real threat to collectivebargaining.

The study, Ideology Without Eco-nomic Evidence: IMF Attacks on Col-lective Bargaining, analyses howthe actions of the finance body

have weakened workplace rightsthat have been in place for a gen-eration.

ITUC general secretary Sha-ran Burrow said: “There is noeconomic justification for theselabour reforms. Countries withlittle or no collective bargainingdo not achieve faster growth,

lower unemployment or betterexport performance than othercountries. They do have greaterwage inequality.

“The economic strategy beingpursued by the IMF, and in crisiscountries with its Troika part-ners, is deeply flawed.”

http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ituc_frontlines_summary_report_april_2013_web.pdf

IMF ‘threat to collective bargaining’

WHISTLE-BLOWING

RECOGNITION

State of the union address...President John FKennedy speaking atthe 1962 dedication ofa cooperative housingproject in New YorkCity pioneered by theInternational LadiesGarment WorkersUnion. The ILGWUtrail-blazed the pushfor affordable workers’housing in the USPicture: Kheel Center, Cornell University (CC BY 2.0)

FLASHBACK

May/June 2013 y THE UNION POST 11

Extra funding necessary or cut custody numbers

POA general secretary John Clinton hascalled for 16 to 17-year-old offenders tobe taken out of the prison service andplaced in a “separate care and correctionsystem” more suited to their needs.

He made his comments in an address to the POA conference inAthlone on May 4.

Welcoming a recent report from theVisiting Committee at St Patrick’s Insti-tution, Dublin, that had praised staff fortheir attitude and work performance, hepointed out that this did not alter theunderlying problem, “namely, that prisonofficers are not trained to do this work”.Mr Clinton told delegates: “St Patrick’s isnot fit for the purpose of catering for 16

to 17-year-olds. These young offendersmust be incarcerated when found guilty of serious crimes and we have nodifficulty with that.

“Many of these young people will havecommitted serious crimes, but they arealso most likely to have other issues,such as neglect, addiction, education deficiencies and often homelessness.

“This government must now followthrough on its own commitment, to takethese young offenders out of the prisonservice, and into a separate care andcorrection system, with has the facilitiesand expertise to meet the complex challenges presented in this specific and necessary intervention”

PRISON Officers Association presi-dent Stephen Delaney has warned“something has to give” followingthe release of figures showing an increase of 29% in the daily averageof prisoners held in custody over sixyears.

He told delegates at the POA conference in Athlone on May 2 thatthere was now 4,275 prisoners incustody compared with a daily average of 3,321 in 2007.

Mr Delaney said: “Something hasto give. It is just not possible to continue to provide a rehabilitativeservice for such numbers with contracting resources and reducedlevel of funding.”

He called for “real action” to betaken either to reduce numbers in

custody or to make extra fundingavailable to boost staffing levels.

Conference heard that the POAagreed with recommendations contained in a recent report fromthe Oireachtas Sub Committee onPenal Reform.

The report had called for a “decarceration strategy” to cut theprison population by a third over the next 10 years, involving thecommuting of prison sentences, increased remission and greater useof open prisons.

Mr Delaney added: “All thesemeasures along with a proper policyto deal with the growing number ofprotection prisoners in the systemmust be implemented as a matter ofurgency.”

POA CONFERENCE

Young offenders present ‘complex challenges’

John Clinton: ‘Govt must follow through on commitment’

Stephen Delaney: ‘something has to give’ Pictures: POA

HUNDREDS of thousands ofworkers took to the streets ofLisbon and other cities acrossPortugal earlier this year witha straightforward message forchiefs at the IMF, EuropeanCentral Bank and the Euro-pean Commission – “Screw theTroika”.

More than half an millionprotestors packed a boulevardin the centre of the capital onMarch 2.

The rallies were organisedby a group of online activistsknown as Que Se Lixe a Troikaor Screw the Troika.

The Troika imposed a seriesof tax hikes and slashed publicsector wages as part of a€78bn bailout deal agreed in2011. The measures have sincepush joblessness to record levels of 17%.

A protestor, right, holds aplacard bearing the slogan‘Politicians are thieves – give us back hope’

Picture: pedrosimoes7 (CC BY 2.0)

Portuguesetell Troikawhat theythink of them

THE UNION POST y May/June 201312

RUSSIAN miners chief Valentin Urusov, releasedearlier this year after spending years in jail ontrumped up charges, has been named the 2013recipient of the Arthur Svensson InternationalPrize for Trade Union Rights.

Mr Urusov, whose cause was championed bya number of international trade union bodies,headed the Profsvoboda trade union at diamond company Alrosa.

He led a 2007 hunger strike involving morethan 1,000 workers in protest at what heclaimed were inhumane conditions and low payat the firm’s mines, but was later arrested ondrugs possession charges.

Prize committee chair Leif Sande said:"Urusov was imprisoned on what were clearlyfalse accusations, and both the UN's Interna-tional Labour Organisation and Russian and international trade union organisations hadbeen involved in trying to get him released,"

Mr Urusov was freed in March after it became known that he had been nominated for the Svensson prize, awarded by the Norwegian trade union movement.

The rest of his five-year prison sentence has been converted into a fine of 15% of his income throughout the remainder of his sentence. In addition, Mr Urusov is not permit-ted to leave the country.

ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said:“We are glad that Valentin Urusov has won theprize. We strongly supported him during histime in prison and we will do so with everytrade unionist illegally detained.”

Freed miners chief awarded top union gong

Picture: Arthur Svensson International Prize (CC BY 3.0)

Ruairi sees red...

Picture: Moya Nolan/INTO

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn got his card markedby teachers crying foul over a range of governmentpolicies. A number of delegates held up red cards ashe addressed the INTO conference last month...

MANDATE has referred an ongoingpay dispute between Boots RetailIreland and its members to theLabour Court.

The union has been seeking awage increase for staff members atBoots after several years of increased profits teamed withexceptional growth for the retailcompany’s Irish operation.

However, Boots has refused togive longer-serving members of staffa pay rise and has threatened theseemployees with the loss of produc-tivity bonuses as well as an agreedChristmas bonus unless they accepta pay reduction of up to 18%.

Divisional organiser BrendanO’Hanlon said: “Over the past three

years, the company has reportedthat it has paid out more than €100million in dividends to shareholdersand yet their workers have not received a single pay increase.

“In fact, with increases in cost ofliving, Boots workers have taken aneffective pay cut while the companyhas enjoyed increased profits.

“Last year alone, Boots Ireland in-creased profits to €17.8 million, yetthe company is refusing to committo a wage increase for all workers.

“This is completely unacceptableto our members who have helpedbuild the company during the pastnumber of years.”

Mr O’Hanlon added: “Our mem-bers in Boots believe it is a very rea-

sonable request to seek a pay in-crease for all workers in Boots atthis time, particularly due to the financial hardship many of them areexperiencing at the moment.”

According to Mandate, the unionreferred the pay dispute to theLabour Court due to the exhaus-tion of the Labour Relations Com-mission process.

Some of the key issues in disputebetween the company and the unionare:

l The union has sought a pay in-crease for all workers in Boots Ire-land, whereas the company is onlyoffering a 2% pay increase to allsales assistants earning below €12per hour.

l Boots is insisting that any salesassistant earning above €12 perhour must reduce their wagesbelow that figure to achieve a 2% in-crease. This in some cases means an18% reduction for a 2% increase.

l All workers who do not re-duce their hourly rate below €12will not receive their bonuses in-cluding a productivity bonus due inJune or the agreed Christmas bonus(worth 2%).

Mr O’Hanlon said: “Mandate iscalling on Boots Ireland, a hugelyprofitable company paying out enor-mous dividends to shareholders, todo the right thing and reward theirworkers by committing to a pay in-crease for all staff members.”

Boots should ‘do right thing’ for its staff

May/June 2013 y THE UNION POST 13

www.fairshop.ie

Picture: SIPTUSIPTU general president Jack

O’Connor has welcomedIBEC’s call for an easing ofausterity but cautioned overbudgetary changes the groupmay be seeking to promote.

He said: “The decision ofIBEC to abandon the sinkingship of one-sided austerityshould be welcomed.

“We agree with a call forthe alleviation of the tax burden on low and middle-income families alongside increased investment in jobcreation.

“However, we are con-cerned that the IBEC call toease back on tax measures inthe forthcoming budget maybe a Trojan horse for thoselobbying the government toabandon its commitment toabolish pension tax relief forhigh-end contributors.

“It was agreed in Budget2013 that this measure wouldbe implemented in Budget2014.

He added: “The ending ofpension tax reliefs for high-end contributors wouldresult in savings of at least€250 million that should beused to alleviate the tax

IBEC’s ease upon austeritycall welcomedbut SIPTU warnsover pensions

burden on lower incomeearners.

“While tax alleviation forthose on incomes at the mid-dle and lower end of thespectrum should form a keypart of an economic stimuluspackage, which is now clearlyessential, there is still plentyof potential to raise at least€1 billion by increasing thecontribution of those withwealth or high earnings overthe next two budgets.”

O’Connor: pensions warning

UNIONS have warmly welcomedthe April 25 European Court ofJustice ruling that the Irish state isin breach of its obligations overpension entitlements for formerWaterford Crystal employees.

Unite regional secretary JimmyKelly said: “The ECJ ruling follows aHigh Court case taken by theworkers in the wake of the company’s 2009 insolvency.

“It comes as welcome news forworkers who have seen the valueof their defined benefit occupa-tional pensions collapse in thewake of insolvency.

“It is now clear that, as arguedby Unite, the state’s failure to insti-tute a system of pension protec-tion represents a breach of its

obligations under the EU InsolvencyDirective.”

He described as “regrettable” thefact the state chose to contest thecase which had both caused “distressand uncertainty” for the workersand ensured that the Irish taxpayerpicked up a substantial legal bill.

Pointing out that workers in theUK are entitled to get 90% of their

accrued pension entitlements in theevent of insolvency, Mr Kelly added:“The ball is now in the government’scourt. They can wait until the matteris heard again in the High Court, orthey can come and talk to us.

“Either way, the European ruling isCrystal-clear – it’s up to the state toprotect Waterford Glass workers’pension entitlements.”

SIPTU general president JackO’Connor, in congratulating the Wa-terford Crystal workers and Unitefor the landmark victory, also calledon the government to “waste notime” to change the regulatory infra-structure on defined benefit pen-sions so schemes are “not forced toclose or are diluted by reason of thecurrent arrangements”.

Unite 10celebrate‘Crystalclear’ ECJruling onpensions

The 10 Unite members who took the Waterford Crystal test case to the ECJ show their approval at the ruling

THE UNION POST y May/June 201314

http://www.youtube.com/user/TradeUnionTVIreland#p/u/0/ATDACnrvRqgTRADE UNION TV GET LATEST REPORTS FROM

FRONT LINE & SHOP FLOOR

Reilly gets red-carded by IMPACTIMPACT has claimed IrishHealth Minister JamesReilly has missed out on 18out of 20 implementationdates six months afterlaunching his Future Healthreform programme.

And the union has produced a ‘scorecard’ tohammer home the point.

The scorecard was col-lated by measuring 20 ac-tions to be implemented byApril 2013 against informa-

tion it had received fromthe Department of Healthon how these measureswere progressing.

According to IMPACT, themissed implementationdates are linked to meas-ures needed to introduceuniversal health insuranceby 2016.

They include steps to-wards setting up new hospi-tal groups and primary carestructures, assessing the

role of local hospitals, developing new approachesto staff planning and succession, and the puttingin place of managementsystems to enable ‘moneyto follow patients’.

The union also claimsMinister Reilly’s chosenmodel for universal healthinsurance is unlikely eitherto deliver value for moneyor universal access tohealthcare. IMPACT

national secretary LouiseO’Donnell said: “IMPACTbelieves the minister’s reform plans were flawedfrom the start. They are incapable of deliveringvalue for money and hechose the wrong model foruniversal health insurance.But even on his own terms,the implementation recordso far suggests that he’s unlikely to deliver universalhealth insurance.”

IMPACT national secretaryMatt Staunton, right, has calledon the Irish government to leg-islate to compel employers torespect the “fundamental right”to collective bargaining.

Speaking to delegates at theIMPACT conference earlier thismonth, he said: “When workerswant a union to representthem for collective bargainingpurposes, there should be aduty on the employer to recog-nise that right.

“Our analysis is that the2001-2004 Industrial Relations

(Amendment) Acts have beenrendered unworkable by theSupreme Court ruling in theRyanair case and that Ireland isfailing in its duty, under interna-tional laws and conventions, tosecure respect for the funda-mental right to collective bargaining.”

He called Irish laws to beamended to require employersto engage in collective bargain-ing and give unions the right todistribute information and pro-vide opportunities to meet anddiscuss collective bargaining

with workers. “Employersshould not be permitted tocreate in-house associations tofrustrate and undermine tradeunion collective bargaining.

“Ensuring that workers canorganise and bargain collec-tively, free from coercion, intimidation, interference andretaliation, is essential.

“It is vital that legislationprovides effective protectionfrom penalisation, victimisation,and other prejudicial acts aris-ing from members exercisingtheir trade union rights.”

IMPACT CONFERENCE

Collective bargainingmust become legal right

Pictures: Dylan Vaughan Photography

Keeping tabs: Shay Cody and LouiseO’Donnell give Minister Reilly’s FutureHealth reform programme the once-over

May/June 2013 y THE UNION POST 15

Unite and SIPTU call over X Case legislation

THE difficulties faced by young second-level teachers in securingemployment is impacting on the quality of education in the Republic, ASTI general secretaryPat King has warned.

He made his comments to aseminar for new and recently-quali-fied teachers at the GreshamHotel, Dublin, on May 11.

Mr King pointed out that thevast majority of second-level teach-ers can expect to secure tempo-

rary employment – including on acontracted hourly basis – for atleast five years. “Often this meansmoving from school to school,teaching for maybe four hours or10 hours a week, year after year.

“For most teacher graduates,the vocational aspect of teaching iskey to its initial attractiveness. Yetthese teachers face the paradoxicalexperience of being unable tomake a real connection with andcommitment to a school commu-

nity.” More than half of all second-level teachers under 30 are oncontracts of one year or less andmany of these posts are part-time.

Mr King added: “Many teachersface the double whammy of beingtemporary and part-time.

“Cuts in the salaries of newteachers, coupled with the creepinghours culture, means that thoselucky enough to find work inteaching can expect to spend anumber of years on low to very

low incomes, and with little em-ployment certainty. This is no wayto begin a career as a teacher.”

Commenting on an OECD studydetailing how a high level of substi-tute and temporary appointmentshad a negative impact on classroomlearning environments, he added:“This is not due to the age or experience of teachers, but ratherit is due to the perceived status ofshort-term, temporary teacherswithin the school community.”

Young teachers facing years of temporary posts

UNITE has urged the Irishgovernment to legislate immediately for the X Case,and to ensure that rightsunder such legislation areeasily accessible.

The call was made as Unitejoined with SIPTU to hand ina statement to the Taoiseachon April 23.

Speaking outside the Dáil,

UNITE regional equalities organiser Taryn Trainor said:“The trade union movementhas a proud record of cam-paigning for equality andhuman rights.

“Access to abortion wherethere is a risk to the woman’slife, including from suicide, isa fundamental human rightsissue, and Ireland’s failure to

legislate may run counter toits commitments under theUN's Convention on the Elim-ination of all forms of Dis-crimination Against Women.

“UNITE is calling on thegovernment to bring forwardX Case legislation immedi-ately, and to ensure that awoman can easily access herrights under the legislation.”

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DEMAND for emergency homeless ac-commodation is soaring as more fami-lies seek emergency accommodation,an IMPACT conference has been told.

Liam Wynne, who works in DublinCity Council’s homeless accommoda-tion services, made the claim at theunion’s local government division con-ference in Wexford on May 22.

He told delegates that while B&Btype accommodation had long been ashort-term solution for people whohad become homeless, the emergencysolution has now become a long-termexperience for many.

“Now the short-term stop gap solu-tion is the sleeping bag. More andmore of them are being issued everyweek. As demand increases, the emer-gency solution has become much morebasic, as all we can do for many peopleis just to make sure they stay warm atnight.”

Mr Wynne added, “A growing num-ber of the people I meet now are fami-lies who’ve just become homeless. It’salso becoming more obvious to methat there are a huge number of peo-ple and families who are just one paycheque away from homelessness.

“That’s the real consequence of austerity.”

Increase inhomelessness‘consequenceof austerity’

Congress assistant general secretary Peter Bunting addresses a UnionLearning Representatives development conference in Belfast on March 28 asStormont Employment & Learning Minister Stephen Farry looks on

Public services are smiles better!

� PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS � PROTECTING WORKERS’ RIGHTS

� PROMOTING JOBS � PROTECTING JOBSwww.unitetheunion.com

Billions lostafter cuts totax collectionservices RESEARCH released by the EuropeanFederation of Public Service Unionshas highlighted the impact austeritypolicies have had on tax collectionservices across the EU.

The study, published on March 25,revealed that since the start of the cri-sis, instead of investing in tax servicesthat collect much-needed revenues tofinance public services, 24 out of 28European governments have done theopposite and cut jobs in the sector.

In total, almost 50,000 jobs in taxservices were axed between 2007 and2011 with most governments planningfurther job losses.

The research shows the impact thecuts have had on the efficiency of taxadministrations – fewer checks andcontrols, an increased backlog of work,the loss of experienced staff and pun-ishing work demands on those stillemployed.

EPSU general secretary Carola Fis-chbach Pyttel said: “The report showsthat reducing employment in tax serv-ices undermines the good intention totackle tax dodging. Cutting jobs willcost money rather than save it.”

The research also sets out examples of how much revenue employees bring in and how much isbeing lost by cutting staff.

In Denmark, it is estimated that 400job cuts in tax administration costmore than €1.3 billion in non-col-lected tax. In the UK, €1.2 billion ofadditional revenue was lost followingthe shedding more than 3,300 staff.

Ms Fischbach Pyttel added: “It is estimated that around €1,000 billion ayear is lost as revenue in the EU as aresult of tax fraud and tax avoidance.We urge the European Parliament andCouncil to beef up the proposed ECaction plan against tax fraud and support investments in tax services tomake it effective.”

AUSTRALIA’S Communityand Public Sector Union hasescalated a major campaignto fight proposals thatwould inflict savage cuts onthe public sector.

The Cuts Hurt drive fol-lows a “council of war” byunion activists in Canberrain late March organised inthe run-up to federal elec-tions later this year wherethe public sector is set to bea major battleground.

It is understood the Fed-eral Opposition is pushing a David Cameron-style austerity agenda with plans

to cut at least 12,000 publicservice jobs and slash government spending by between $50bn and $70bn.

The Opposition Coalitionled by Tony Abbott is alsoproposing large-scale outsourcing of public sectorwork to various multina-tionals.

CPSU national secretaryNadine Flood said the unionwas stepping up its CutsHurt campaign to protectpublic sector jobs and essential services.

"We will stand up forquality public services and

jobs. It is our duty on behalfof our members to take thefight to those who advocatethe destruction of all thatwe hold dear as a union –jobs, rights and fair condi-tions.

"Public services will be atthe heart of this electioncampaign and we will mounta robust defence against thecuts and plans by the Coali-tion and its acolytes to out-source large swathes of it tothe private sector with BigSociety-style reforms thatwill benefit no one otherthan large corporations."

Picture: CPSU Australia

AUSTRALIA TAXATION

Young CPSUsupportersbeam out themessage...

Every wipeof his eyestakes Tallacloser toblindness

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