RTE reports that work-related stress among employees in Ireland doubled between 2010 and 2015. This is according to a new study by the Economic and Social Research Institute, funded by the Health and Safety Authority. Its findings suggest that 17% of the workforce experienced stress in 2015, up from 8% in 2010 - one of the steepest increases among the ten western European countries surveyed. The ESRI says that action is urgently needed to address psycho-social risks such as bullying, harassment and violence, as well as high levels of emotional demands and time pressure.
Hospital consultants are threatening industrial action in a row over pay for those hired since 2012 according to The Examiner. Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) President Peadar Gilligan is warning patient safety is at risk from what he describes as "unjustifiable and counter-productive pay discrimination". The union said that 63% of consultant members are prepared to carry out workplace disruption over the 30% pay cut imposed on recruits after 2012.
In Brexit news British Prime Minister Theresa May travels to Northern Ireland and Wales today, as part of her bid to win support for the EU Withdrawal Agreement ahead of a crucial Commons vote on the issue two weeks from today. She plans to spend the time between now and then selling her Brexit plan to the electorate.
Anne-Marie Walsh covers the Government's new auto-enrolment pension plan in The Indo this morning. This article highlights how employers want to pay just half what the Government is proposing into the new auto-enrolment scheme for 860,000 workers with no pension. Ibec has proposed that employers put a minimum of 3pc of pay into the scheme that is due to be rolled out from 2022. This would be matched by staff. However, the Government has proposed that employers eventually contribute twice this amount. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said they should pay a minimum of 6pc from 2027 under a proposal launched earlier this year.
The Irish Times reports that former minister for communications Denis Naughten did not influence, or seek to influence, the tender process of the national broadband plan during meetings with the sole remaining bidder, a report to be published later today is expected to say. The Cabinet will consider this report from independent auditor Peter Smyth into the tender process for the State’s rural broadband scheme. It will be published after the Cabinet meeting, with Minister for Communications Richard Bruton expected to make a statement.
David Bowie bring us our Zen this morning. Following the successful landing of probes on the Red Planet we might get an answer to the age old question- is there life on Mars?
