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Parental leave change is bare minimum
by Mehak Dugal
 

Fórsa has criticised a recent Government announcement to improve parental leave provision as the “bare minimum,” which Ireland is obliged to introduce under European law.


Fórsa has criticised a recent Government announcement to improve parental leave provision as the “bare minimum,” which Ireland is obliged to introduce under European law.

 

Parents of babies born during the pandemic are to get an extra three weeks of paternity leave under new measures.

 

The administration claims the change, which applies to mothers and fathers of children born after 1st November 2019, will address the challenges facing new parents in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, including absence of traditional childcare supports.

 

But Fórsa’s equality officer Andy Pike said the additional three weeks of parental leave would do little to help families struggling with work and life balance due to Covid-19.

 

“The new measure represents the very bare minimum the Government is obliged to put in place under a 2019 European Directive on work-life balance. This EU legislation obliges our Government to legislate for the additional parental leave by November,” he said.

 

He said the Government had passed up an opportunity to make a difference to thousands of families, who need additional support to balance work and family commitments.

 

And he noted that the announcement came shortly after the Government’s refusal to extend maternity leave for new mothers who have exhausted rights to statutory maternity leave and parental leave during the pandemic.

 

“It demonstrates that the new administration has failed to support working families who cannot access childcare. “Fórsa believes that much more meaningful steps should be taken to ensure parents who will not be able to access childcare can be supported with additional statutory leave entitlements.

 

“New parents with young babies who cannot access childcare are a particular concern. This measure is a bare minimum approach from the new Government, which shows a lack of imagination and a lack of leadership,” he said.

 

Once it comes into effect in November, the measure will mean an extra six weeks parental leave per family, paid at a rate of €245 per week.

 

The director of National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI), Orla O’Connor, agreed that the move doesn’t adequately address the needs of mothers on maternity leave during the lockdown.

 

She said the change had been expected, but the November commencement date meant many women will lose out.

 

 

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Fórsa presses for detail on schools
by Niall Shanahan
 

Fórsa has pressed the Department of Education and Skills (DES) to provide clarity on the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) – like face visors and coverings, gloves and aprons – ahead of the proposed reopening of schools in late August.


Fórsa has pressed the Department of Education and Skills (DES) to provide clarity on the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) – like face visors and coverings, gloves and aprons – ahead of the proposed reopening of schools in late August.

 

The union has also sought clear advice and guidance on the provision of personal and intimate care for students in a Covid-19 environment.

 

The union continues to meet with the Department of Education and Skills, along with other stakeholders, to discuss the measures necessary to ensure that schools open to the greatest extent possible in late August.  

 

Head of Forsa’s Education division Andy Pike said the union is aware of a number of school staff who have underlying medical conditions, or who are caring for vulnerable dependants in the home: “In these circumstances we’ve requested confirmation as to the continuation of special leave arrangements once schools are opened.

 

“The key issue the schools sector is the extent to which social distancing can be maintained as this will dictate how many students can access school premises at one time,” he said.

 

Andy said schools cannot plan effectively until they know what the department policy might be on social distancing in the classroom and other common areas. He added that Fórsa has also made clear that SNAs cannot be expected to carry out deep cleaning in schools: “This is a specialist role and schools should receive additional funding to implement enhanced cleaning regimes,” he said.

 

Arrangements for the appointment of Lead Worker Representatives (LWRs) to assist with the Covid-19 response in each school are close to being finalised. These arrangements will allow secretaries, caretakers and SNAs to fulfil the role of LWR in schools with more than 30 staff as there will be two LWRs, one for teaching staff and one for non-teaching staff. In smaller schools opportunities will be provided for non-teaching staff to contribute to the Covid-19 response.

 

Further information will issue to members next week.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact the union HERE.

Guidance on college openings welcomed
by Niall Shanahan
 

Fórsa has welcomed the publication of guidance on re-opening higher education and further education campuses to staff and students for the start of the coming academic year.


Fórsa has welcomed the publication of guidance on re-opening higher education and further education campuses to staff and students for the start of the coming academic year.

 

Published this week, the guidance advises that a two metre social distance must be maintained on campus. Students are advised to use face coverings while on campus, and staff are directed to use appropriate PPE, such as face visors and coverings.

 

New deep cleaning regimes must also be introduced, according to the advice to employers.

 

Employers in both sectors are to receive new funding as part of a €160 million package of measures aimed at providing support to institutions to cope with the challenges of Covid-19. This is in addition to the provision of limited financial assistance to students for accessing technology, for which €16 million is to be provided.

 

The head of Forsa’s Education Division Andy Pike said the curriculum is to be delivered through blended learning – mixing online and classroom teaching – in order to reduce the number of students on campus at any one time.

 

 “Graduation ceremonies will be either scaled down to involve only a small number of people or will be conducted online without social distancing requirements. Staff in higher education and further education will continue to work remotely unless their work is considered essential,” he said.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact the union HERE.

Flexitime resumption sought as workers return
by Bernard Harbor
 

Fórsa is insisting that flexitime be reinstated for civil and public servants who have returned to workplaces following the Covid-19 emergency and are now back on their normal hours and work patterns.


Fórsa is insisting that flexitime be reinstated for civil and public servants who have returned to workplaces following the Covid-19 emergency and are now back on their normal hours and work patterns.

 

Flexitime schemes across the civil and public service were suspended in March as part of the emergency response to the pandemic.

 

The union has raised the issue with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), which has overall responsibility for pay and conditions across the civil and public service.

 

Despite a positive response to the union’s case, DPER has not yet changed its position, even though tens of thousands of staff are back in the workplace and working normal hours.

 

A union spokesperson said Fórsa had accepted the suspension of flexitime as an emergency measure. “There is some logic to its continued suspension for staff who continue to work remotely, but there is no reason why workplace-based employees should be denied their previous flexi arrangements once they are working normal hours,” they said.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact the union HERE.

Unions shape response to economic crisis
 

Fórsa has given a guarded welcome to yesterday’s announcement of the largest ever Government-funded stimulus package, which will see over €7 billion pumped into the economy – mostly in the short-term – through supports to businesses and incomes.


Fórsa has given a guarded welcome to yesterday’s announcement of the largest ever Government-funded stimulus package, which will see over €7 billion pumped into the economy – mostly in the short-term – through supports to businesses and incomes.

 

The cash injection – made up of over €5 billion in grants and €2 billion in business loan guarantees – will be funded by exchequer borrowing. Sources said the forthcoming budget would likely feature additional stimulus measures.

 

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan welcomed the scale of the package and its emphasis on economic recovery over immediate debt repayment, which is now the bedrock of EU-wide response to the pandemic-provoked jobs and economic crisis. But he said citizens would expect accountability from the business community, which would be the immediate beneficiary of most of the measures.

 

“Fórsa and other unions across Europe have successfully made the case for a massive debt-funded public stimulus package, instead of the catastrophic austerity response we saw during the last recession.

 

“Citizens and taxpayers – who are ultimately underwriting this package – will want proof that it is genuinely supporting and creating jobs, with decent working conditions, and paid well enough to sustain a decent standard of living. This can’t just be about publicly-funded hand-outs to business with no accountability to society,” he said.

 

Kevin has consistently argued for massive public investment to meet the jobs challenge of the pandemic, with an emphasis on economic stimulus rather than short-term debt repayment.

 

Yesterday’s announcement came in the same week that EU leaders agreed a €750 billion continent-wide investment programme, in another significant departure from the previous austerity-based response to recession.

 

The measures include an extension to the pandemic unemployment payment (PUP), which will now run until next April, although it will be closed to new entrants from mid-September. Seasonal workers and new hires are covered, but the value of payments will fall.

 

Employers are also set to receive €2,000 for each extra apprentice they take on, along with a two-year €7,500 subsidy to hire under-30s who are currently unemployed or on PUP.

 

Businesses employing up to 500 staff will also be eligible for cheap loans under a €2 billion credit guarantee scheme.

 

Some €500 million has been made available for ‘shovel ready’ capital projects, including schools. A further €100 million has been set aside for energy retrofitting, and councils are in line for €60 million to refurbish vacant local authority houses.

 

However, cash-strapped local councils will need assurances that they will not have to pick up the tab for the continuing business rates holiday, valued at €60 million.

 

Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) general secretary Patricia King said unions had shaped many of the measures implemented to control the Covid-19 virus and offset the consequences for households and businesses.

 

“Government grants to businesses must be conditional on a commitment by them to decent work and to retaining their workforce. We must end the scourge of low pay and precarious work and no longer tolerate bogus self-employment that pervades the hardest-hit sectors. And we must vindicate the rights of workers by ensuring their voice is heard through access to collective bargaining,” she said.

 

The cost of dealing with the pandemic and its economic fallout will see Ireland’s budget deficit reach €30 billion this year, with Government spending now running €16 billion ahead of what was previously budgeted.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact the union HERE.

New manifesto for education support staff
by Mehak Dugal
 

The international trade union federation Public Services International (PSI) has launched a new ‘manifesto’ in a bid to highlight the contribution of education support staff, and place them at the centre of a “new vision of schooling” in a post-pandemic world.


The international trade union federation Public Services International (PSI) has launched a new ‘manifesto’ in a bid to highlight the contribution of education support staff, and place them at the centre of a “new vision of schooling” in a post-pandemic world.

 

Fórsa is a member of the federation, which says school secretaries, special needs assistants, caretakers and other support staff play a massive role in schools in education, and are among the most influential people in the lives of young children.

 

The manifesto highlights the need for strong health, safety and hygiene protections in the context of Covid-19. It says these must be guaranteed as fundamental human rights, based on international labour standards.

 

It also supports public provision of education, access to training for support staff – including in distance-learning – as well as strong collective bargaining and income protections.

 

PSI says a rethink of public health in schools is needed, and says support personnel should be at the heart of developing protocols for protecting students and staff. It also says they should be consulted on decisions about shifts, staggered working and additional summer sessions.

 

Fórsa members can sign up to the manifesto HERE.

 

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE

Leave required to cover quarantine
by Bernard Harbor
 

New official guidance has clarified that civil and public servants who return from non-essential overseas travel must take annual leave or unpaid leave to cover the subsequent quarantine period.


New official guidance has clarified that civil and public servants who return from non-essential overseas travel must take annual leave or unpaid leave to cover the subsequent quarantine period required under current public health guidelines.

 

Government advice remains that all non-essential overseas travel should be avoided, and requires anyone coming into Ireland to restrict their movements for 14 days. This applies to travel from Britain, but not Northern Ireland.

 

The new guidance, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) earlier this month, also says civil and public servants should advise their employer if they intend to travel abroad.

 

The requirements apply to all staff, including those working remotely, so as to “ensure equity of treatment between those who, due to the nature of their work, have been able to work from home during the crisis and those who have continuously attended the workplace throughout.”

 

DPER says the guidance will be reviewed if there are changes to public health and travel advice.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE

Feature Article
Managing your cash in uncertain times
by Róisín McKane
 

You can see the final session in our wellness webinar series, which took place on Wednesday (22nd July) when Fórsa official and pensions guru Billy Hannigan spoke with financial expert Trevor Gardiner about managing money in these uncertain times. The previous sessions are also available to Fórsa members in podcast format.


You can see the final session in our wellness webinar series, which took place on Wednesday (22nd July) when Fórsa official and pensions guru Billy Hannigan spoke with financial expert Trevor Gardiner about managing money in these uncertain times. Trevor outlined some simple ways to save money and plan for the future, and offered some free support services to Fórsa members in financial difficulty.

 

The series was brought to you in association with Cornmarket, which administer two of the Union’s salary protection schemes, featured experts on a range of topics from managing anxiety to motivation at work and home. The earlier sessions are now available as podcasts, and you can listen back HERE

 

The series was informed by recent survey which found that 80% of Fórsa members experienced anxiety during the Covid-19 crisis. Half of the respondents said mental health and lack of motivation were their top concerns, with a huge proportion having trouble sleeping. A quarter of the respondents placed money concerns at the top of their list of worries.

 

The results reflect the stress of a period when thousands of Fórsa members have stepped-up to serve in high-risk frontline environments, with many more having to rapidly adjust to remote working.

 

Listen back to the wellness series HERE.

 

For more information on the services offered by Cornmarket click HERE.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

Also in this issue
Update your contact details
 

You can help us keep you up-to-date with union information, news and advice by checking your contact details and amending them if necessary. If we have your home and personal contact details (personal email, mobile phone number, and home address) we can get information to you quickly and directly. You can update your contact details HERE.

Webinar on climate change and automation    
by Róisín McKane
 

Fórsa’s summer series of webinars on campaigning issues continues later today (Friday), when a panel of experts discuss climate action and automation. The lunchtime session will feature contributions from Professor of green political economy John Barry, Dr Mary Murphy of Maynooth University, Fórsa’s Niall Shanahan, and consultant on climate change law Sinead Mercier.

 

You can join this afternoon’s webinar HERE at 1pm. 

 

The panel will discuss the two major economic and social transitions which are likely to accelerate in the coming decade – the transition to a low carbon economy, and the transition brought about by the revolution of digital technology. Our experts will explore how these transitions can be managed in a way that’s beneficial to workers.

 

Designed to equip the union’s senior activists with the skills and tools to lead local campaigns, the summer series offers opportunities to discuss and debate on some of the pressing issues of interest to Fórsa activists across a range of economic, social, equality and environmental topics.

 

To register for the final session, the future of work (31st July) please click HERE.

 

Be sure to follow the event on Twitter using the hashtag #FórsaSummerSeries.

 

 It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact the union HERE.

Unions welcome wage floor appeal
by Niall Shanahan
 

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has welcomed the Government’s decision to appeal a High Court ruling that effectively abolished official minimum wage levels in sectors like construction.

 

Last month the court said legal provisions that established sectoral wage agreements were unconstitutional. Legally enforceable sectoral employment orders (SEOs) have been rendered invalid by the ruling.

 

The Government has now agreed to appeal the ruling, which ICTU described as “the correct decision.”

 

Congress general secretary Patricia King said there were compelling reasons to appeal the judgment.

 

“Not to do so would have had serious implications for workers’ rights over a broader field of current industrial relations legislation. If this judgment stands, it will impact on the legislative process over a wide field and not just in relation to employment," she said.

 

The High Court’s ruling could affect lower paid employees by wiping out sectoral minimum rates and conditions negotiated between employers and unions.

 

Fórsa general secretary and vice-president of Congress Kevin Callinan said the ruling had potential implications for all workers, including public servants, whose pay and conditions are shaped by trends in the wider economy.

 

Kevin is chairing a Congress leadership meeting next week to look at constitutional, legislative and European provisions that could underpin workers’ rights and collective bargaining.

 

“This is an issue of pressing concern for all workers and unions. The legislation itself is relatively new, and was a welcome milestone in union efforts to have collective bargaining recognised in law,” he said.

 

He said the sectoral agreements have helped to secure better terms for workers in many sectors.

 

“As the country grapples with the devastating economic effect of the Covid-19 crisis, the High Court’s decision removes protections for these workers, upending the terms of agreements negotiated in good faith. If agreed terms are allowed to unravel, it makes all workers vulnerable, so the Government is doing the right thing by appealing the Court’s decision.

 

“This is just one of the many challenges the Government must take on in the aftermath of Covid-19 as it looks at how to rebuild the economy. There is also the pressing need for jobs investment, and a need to do more to bolster workers’ rights, the living wage and also on collective bargaining.

 

"The programme for government is largely silent on these issues, which remain priorities for Fórsa and other unions. They will feature strongly in any future social dialogue discussions,” he said. 

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE

Unions oppose social media hate campaigns
by Mehak Dugal
 

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has warned against an “emerging culture of hatred and intolerance,” which is being fuelled by far-right groups.

 

The federation criticised an increasing trend of right-wing hate campaigns that seek to discredit progressive politicians and groups.

 

The statement came on foot of a campaign against the Green Party’s Roderic O’Gorman, who was targeted with sustained homophobic online abuse. Fórsa and other unions expressed solidarity with the children’s minister.

 

In a related development, Fórsa recently joined an international boycott of Facebook advertising, which aims to force the platform to enforce stronger restrictions on hate speech and the spread of misinformation.

 

ICTU general secretary Patricia King said the attack on O’Gorman was a worrying example of a trend that needed to be challenged.

 

“There can be no place for such hate-speak in our public life. It is toxic, undermines free speech and democratic debate, and we cannot allow it to take root in our societies. As trade unionists we must be absolutely clear and forthright in our opposition to such campaigns and must challenge the shadowy groupings behind them,” she said.

 

ICTU called on social media companies to monitor the activities of far-right groups, and take action to stop hate speech on their platforms.

 

In a related move, Fórsa recently joined an international boycott of Facebook advertising organised by the ‘stop profit for hate’ campaign, which called on corporations and individuals to stop advertising on Facebook until the platform enforces stronger restrictions on hate speech and the spread of misinformation.

 

The union’s head of communications, Bernard Harbor, said that almost a third of the platform’s top 58 advertisers had suspended activity in July. “But small advertisers make up the bulk of Facebook’s revenue, so it was important for Fórsa to support the campaign,” he said.

 

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE

Join Fórsa online
 

Workers who wish to join Fórsa can to do so using a new ‘join online’ function on the union’s website.

 

Going live with the new system follows several months of research, preparation and testing aimed at making it easier than ever to join the union. It also goes live as the union continues to process a large number of new membership applications, as interest in joining the union has surged since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis.

 

Fórsa’s general secretary Kevin Callinan commented: “The current crisis has created the necessity to be able to carry out our business in different ways. Work on this project had commenced before the Covid-19 crisis took hold, and its completion marks a vital step as we tackle the challenges of living in changed times.

 

“We can see that more people want to join a union in response to what’s happening in the wider economy. It’s vital that they can take those initial steps quickly and easily, and making the membership application process more accessible is part of that process.

 

“This is a crucial new venture to enable Fórsa to substantially increase our membership - and to strengthen the union’s hand - at a critical time in the union’s development,” he said.

 

The online facility is a streamlined and simplified membership application process, and will be the quickest and easiest way to join the union. All incoming applications will continue to be subject to check-off and approval by Fórsa branches and the national executive committee, while the new online system is designed to ease the administrative burden on branches.

 

You can join Fórsa online at https://join.forsa.ie/

 

Union guidance for remote working
by Bernard Harbor
 

Fórsa has published new advice for workers who will be working remotely in the medium or long-term.

 

The guidance was produced as the Government’s recently-announced ‘roadmap for reopening society and business’, made it clear that many public servants and others will continue to work from home for some time.

 

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the working circumstances of almost half of Ireland’s workers, with more than a third now working from home. This extended period of remote working is a new experience for most.

 

While some have now established a productive and rewarding remote working routine, it can be a struggle at times.

 

Working at home: Staying safe, connected, healthy and productive contains advice on health and safety, setting up a workspace, breaks, staying in touch with managers and colleagues, and balancing work with home life and childcare.

 

The guide also contains useful tips on data protection, cybersecurity, and safeguarding your mental health.


Róisín McKane of Fórsa’s Communications Unit drafted the guidance. “Many union members could be working remotely for longer than they ever expected. This information will help them to navigate home working for an extended period.

 

“You may be out of the workplace, but you can still rely on certain legal protections, and you should look to your employer for the supports you need to do your job safely and well,” she said.

 

Read the Fórsa guidance HERE. 

 

If you have questions or concerns about your own situation, you can contact Fórsa HERE

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact the union HERE.

Fórsa: Here to support you
 

Fórsa is here to protect you if you have problems arising from the coronavirus or other workplace issues. The best way to contact the union at this time is HERE.

 

We will deal with queries as quickly as we can but, needless to say, the union will prioritise cases where members’ jobs and incomes are at immediate risk – as well as any serious health and safety issues that may arise.

 

Fórsa has cancelled all face-to-face meetings for the time being. The union is redeploying its staff to prioritise engagement with management on proposals arising from the Covid-19 public health crisis, and to provide rapid and efficient responses to members’ queries and concerns.

 

Fórsa's main phone line (01 817 1500) is now open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively members can use the Contact Us page on the Fórsa website to submit queries directly to the relevant division within Fórsa and this remains the most efficient way to access advice directly.

 

Wherever possible, Fórsa staff have been equipped to work remotely. Therefore, members should not attend Fórsa offices at this time. If you have a query or concern, the best way to raise it is to contact the union HERE.