Fórsa and other public service unions have been in official discussions about the establishment of the independent body charged with addressing the additional working time introduced for many public servants in 2013. Work on restoring the so-called ‘Haddington Road hours’ is required under Building Momentum, the new public service agreement which was overwhelmingly backed by Fórsa members last month.

Under the deal, the independent body is to be set up by the end of this month. Last week, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) officials said they were talking to the public expenditure minister about its composition and the resourcing of a secretariat to support its work.

The body will take submissions from management and unions representing the grades concerned, and make recommendations by the end of 2021. Roll-out of these recommendations will begin within the lifetime of the agreement, with €150 million available to commence implementation during 2022.

Fórsa fought hard for the inclusion of the process in Building Momentum. As a result, workers whose hours were increased under the Haddington Road deal can expect to see reductions in working time from next year.

Sectoral talks

Meanwhile, unions and management agreed to put back the end-of-March date for defining the different groups of grades and staff categories for the sectoral bargaining element of the agreement. Once these ‘sectoral bargaining units’ are agreed, work can begin on how an additional 1% of pay will be distributed through sectoral bargaining.

The agreed one-month delay in agreeing the units was deemed necessary because of the delayed ratification of the agreement. This arose because some unions found the initial timetable for ballots too challenging under Level Five Covid restrictions.

It is expected that some groups will want to use the funds to address – or start to address – longstanding grade issues, while others will simply apply the 1% increase to all staff in the category. Payment of this element of the deal falls due next February.

Reforms

The DPER engagement also included a discussion of the reform measures set out in the agreement, which acknowledges the recent “unprecedented display of commitment, flexibility, hard work and agility in public service provision.”

It says this momentum should be harnessed to meet challenges like the continuing response to Covid-19, a return to normal delivery of education and health services, remote working, digitisation, and managing the response to Brexit.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who leads the union team in the talks, highlighted the modest nature of the increases involved and said balance needed to be achieved to properly reflect progress on broader issues.

“Contentious issues within sectors, which might be relatively narrow in scope, should not be allowed paint a negative picture in circumstances where the main objectives in relation to the headline issues identified in the agreement are being met,” he said.

Read our summary of Building Momentum HERE. 

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

Unions representing healthcare workers, including Fórsa, continue to maintain their focus on ensuring that workers providing a vital function within health care are vaccinated as a priority.

Fórsa official Chris Cully said weekly engagement with the HSE on the rollout of vaccines is continuing, with the health body confirming that 27,000 healthcare workers will be one of three groups receiving vaccines next week.

It was reported this week that healthcare workers now account for less than five per cent of all Covid cases, falling by at least 80% since vaccinating healthcare workers commenced in late December. However, over the last two weeks 373 cases were recorded in healthcare workers, with 127 of these in a healthcare setting.

Chris said: “While the issue of vaccine supply featured prominently in media reports this week, the process of vaccinating healthcare workers continues, and we’ve seen the incident of healthcare worker infection improving in recent weeks.

“It remains the case, however, that more than 27,500 health care workers have been infected with Covid-19 during this pandemic, and there’s a need to remain aware of the risk either of infection or transmission by a non-vaccinated member of staff, and to implement rollout accordingly.

“There’s a broad spectrum within this cohort, from those working from home to, for instance, working in a non-clinical environment on a hospital campus or similar, so we’ve continued to push for the completion of the vaccination process for healthcare workers as quickly as possible,” she said.

Chris said figures provided to the unions by the HSE this week confirmed the allocation of 40,000 Astra Zenica vaccines next week, with approximately 27,000 going to healthcare workers. The remaining allocation will go to 9,000 people considered ‘high risk’ aged between 18 and 69, and around 4,000 people with a disability in residential care.

Delivery

A statement from the Department of Health this week said the vaccination strategy is to distribute all available vaccines as quickly as possible, with priority for those who are most vulnerable.

It said rollout plans “must be flexible to accommodate unforeseen events, such as changes to supplies from manufacturers” and that certain manufacturers have guided on maintaining a ‘buffer’ of vaccines in order to ensure the availability of a second dose. The statement said 95% of available vaccines are being administered within seven days of arrival in the country.

The department said a total of 613,650 vaccines have been delivered to Ireland so far, with 525,768 doses administered to residents and staff at long-term residential care facilities, to ‘frontline’ healthcare workers and to people aged over 70 years.

The Department also stated that Astra Zenica has advised that there is currently no private sector supply, sale or distribution of its vaccine, cautioning that any offers of private vaccines are likely to be counterfeit.

Fórsa’s head of Health and Welfare Éamonn Donnelly has written to the union’s health branches about the issue of compensatory rest for grade VIIIs and above.

The issue was the subject of a recent memo from the HSE, which provides guidance to health employers on compliance with the Organisation of Working Time (OWT) Act, dealing with the provision of rest periods, and maximum weekly working hours, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fórsa raised concerns last year that the failure to make provision for compensatory rest for health managers who had worked 60 to 70 hour weeks over seven days through most of last year, risked a breach of state legislation on working time. Some units within the HSE have since taken steps to ensure the provision of adequate rest while others haven’t.

In the letter, Éamonn advises affected members to submit a claim for compensatory rest if they’ve had to “consistently breached the upper weekly ceiling of 48 hours weekly,” and make the claim for all hours worked above that ceiling.

He added: “Claims should be accepted by the employer in good faith as a reciprocation for the extraordinary commitment and goodwill shown by you in working such hours without question.”

Éamonn explained that the onus is on the employer to maintain records of attendance: “When claims are submitted, there is likely to be a liability on the employer to provide significant blocks of compensatory rest.

“Fórsa will be in discussion with the HSE on resource arrangements to ensure that claimants can actually avail of such blocks of rest,” he said.

He also advised that the 48 hour threshold does not represent an acceptance by Fórsa of the standard working week being anything greater than the contracted 37 hours: “This is strictly a once-off set of circumstances arising from a national health emergency,” he added.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called for an end to forced retirement and a return to a full State retirement pension at age 65. In a submission to a public consultation run by the Pensions Commission, ICTU also supports a flexible pension age, the return of the Pension Reserves Fund, and an increase in employers’ PRSI contributions.

It also argues against the privatisation of the long-awaited auto enrolment scheme, which would give all employees access to an occupational pension with contributions from workers, their employer and the State.

The Pensions Commission launched its consultative process in February, with a view to looking at ways to ensure the long-term sustainability of State pensions and the social insurance fund.

Fórsa official Billy Hannigan said that the union strongly supported the ICTU submission, and has been advocating for its recommendations for some time.

“Congress and its affiliates have long advocated for income support for working people in retirement,” he said.

The submission makes a strong case against the privatisation of the auto-enrolment pension scheme, which has long been seen as an essential tool in ensuring people have enough to live on in retirement. Ireland is currently the only OECD country lacking a mandatory occupational pension for its workforce.

“Congress is calling for the auto-enrolment scheme to be managed and paid out as a pay-related top-up benefit on the contributory State pension to auto-enrolled beneficiaries. This has the potential to transform the State pension, so that pensioners avoid poverty and maintain their pre-retirement standard of living,” he said.

The ICTU submission calls for a full retirement pension at age 65. The age for eligibility for the State pension was increased to 66 in 2014, though plans to raise it to 67 from this year have been suspended.

While the benefit payment for 65 year olds, introduced earlier this year, was signaled as progress, unions criticised the fact that it’s €45 a week less than the State pension.

“This leaves low-income retirees, who do not have a supplementary pension, dependent on a subsistence benefit that is significantly below the poverty line. This has to be rectified,” said Billy.

The Commission on Pensions is due to report its findings, options and recommendations to the social protection minister by the end of June.

Read ICTU’s submission HERE. 

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

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has published new guidelines on the prevention of bullying and harassment for trade union activists. 

Produced by ICTU’s health and safety committee, the comprehensive guide encompasses the recent review of codes of practice on bullying carried out the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The document also takes note of guidance provided in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission’s code of practice on sexual harassment and harassment at work.

Fórsa official and ICTU health and safety committee member Dessie Robinson acknowledged the significant work done to create the policy document, and encouraged all activists to familiarise themselves with it.

“This is a living document for our people, and I would encourage all activists to read it and use it in their union work,” he said.

The ICTU guide on the prevention of bullying and harassment for trade union activists can be viewed HERE. 

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

Fórsa has raised concerns over sick leave arrangements for staff who suffer from ‘long Covid.’

In recent engagements with senior officials of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), the union said changes to DPER’s approach to Covid-related sick leave risked leaving long Covid sufferers with reduced incomes. It said some such cases had already emerged.

In general, 28 days’ worth of special leave with full pay is available for staff who contract the virus. This doesn’t count towards their normal paid sick leave ceiling.

The most recent DPER circular on the subject says this can be extended in circumstances where a worker has been attending their work premises during the 14 days prior to a positive Covid test.

Most people who contract the virus, and don’t need intensive care treatment, recover within three weeks. But some experience debilitating symptoms for months after the infection has gone.

These commonly include profound fatigue, but long Covid sufferers can also experience coughs, breathlessness, muscle and body aches, chest heaviness, skin rashes, palpitations, fever, headaches, diarrhoea, or pins and needles.

In a letter to DPER, Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said the situation in relation to long Covid continues to evolve, with greater awareness and evidence emerging about the significance for those who suffer from it.

And he said provisions for extending the leave in cases where employees had been in the workplace prior to contracting the virus are not sufficiently understood by managers.

The union is continuing to engage with senior management on the issue.

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

Get involved in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' (ICTU) campaign to tackle misinformation surrounding mask-wearing. Under the banner ‘pro-mask is pro-worker,’ the initiative will highlight the importance of following public health guidelines to protect workers. 

From next week, Fórsa is asking members to participate by taking a selfie wearing a facemask and posting it to social media using the hashtags #ProMaskIsProWorker and #StrongerTogether. 

Members are also encouraged to email a selfie to Fórsa’s director of campaigning at joconnor@forsa.ie, along with a story or quote as to why compliance with mask wearing, uptake of vaccines, or generally adhering to the public health measures is important to them in their work.

A selection of these will be posted across Fórsa’s social media channels in the coming days and weeks.  

This campaign forms part of the union movement’s efforts to counteract dangerous messaging emerging from far-right groups, which seeks to undermine public health guidance and place frontline and essential workers at increased risk.  

Fórsa deputy general secretary, Eoin Ronayne condemned the anti-mask rhetoric. “It works directly against the efforts of our members, and is an insult to the loss and sacrifice suffered by so many in our country,” he said. 

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

Fórsa marked this year’s International Women’s Day 2021 with a week-long programme of online content, incorporating this year’s ‘choose to challenge’ theme.

In a series of blog posts featured on our website, a number of women’s issues were discussed, ranging from the gender pay gap, to domestic violence workplace policies and the gender pension gap.

With guest contributions from Fórsa’s activist Melissa Brennan, and Siptu deputy general secretary Ethel Buckley, the series is both informative and thought-provoking.

For more information on the series click HERE.

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

New legislation being drafted by the European Commission will oblige large companies to publish details of their gender pay gaps.

The draft directive would see firms with more than 250 employees publishing annual pay gap stats, which would cover bonuses and benefits as well as core pay. The legislation will also compel firms to reveal the proportion of men and women in each pay band.

Under the proposed rules, employers would be prohibited from asking interviewees about their pay history. And they would have to inform job applicants about pay ranges prior to any job interview.

The laws would extend to smaller firms as well, although they would not be required to make the information public. Instead, they would have to provide the information to employees on request.

Ireland currently has a pay gap of 14.4%, according to Eurostat figures.

Fórsa’s equality officer Andy Pike said that the proposed directive would be a step forward to eliminate pay secrecy, but there was a lot of work to be done still.

“The directive calls on firms to publish data on their differences, but it falls short of proposing proactive methods to tackle the gap. It does little to call on employers to actively take steps to reduce the gaps or equip firms with the necessary skills and tools to combat the issue.

“The announcement by Minister O’Gorman to further our own domestic bill is welcome, but as with the EU legislation, attention must be paid to measures to tackle the gap. Transparency alone around the issue is not enough.

There is a real opportunity now for trade unions to be part of this conversation and make use of collective bargaining to devise and implement restorative measures,” he said.

The legislation says a company-wide pay assessment would be triggered if average pay differences of 5% or more were reported. This could lead to filing of compensation claims in the courts. But decisions on fines or penalties would be at the discretion of national authorities, with input from equality bodies and employee organisations.

At present, 13 EU countries have binding pay transparency rules in place. If the bill is agreed by the bloc’s 27 members, it would have to be drafted into national law within two years.

Meanwhile, Irish equality minister Roderic O’Gorman has said he was committed to enacting the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill “as early as possible.” Earlier this week he said he would bring amendments to Cabinet in the next fortnight.

The Bill, which would place requirements on employers to reveal pay gap information, was first published in 2019. But little was done to further its progression.

Read the European Commission proposals HERE.

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

The Justice for Undocumented (JFU) group has called on unions and other membership organisations to support its continuing efforts to voice the priorities of undocumented people, ahead of the publication of the regularisation scheme for undocumented people, which is to open before the end of 2021.

Preparations for the scheme are already underway at the Department of Justice and Equality. The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) is seeking support “to make sure no one is left behind” as the group ramp up their efforts with a number of actions, including a social media campaign for Saint Patrick’s Day.

Justice for the Undocumented (JFU) is a community of people living in Ireland without an official status. The group campaigns “for a pathway to papers for all undocumented people in Ireland. We believe that if you are living here and working here, you belong here.”

The social media action invites everyone to show their support for regularisation, and to ask justice minister Helen McEntee to ensure the scheme benefits as many undocumented people as possible.

The campaign is asking for support “at a pivotal time” and the group is campaigning for the scheme “to be as broad and inclusive as possible so that no one is left behind.”

You can sign up to support the Justice for Undocumented campaign through the MRCI’s website HERE. 

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

Fairtrade fortnight, which ran from 22^nd February to 7^th March 2021, focused its attention on climate change this year to highlight the growing challenges that climate change brings to farmers and workers in the communities Fairtrade works with.

The annual campaign, which runs for two weeks each year, raises awareness on alternative approaches to conventional trade. It’s based on a partnership between some of the most disadvantaged farmers and workers in the developing world and the people who buy their products.

Fair trade terms give farmers and workers a better deal, and an opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future. It offers people a powerful way to reduce poverty through their everyday shopping.

Building on research by Oliver Moore, the campaign says the majority of greenhouse gas emissions have occurred in the last 30 years, and over 90% of emissions have come from the places like Europe and the US.

The campaign says those who have contributed the least to the carbon crisis should not have to pay the highest price to try and resolve it.

Yet, vulnerable rural populations in the global south are currently paying the highest price, as climate impacts are being seen in more frequent chaotic climate events like hurricanes, droughts and floods which add on to pre-existing vulnerabilities like poverty, exclusion and exploitation. 

Ireland’s leading climate change expert Professor John Sweeney said Ireland emits more greenhouse gases than the poorest 400 million people on the planet.

“Almost uniquely in the EU, Ireland is failing to meet its obligations and is increasing its greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

Fairtrade Ireland works to promote fair trading practices between Ireland and developing countries. It is a founding member of Fairtrade International, based in Germany, the organisation responsible for setting international fair trade standards.

Check out Irish partners and shop HERE. 

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

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/

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.