President Michael D Higgins celebrates creation of Fórsa
#fórsanc2018
by Bernard Harbor
President Michael D Higgins celebrated Fórsa’s first national conference, and congratulated those involved in the “great task” of creating our “stronger and larger union.”
President Michael D Higgins celebrated Fórsa’s first national conference, and congratulated those involved in the “great task” of creating our “stronger and larger union.”
Speaking at the opening of the union’s delegate conference in Killarney, President Higgins said: “The amalgamation of the Civil and Public Service Union, the Public Service Executive Union and IMPACT has united over 80,000 members in a spirit of solidarity and comradeship.”
Recognising the contribution of public servants and their unions, President Higgins said: “Public sector trade unions have fought tirelessly, across the decades, for the achievement of equality and dignity for their members.
“You have played a significant role in the establishment of a wide variety of employment rights legislation creating an enhanced working environment for all our people, and fought discrimination in the workplace and in society.
“As public and civil servants, and as workers in strategic sectors of the economy, you are also at the very centre of three great challenges: mitigating climate change, welcoming and managing migration, and ensuring sustainable development.”
He said the battle for decent work would be among the defining struggles of the coming decades. “The success of the trade union movement will determine not just whether wages and salaries will be adequate to ensure that people can participate fully, with dignity and equality, in their society, but also whether the dignity of labour is upheld not only in the work-setting but in society.
“It will test the capacity of the trade union movement not only to organise previously unorganised, workers, but also to engage with new ideas and new practices. It will require the commitment and support of all members and those who support the extension and deepening of democracy in society,” he said.
As President, he had witnessed the “outstanding” work carried out by public servants across the country. “I have met with those whose lives have been immeasurably improved by our dedicated health service staff. I have witnessed, during the hazardous flooding that various parts of the country have experienced in recent years, the selfless response of local authority staff,” he said
“My work also allows me to regularly see the excellent work carried out by those public servants on an everyday basis who are not on the front line of service provision but who also bring to their work a dedication to public service across all areas of public life from tax administration to environmental protection, from social protection to enterprise policy,” he added.
A copy of the President's speech is available here.
A livestream of the President's speech to conference is available here (via Twitter)
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Fórsa wants shorter working week for all
#forsanc2018
by Bernard Harbor
Fórsa has put its weight behind a campaign for a reduction in working time for employees in all sectors of the economy.
Fórsa has put its weight behind a campaign for a reduction in working time for employees in all sectors of the economy.
The union’s conference last week adopted a motion mandating its national executive to work with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and others to achieve better work-life balance through a shorter working week.
Germany’s largest private sector unions recently achieved working time reductions after putting the issue at the centre of its bargaining priorities.
Fórsa deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan said union members had only voted for the Haddington Road deal, which increased working time for many public servants, to avoid further cuts in pay and public services during the economic crisis.
“Now that circumstances have improved, the issue of working time is, just like pay, legitimately part of the restoration agenda,” he said.
Significant numbers of public servants – over 400 in the civil service alone – have opted to revert to pre-Haddington Road hours, with a proportionate reduction in pay, under a provision in the recently-adopted Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA).
Kevin said the issue would be a priority in talks on a successor to the PSSA. “We are currently in the fifth month of a three-year agreement, so our approach must be to shape the next bargaining opportunity, which could be two years away.
“And our strategy will have to be a national one based on the previously accepted and understood standard working week in the different sectors rather than any local arrangements that may have operated,” he said.
Water policy gives reassurance
by Bernard Harbor
A new Government water policy statement has given some reassurance to staff working in the sector by saying that service level agreements (SLAs) between local authorities and Irish Water will remain in place until an alternative is agreed. Fórsa is currently in talks with employers on the issue.
A new Government water policy statement has given some reassurance to staff working in the sector by saying that service level agreements (SLAs) between local authorities and Irish Water will remain in place until an alternative is agreed. Fórsa is currently in talks with employers on the issue.
The statement sets out the Government’s high-level objectives, policies and strategies for water services from now until 2025.
The union has previously sought assurances that neither the Government nor Irish Water will unilaterally change current arrangements.
Fórsa is also strongly opposed to any plan to transfer staff out of local authorities without their agreement. This stance was endorsed at the union’s national conference last week.
Last year, Irish Water outlined its intention to create a single water agency and employer by 2021, four years before the expiry of current service level agreements with local authorities. Fόrsa favours streamlining the existing SLA model instead.
Fórsa represents water service staff in its Municipal Employees’ division and Local Government and Local Services division.
Read the full Water Services Policy Statement here.
Union fears blow to gender pay gap progress
#fórsanc2018
by Bernard Harbor
Fórsa fears that legislation compelling employers to reveal details of their organisation’s gender pay gap is unlikely to be passed if the Government insists on publishing its own Bill, rather than amending an opposition Bill that is proceeding through the Oireachtas.
Fórsa fears that legislation compelling employers to reveal details of their organisation’s gender pay gap is unlikely to be passed if the Government insists on publishing its own Bill, rather than amending an opposition Bill that is proceeding through the Oireachtas.
The union said this approach was “at best a delaying tactic and, at worst, an attempt to kill this initiative.”
The Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2017 was accepted by the Government when it passed its second stage last October. If enacted, it would require medium and large companies to publish details of the difference in the average pay of their male and female staff.
But recent media leaks suggest that the Government now intends to draw up an alternative bill of its own.
Speaking at the Fórsa national conference in Killarney last week, the union’s equal opportunities officer Patricia Fanning said this meant the legislation was unlikely to become law before a general election, and would therefore fall.
“How long must women wait for measures which, though crucial, will only get us to the foothills of gender pay equality? The current bill has so far progressed through the Oireachtas with broad cross-party support.
“There has been extensive debate on the issue, including an official public consultation run by the Department of Justice and Equality last year. ICTU and Ibec have been liaising closely, and both support the principle.
“The Government can address any reservations it may have by amending the existing bill. Plans to go back to square one seem at best a delaying tactic and, at worst, an attempt to kill this initiative,” she said.
New legislation would require the minister to draw up heads of bill for Cabinet approval, before drafting legislation that would be subject to possibly-lengthy pre-legislative scrutiny. Only then could it begin its passage through the Oireachtas. The current Confidence and Supply arrangement between the Government and Fianna Fáil only runs to October’s budget.
Patricia called on the Government to continue its support for the existing Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2017, which is expected to move to committee stage before the summer recess.
“It’s over 40 years since equal pay legislation was introduced in Ireland but, on average, women here still earn almost 15% less than their male counterparts. Transparency in individual organisations would encourage further progress by shining a light on the causes of inequality and encouraging employers to address them.
“Employers’ bodies have been convinced that gender pay gap reporting is not a punitive measure. Rather, it’s a small but crucial step towards real action on Ireland’s stubborn pay gap. We’ve had the debate. We’ve pretty-much built a political consensus. Now it’s time for action, rather than dithering over the details that can be addressed through amendments,” she said.
A motion to the Fórsa conference called on the union to work to maintain the existing political consensus on the issue and develop guidelines on measures that employers could take to reduce and eliminate the gender pay gap.
Housing crisis exposes lack of political urgency – Fórsa
#fórsanc2018
by Niall Shanahan
Fórsa deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan told conference delegates in Killarney last week that the political system has failed to display a real sense of urgency when it comes addressing the needs of people experiencing or living under the threat of homelessness.
Fórsa deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan told conference delegates in Killarney last week that the political system has failed to display a real sense of urgency when it comes addressing the needs of people experiencing or living under the threat of homelessness.
Kevin was speaking on a motion from the union’s national executive which calls for a range of emergency and constitutional measures to address the housing crisis.
Kevin contrasted the political response to measures introduced to deal with last month’s fodder crisis. “Year after year now, we await the same sense of urgency on the part of our politicians when it comes to citizens experiencing or living under the threat of homelessness – our fellow human beings,” he said.
The conference motion reflects the demands contained in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ Charter for Housing Rights, launched earlier this year.
Kevin said the issue goes right to the heart of the idea of the Irish Republic. “What’s the use of liberty and equality without the fraternity or social solidarity to go with it?” and said this is why a constitutional referendum to affirm the right to housing was needed.
Kevin said the founders of the State “possessed the necessary moral integrity, sense of purpose and strength of will to tackle even greater housing challenges when we were a foundling State alone in the world reliant solely on our own resources.
“In the cities slums were cleared and massive building programmes commenced that ensured local authority housing could be made available in practically every town, village and hamlet.
“This, in turn, ensured some level of affordability in the private housing market so that those on modest incomes could aspire to own their own home, in circumstances suitable for them to raise a family,” he said.
Kevin said many Fórsa colleagues and their family members are now unable to buy their first home, and struggle with excessive and rising rents, insecure tenancies and the spectre of eviction.
He said all of these factors motivated the union’s involvement in the Secure Rents campaign in late 2016.
“These concerns fade into relative insignificance when we witness the obscene consequences of homelessness – inadequate and inappropriate living arrangements, rough sleeping, people dying on our streets.
“It’s not as if the problem wasn’t foreseen – as far back as 1974 the Kenny report recognised the significance of land use policy as the key lever. It’s past time that this most basic natural resource – land – is made work for the citizen – and not the speculators, the hoarders and the profiteers,“ he said.
Kevin said Fórsa is proud to support the National Homeless and Housing Coalition and to promote the Congress Charter, and that the union will continue to work with a broad coalition to produce the political consensus necessary to end the crisis once and for all.
Huge support for Roscommon staff
#fórsanc2018
by Bernard Harbor
Fórsa’s Roscommon branch got a sustained standing ovation at last week’s national conference for its fight against council management’s effective ban on flexitime in the county.
Fórsa’s Roscommon branch got a sustained standing ovation at last week’s national conference for its fight against council management’s effective ban on flexitime in the county.
It is now over a year since any Roscommon council worker was approved for flexitime, which is in place in every other local authority.
In a passionate speech, official Padraig Mulligan invited the Roscommon delegation – which included two members at their first ever union conference – to stand up and look at the hall, where 700 delegates took to their feet in a noisy show of solidarity.
Fórsa national secretary Peter Nolan said the branch had the full support of conference – and the union’s executive and members – in their struggle.
Workplace Relations Commission-brokered talks on the issue have been protracted and difficult, despite the existence of a Labour Court recommendation that broadly supports the union position.
Union backs job evaluation expansion
#fórsanc2018
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
Fórsa has pledged to seek the introduction of job evaluation schemes in all relevant employments in the public service and elsewhere.
Fórsa has pledged to seek the introduction of job evaluation schemes in all relevant employments in the public service and elsewhere.
There were three motions on job evaluations which were adopted at Fórsa’s national conference in Kerry. Two of the motions called for the union to pursue job evaluations across the public sector, and the third called for them to be pursued within all the union’s divisions.
The union won the introduction of a job evaluation scheme for some health service grades after a long campaign and a threat of industrial action. The scheme has been in place since the end of last year and there has been huge demand, with hundreds of applications.
Fórsa representatives also recently met officials from the Department of Education and Skills to start talks on job evaluation in the higher education sector. The Labour Court asked the union to submit a ‘business case’ for the introduction of a local government scheme, while the union’s civil service division has also sought a scheme.
Job evaluation is an established tool that allows the knowledge, skills and responsibilities associated with individual jobs – rather than grades or staff categories – to be assessed and appropriately rewarded. While a job evaluation doesn’t guarantee an upgrading, it enables it to happen if the responsibilities of a job have increased enough.
Speaking in support of the motions, Fórsa national secretary Peter Nolan said the union wanted all its members to have the opportunity to have their jobs independently assessed, but said schemes would likely differ in details to suit the sectors and services concerned.
Further information on job evaluation is available here and here.
Fórsa audio bulletin episode 8
by Hazel Gavigan (audio editor)
This special episode covers the events of Fórsa's inaugural National Conference, including the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins' speech. Presented by Hazel Gavigan.
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Conference charity cycle raises €20k
#fórsanc2018
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
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Staff and members of Fórsa expect to raise a total of €20,000 for mental health and charities working on suicide on foot of the sponsored charity cycle to Fórsa’s inaugural national conference.
The figure includes a contribution from the union’s national executive, which has agreed to match funds donated by branches, members and staff.
Last Wednesday afternoon, the cyclists rolled into a sun-soaked Killarney, having set off from Limerick that morning.
The initiative was organised by Fórsa officials Éamonn Donnelly and Dessie Robinson. In previous years, the dynamic duo had organised charity cycles that raised over €130,000 in total.
Dessie was keen to thank everyone involved. “I want to offer a huge thanks and congratulations to everyone who participated in the cycle and everyone who donated from across the branches and divisions. It was an absolutely brilliant day, and we are delighted to be able to raise money for these fantastic regional charities,” he said.
The four charities that will benefit are: SOS (Suicide or Survive), which offers support to struggling young people in the capital; Jigsaw Kerry, a mental health support service for young people throughout the county; First Fortnight, another Dublin based charity that challenges mental health prejudice through arts and cultural action; and Limerick Suicide Watch, which identifies and provides support to those in distress in Limerick city.
The emphasis on mental health was mirrored in the conference hall, where most delegates wore green ribbons as part of the ‘See Change’ campaign, which is working for a cultural shift in the workplace so that employers and employees feel supported and secure in discussing mental health.
Dessie also thanked the union’s national executive committee for agreeing to match the total amount raised through donations from branches, members and staff. He said the proceeds would be divided equally between the four charities.
Brexit threat to jobs and incomes
#fórsanc2018
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
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Fórsa has renewed its commitment to tackle threats to jobs and living standards arising from Brexit. The union’s national conference in Kerry adopted motions on the issue from its Donegal Local Government and Sligo Health and Local Government branches.
Irene Tiernan from the Sligo branch said people in border regions were concerned because of the effect it will have on their everyday lives. “Many people working in my area travel across the border on a daily basis, and they are really worried about the prospect of a hard border,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the union’s national executive, Fórsa senior general secretary Shay Cody said that the motions reflected concerns of people throughout Ireland. “The motions being proposed by the Donegal Local Government and Sligo Health and Local Government branches demonstrate the concern of people living in border areas,” he said.
Shay also committed to continue Fórsa’s close co-operation on the issue with the British Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Fórsa’s broader activity and lobbying on Brexit.
Last year, the union hosted two important seminars on Brexit. A national conference focussed on its impact on the food and agriculture sector, while an event in Donegal considered cross-border issues.
Unions must act on climate change
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
Trade unions must be at the forefront of action on climate change, according to Fórsa. Speaking last week, Fórsa lead organiser Joe O’Connor said workers and their representatives should be “pioneers who shape the agenda to ensure a just and fair transition for workers and society.”
Joe emphasised the importance of reducing carbon emissions and called for “a fair distribution of the costs and benefits of decarbonisation across the economy, and ensuring a smooth transition for workers.”
He called on everyone, both at the conference and involved in the wider trade union movement “to send a strong signal that we are serious about playing our part” in this transition process.
In his address to conference on Wednesday evening, President Michael D Higgins said civil and public servants would play a central part in efforts to mitigate climate change and ensure sustainable development.
Fórsa publishes lobbying records
by Niall Shanahan
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Fórsa is now registered as a lobbying organisation and has submitted the union’s first set of returns to the Lobby Register covering the period from 1st January to 30th April 2018.
Lobbying organisations are required to publish their returns no later than 21 days after the end of the relevant reporting period.
Fórsa submitted 11 returns for the most recent reporting period. The deadline for submissions for this period expired on Monday (21st May).
The latest lobbying returns submitted by Fórsa cover the following matters:
Failure to submit a return of lobbying activities carried out during the period by the deadline is a contravention of the Regulation of Lobbying Act.
Enforcement provisions under the act came into effect last year, giving the Standards in Public Office Commission the authority to investigate and prosecute contraventions of the Act and to levy fixed payment notices for late filing of lobbying returns.
Fórsa members who undertake lobbying activity are not required to make a return unless they are lobbying under instruction from their union, such as in the event of a ‘grassroots’ campaign. For example, the Cork branch campaign on youth work services included an instruction to members to contact their local constituency public representatives seeking support of the campaign.
All lobbying activity undertaken by Fórsa staff is reportable, apart from activity classified as ‘excepted communications’ under the legislation.
For more details about the legislation and the register, visit lobbying.ie.
Employers must pay twice workers’ contribution to pensions
#fórsanc2018
by Bernard Harbor
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Fórsa has backed Government proposals for the introduction of compulsory – or ‘automatic-enrolment’ – occupational pension schemes for all workers, funded by contributions from employees, employers and the State. But the union said employer contributions must be double those expected of workers in order to provide decent retirement incomes at a cost all workers could bear.
Speaking at the union’s national conference in Killarney last week, Fórsa national secretary Billy Hannigan said Ireland was one of only two OECD countries with no mandatory earnings-related pillar to complement the state pension. But international evidence showed that auto-enrolment would significantly enhance occupational pension coverage.
“Too many workers across the economy – especially women – are staring at poverty in old age. Up to 60% of private sector workers have no occupational pension coverage at all. Fórsa has members in the community and voluntary sector in the same position.
“We welcome the proposed system, which would provide mandatory pension entitlements for all workers wherever they are employed. But the employer contribution has to be twice that of the worker.
Since the 1990s, a large number of employers – including some very profitable companies – have simply walked away from their pension responsibilities. They created a new norm, where the full burden of providing an income for citizens in their later years, fell solely on the State and workers themselves. This scheme needs to roll that back and recreate a society where business makes its contribution too,” he said.
A conference motion tabled by Fórsa’s National Executive Committee called for mandatory employment-based pension provision for all workers not currently covered by occupational pension schemes, regardless of whether they work in the public, private, semi-state, or voluntary and community sector.
A February 2018 Government paper called ‘A Roadmap for Pensions Reform 2018-2023’ envisages the introduction of auto-enrolment from 2020. It says workers may be allowed to opt-out after a minimum period of participation. But Fórsa says any such opt-out must be time-limited, not least to guard against employers encouraging staff to opt-out in order to minimise their own contributions.
“It is difficult to see merit in a mandatory system which would allow easy or sustained opt-outs. Certainly, workers might want a limited opt-out facility during particularly difficult or expensive times of their lives. But the purpose of the scheme, which is to ensure adequacy of income in retirement, means the scope for opt-outs has to be limited,” said Hannigan.
He also said that the introduction of auto-enrolment should not be an excuse for dis-improving or shutting down existing schemes. “The purpose of the new scheme is to provide pension cover for those who have none, not to dis-improve existing pension cover for people who have it,” he said.
Billy also said that contributions to the scheme should be administered by the Revenue Commissioners to avoid excessive fees from private pension providers, and to ensure that monies are collected. “The new scheme is not being established to provide administration and fee-based income for private pension providers. It’s being established by the State to ensure adequate pension provision for citizens. The State should administer the scheme and the State should mind the funds,” he said.
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