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Blog: Challenging negative perceptions of immigration
by Andy Pike
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The recent publication of Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission research into public attitudes towards immigration and immigrants from different ethnic backgrounds has highlighted the extent to which the Government has ignored the need to build and foster an inclusive society.
The research shows how attitudes towards immigrants changed once the recession commenced. According to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI), which carried out the research, public perceptions of immigration and immigrants were largely positive from 2002 to 2006.
This changed from 2008 onwards with perceptions being very negative in 2010 and then improving slowly as the economy recovered. This finding demonstrates a correlation between attitudes towards immigration and the state of the economy.
As the Irish economy continues to grow and with employment levels rising, attitudes to immigration appear to be more positive. But we should be deeply concerned that the research highlights differing attitudes towards immigration from specific racial and ethnic groups.
Almost 60% of Irish-born people reported they would allow many or some immigrants from members of the same ethnic group as most Irish people to come to Ireland. But the equivalent figures for Muslim and Roma migrants were 41% per cent and 25% respectively.
“The international literature suggests there is a greater perception of cultural threat around Muslim immigration than to immigrants of the same ethnic group. Resistance to Roma migration reflects a widespread prejudice against this group across Europe. Support for Muslim and Roma immigration is lower in Ireland than the average for the ten Western European countries presented,” it says.
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ReadAndy's full blog here
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Pay equity demanded for all grades
by Bernard Harbor
Public service union leaders will meet senior officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DEPR) on 27th April to open discussions on remaining pay equity issues for ‘new entrants’.
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Long term sick improvements won
by Bernard Harbor
The critical illness protocol (CIP), which governs public service arrangements for those on long-term sick leave, has been improved to allow more managerial discretion about what constitutes a ‘critical illness’ in cases where the precise medical criteria are not met.
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Congress makes case against third terminal at Dublin Airport
by Niall Shanahan
The Irish Congress of Trade Union’s (ICTU) submission to the review of future capacity needs at Ireland’s state-owned airports has made the case for expansion and reconfiguration of the existing two terminals at Dublin Airport, rather than the construction of a third terminal.
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Precarious work on rise
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
Precarious work in the ‘gig economy’ is on the rise in Ireland and the UK, and poses significant challenges for policy makers and trade unions, according to Fórsa head of communications Bernard Harbor. His comments came in response to the publication of Shifting the Risk, a report into precarious work by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Britain’s equivalent of ICTU.
Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
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Gearing up for conference charity cycle
Not one, but two cycling events this conference season
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird & Niall Shanahan
Michael Scully will be the first of many Fòrsa activists donning his cycling gear and pushing out the hard miles to conference this season, and he's looking for your support as he sets off to Galway this week.
Meanwhile, Éamonn Donnelly and Dessie Robinson are forming a bunch of willing enthusiasts to cycle from Limerick to Killarney for Fórsa's national conference in May.
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Strong Fórsa presence at housing rally
by Niall Shanahan
Last Saturday’s housing rally saw a very strong Fórsa presence as community organisations, homeless services organisations and trade unions took part in the the National Homeless and Housing Coalition’s rally in Dublin.
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Fórsa audio bulletin episode 5
by Hazel Gavigan (audio editor)
We take a look at last week's education division conference as well as the main stories in the current edition of the news bulletin. Presented by Hazel Gavigan and Niall Shanahan.
Click here to listen
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