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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Health staff retention problems acute
#fórsanc2018
by Bernard Harbor
The retention of health and care professionals working in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social care and elsewhere, is more acute than in any health profession except doctors, according to Fórsa.
The retention of health and care professionals working in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social care and elsewhere, is more acute than in any health profession except doctors, according to Fórsa.
The union has warned the Government that it must address these professions when the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) publishes its report on public service recruitment and retention problems later this year.
It also warned that uncompetitive entry pay in parts of the civil service had left State bodies struggling to recruit cleaners, solicitors, meteorologists, radio officers, agricultural officers, valuers, Oireachtas researchers, translation staff, SENOs, and others.
Speaking at the union’s national conference in Killarney last week Éamonn Donnelly, the head of Fórsa’s Health division, said no profession or union has “a monopoly” on the issue, and warned the Government to be even-handed in its response to the Pay Commission’s examination of the problem.
Éamonn said there were substantial and growing problems keeping staff in hospitals and communities where demand for OTs, Physiotherapists, SLTs and other professionals continues to grow.
“In its 2017 report, the Public Service Pay Commission cited turnover rates of 8% for therapy grades, and almost 9% for other health professionals, a category that includes social care grades.
“With the exception of consultants, this is the highest level of churn in the health service, including nursing. Fórsa believes the Commission will treat each case on its merits. But we will not accept a situation where any profession or grade is treated more favourably than others in the Government’s response to the Commission’s findings,” he said.
Mr Donnelly said the SláinteCare report envisaged “a substantial increase in the number of people working in the health and social care professions, in order to deliver its vision of high quality, affordable care – in community settings as well as hospitals - that has won cross-party political support.”
Civil Service
Fórsa National Secretary Andy Pike said that, in the civil service, relatively low starting salaries meant recruitment was the main problem. He has called for civil service management to be given the flexibility to pay staff above the usual entry rates, where necessary, in order to attract suitably qualified staff.
“The problem is starkest in professional and technical areas, but it’s not confined to these specialisms. Civil service bodies have struggled to hire meteorologists, cleaners, special education needs organisers, and civilian staff in Garda stations in recent months. Across the state’s laboratories, law offices and many specialist agencies, the current starting salaries are no longer competitive compared to the private sector labour market for specialist staff,” he said.
The Public Service Pay Commission’s 2017 report, which formed the basis for negotiations that led to the Public Service Stability Agreement, included a chapter on recruitment and retention issues. It identified average turnover rates of 8% for health service therapy grades, and 8.8% for other health professions. This compared with 8.8% for consultants, 3.3% for public health nurses, 3.4% for nurse specialists, 5.7% for nurse managers, and 7.7% for staff nurses.
The Public Service Stability Agreement required the Commission to undertake a more detailed examination of recruitment and retention issues in areas it identified as problematic in 2017. That work is currently underway, and Fórsa made separate submissions regarding the civil service and health and social care professionals.
Unions plan coordinated approach to Section 39 pay restoration
#fórsanc2018
by Niall Shanahan
Following the publication last week of the HSE’s review of pay in Section 39 agencies Fórsa said a coordinated approach by trade unions is the key to achieving pay restoration in the sector.
The review looked at pay in a group of 50 agencies. Addressing delegates at the union’s national conference last week, head of division Éamonn Donnelly told delegates that the campaign to restore pay in Section 39 agencies was essential.
“These are workers who were treated as public servants for the purpose of a pay cut, but are denied the pay restoration measures that we’ve secured for public servants. We're taking a coordinated approach with other unions representing workers in this sector in order to secure pay restoration,” he said.
Éamonn was addressing conference motions, brought by the Dublin Care Services and Tipperary North Health and Community branches, calling on the union to secure pay restoration in Section 39 agencies. He said the union group will meet this week to discuss the findings of the review and prepare its response.
Éamonn told delegates “We’re looking, in the first instance, at those agencies who have the capacity, and adequate funding streams, to deliver pay restoration. That’s where it starts, and will allow us then to establish a model that can be rolled out across the other agencies.”
Éamonn said that the union’s national executive has given its sanction to undertake industrial action in the sector if it becomes necessary. “It may require an industrial action in order to achieve what we’re looking for. In that instance, we would target the more robustly funded agencies,” he said.
Fórsa wants shorter working week for all
#fórsanc2018
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.
Group examines need assessment protocol
by Bernard Harbor
A union-management group established to deal with staff concerns about the HSE’s proposed ‘needs assessment protocol’ started its work this week, with a view to completing it within four weeks.
A union-management group established to deal with staff concerns about the HSE’s proposed ‘needs assessment protocol’ started its work this week, with a view to completing it within four weeks.
Fórsa outlined professional, practical and capacity concerns following management’s attempt to introduce the needs assessment protocol without consultation with the health professions who’ll be expected to operate it.
The protocol is meant to guide the assessment of service needs for children who have, or may have, autism spectrum disorders. The professional groups involved include occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, social workers, and assessment officers.
For the time being, Fórsa official Christine Cully, who’s leading the union side in the talks, has advised members to continue with the procedures that existed before the protocol was published.
Storm leave agreed with HSE
by Bernard Harbor
HSE and voluntary hospital staff who were unable to get to work because of storm Emma earlier this year will not have to use annual leave for the days lost. Fórsa and other unions have also negotiated time-off-in-lieu for those who did attend, and recognition for those who worked additional hours.
HSE and voluntary hospital staff who were unable to get to work because of storm Emma earlier this year will not have to use annual leave for the days lost. Fórsa and other unions have also negotiated time-off-in-lieu for those who did attend, and recognition for those who worked additional hours.
The measures, agreed between unions and the HSE, will also apply in ‘section 38’ voluntary hospitals. An official circular is expected to issue shortly.
The extreme weather event, which hit Ireland at the end of February, prompted Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to advise workers to stay at home unless they absolutely had to work.
The agreement will see a day’s paid emergency leave for each of three days (28th February to 2nd March) for those who could not attend work. Those who attended on these days will get one days’ time-off-in-lieu (TOIL) for each day they were at work.
Those who went to work before their shift started, after being requested to do so by management, will receive modest payments, as will those who stayed on site to help after their shifts ended.
The circular will also cover those who worked above their rostered hours or were required by their management to book accommodation.
Fórsa’s intervention last February led to an early commitment from health minister Simon Harris that staff would not lose annual leave if they were forced to miss work because of the snow.
The union will be seeking to apply the same measures in ‘section 39’ agencies, although agreement will have to be sought in each individual organisation.
In the meantime, a joint-management working group is to be established to agree a protocol for dealing with similar extreme weather events in future.
Read the full details here.
Conference charity cycle raises €20k
#fórsanc2018
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
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.
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.
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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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.
Brexit threat to jobs and incomes
#fórsanc2018
by Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird
Fórsa has renewed its commitment to tackle threats to jobs and living standards arising from Brexit.
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.
Employers must pay twice workers’ contribution to pensions
#fórsanc2018
by Bernard Harbor
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.
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.
Fórsa publishes lobbying records
by Niall Shanahan
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.
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.
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