If you’re thinking of taking a holiday, consider purchasing your travel insurance through KennCo who have been providing cover to members since 2012. You can have peace of mind for you and your family knowing that you are covered by our annual multi-trip travel insurance.

KennCo travel insurance has a range of great features and benefits including:

• 365-day medical assistance
• Medical and emergency expenses
• Cancellation and curtailment
• Lost baggage
• Public liability
• Missed departure
• Personal accident
• Winter sports and scuba diving included
• Worldwide and European cover

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The importance of travel insurance

You wouldn’t drive your car without motor insurance or leave your home uninsured, so why risk travelling without the necessary cover? Travel insurance is a necessity and should be part of your travel checklist when taking that well deserved break. Passports, tickets, money, insurance!

Why annual multi-trip?

It can be tempting to take out cover each time you take a trip but this can be timely and costly. Plus you run the risk of forgetting to get cover at all. One annual multi-trip policy will cover all trips. Whether you like to follow football or rugby, the odd weekend in a European city, a winter break, a summer holiday, or you take a trip around Ireland with at least one night’s pre-booked accommodation, then annual multi-trip is the right choice.

Cancellation cover

It’s important to have cancellation cover in place once you have booked your trip, if not before. Remember, it’s not just about when you’re on the way to the airport, once you’ve booked your flight or accommodation, you need insurance in place in case you can’t make the trip.

Be confident in your level of cover

KennCo underwriting provides a comprehensive worldwide annual multi-trip product that is competitively priced. This policy covers not only Fórsa members, but also their spouses, partners and unmarried dependent children under 18 years or under 23 years if in full time education. This policy automatically covers everywhere in the world.

Looking for single trip insurance?

You may be planning on having just one single trip this year, but it is still important to have travel insurance. Whether it’s a business meeting or a family holiday, situations may occur where you’re left wishing that you had taken out cover. With prices starting at just €11.22, you can get cover for lost baggage, medical cover or missed departures to name a few.

Don’t forget to purchase travel insurance as soon as you book that trip to avail of cancellation should you be unable to travel.

Terms and conditions apply.

For further information and quotes on our travel product why not give us a call on 01-499-4607 or visit our website.

This information is also available on the Fórsa website.

KennCo Underwriting Ltd T/A KennCo Insurance is regulated by The Central Bank of Ireland. KennCo Underwriting Ltd is a tied agent for Travel Insurance with ERV T/A ETI-International Travel Protection.

Fórsa’s Health and Welfare Division is advising health staff not to undertake work normally done by nurses if the nursing strike goes ahead from 30th January as expected. This follows a standard request from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which reflected the usual practice when industrial action takes place in a multi-union sector.

Fórsa has also reiterated its strong view that all civil and public servants, and their unions, must be treated equally under the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA), which was backed by a large majority of unions – including the INMO – in 2017.

Specifically, Fórsa has warned of pressure for further pay claims in the health sector and elsewhere if some groups of workers are granted pay benefits beyond those set out in the PSSA.

In a note circulated to Fórsa staff last week, the union said the benefits due to members under the PSSA – including pay measures, improvements for so-called ‘new entrants,’ and potential measures to address recruitment and retention issues – are likely to be jeopardized if a union fails to abide by its terms.

“Fórsa is on record to say that it, therefore, expects all the parties to the agreement – including employers and other unions – to abide by the terms of the deal in the same way,” it said.

The note also said that post-PSSA pay arrangements should, at the appropriate time, “be negotiated collectively to ensure that any resources available for improvements in pay and working conditions are allocated fairly among all grades and professions.”

On foot of observations made by the Public Service Pay Commission in its 2018 report on nurses and consultants, Fórsa says there is merit in developing arrangements to “allow for the adequacy of current pay arrangements more generally to be fully examined.”

The commission said this should be done “at an appropriate time, and without compromising the stability of the public service pay bill.”

Under the PSSA, the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) has been charged with examining recruitment and retention issues in a number of civil and public service grades and professions, which were named in the commission’s 2017 report on public service pay issues.

Fórsa fought for, and welcomed, this provision in the agreement. But it says all professions and grades must be treated equally by the Government in its response to pay commission findings.

Last November, the union called on the PSPC to press on with examinations of recruitment and retention difficulties in the health professions, social care and elsewhere – including the civil service – now that it has concluded its work on nurses and hospital doctors.

The union has pointed out that the PSPC’s 2017 report found that staff retention problems were more acute in the health and social care professions than in nursing, and it has given the PSPC evidence of growing recruitment problems in parts of the civil service.

Pay scales have been updated on the Fórsa website to reflect the third income adjustment under the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA). The 1% adjustment, which came into effect on 1st January 2019, applies to civil and public servants who earn less than €30,000 a year.

Those earning over €30,000 will instead benefit from a reduced contribution to the ‘additional superannuation contribution,’ which replaced the so-called ‘pension levy’ under the PSSA.

Certain pension payment anomalies have also been addressed. For instance, workers no longer pay the additional contribution on unpensionable income, including unpensionable overtime payments. You can read more about this month’s improvements under the PSSA here.

The Health and Welfare Division salary scales have now been revised on the union’s website, which also carries an updated summary of the full terms of the PSSA agreement.

Communications officer Niall Shanahan said a number of other new pages have also been added to the site in recent weeks, including details of Fórsa membership benefits, travel and subsistence rates and rights at work.

“Most recently we’ve added a Fórsa officers’ page and material on the school secretaries’ equality campaign,” Niall said.

Two Fórsa cross-divisional committees have been exploring differences in pay, working time, and other working conditions for clerical, admin and executive staff in different parts of the civil and public service. The union aims to pursue the issues in any negotiations on a successor to the current public service pay agreement, which expires in 2020.

The clerical officer/grade III equivalent grade committee has identified differences in annual leave, pay, working time and flexitime for members of the grades across the civil service, health, education, local government and non-commercial semi-state sectors.

A separate equivalent grades committee for executive grades/grades IV-VII also found significant differences in annual leave, pay, compassionate leave and flexitime.

Fórsa’s national executive committee (NEC) recently approved reports from the two committees, which both include representatives from relevant divisions across the union. The committees have been meeting since last spring to study and agree targets for cross-union progress in future negotiations.

Each committee initially identified ten areas where terms and conditions could be standardised and improved. Last month these were narrowed down to four priorities for each, before reports were made to the NEC.

Fórsa general secretary (organisation and development) Eoin Ronayne said the reports were an example of the benefits of the amalgamation of  the CPSU, IMPACT and the PSEU last year. “We have always said there is much in common between clerical, administrative and executive workers in health, local government, education and the civil service. These reports highlight this very clearly and point to targets for future progress,” he said.

The committees will meet again early next month to review the potential for driving membership recruitment in the relevant grades through cross-divisional training for career progression and career development.

Fórsa has expressed concern over reports that the Government has withdrawn its support for new legislation to extend unpaid parental leave from 18 to 26 weeks per child. The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017 would also extend the threshold for parental leave from eight years of age to 12.

Fórsa is writing to Senator Buttimer to urge him to use his influence as leader of the Seanad to ensure the Bill continues its legislative journey without further disruption.

Having already passed through all stages in the Dáil, the Bill was recently brought to Committee Stage in the Seanad. However, it was then withdrawn due to signals from Government that it may not continue to support its passage.

Fórsa senior general secretary designate Kevin Callinan said: “This came as a surprise because the Government had previously facilitated the Bill’s progress without opposition. We have received a substantial amount of correspondence from concerned parents who have also been tracking the progress of this important Bill and expected to see it enacted into legislation as soon as possible.”

The union believes this is one of many measures needed to achieve a better work and home life balance for Irish parents.

The Bill, which was initially introduced as a private members’ Bill, has enjoyed cross-party and independent support up to this point.

Fórsa has welcomed new legislation allowing public servants to retire up to the age of 70.

The legislation completed its passage through the Seanad in December and became effective as soon as it was signed into law by President Michael D Higgins on 26th December.

The new legislation avoids more staff suffering a huge gap in retirement income when forced to leave work a year before they reach the new state pension age of 66.

Fórsa had previously expressed concerns that the legislation could be delayed into 2019, which would have meant public servants who turned 65 during the Christmas break would be forced to retire.

Effective

However an amendment, to remove the requirement for a commencement order to bring the provisions of the Bill into effect, meant that the Bill became effective as soon as it was signed by the President.

The Government bowed to union pressure last year and agreed to legislate to give civil and public servants the option to retire at any age between 65 and 70 if they choose.

This was necessary because many civil and public servants depend on the state pension for a substantial part of their retirement income. The issue has had a massive impact on the individuals who were caught offside by the previous legal requirement to retire at age 65 or, in some cases, before.

Circular

Fórsa further requested that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issue a circular to public service employers to advise on how the legislation would affect public servants approaching the age of 65 as the legislation took effect.

Interim measures, which allowed them to be re-hired until age 66, are unpopular as they treat staff as if they were newly employed. This also means a significant drop in income, even though they are still working.

The ICTU Public Services Committee has written to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform seeking to address the position of the 450 staff who retired and were re-employed on 12 month contracts while the legislation was working its way through the Oireachtas.

Fórsa’s elected National Executive Committee (NEC) has appointed Kevin Callinan as the union’s senior general secretary designate with effect from 1st January 2019.

In line with the transition agreement, which was backed by a substantial majority of members in the three unions that amalgamated to create the new union last year, this confirms that Kevin will become senior general secretary when the position becomes vacant later this year.

Shay Cody currently holds the position of senior general secretary, while Eoin Ronayne is general secretary (organisation and development). Former general secretary (public service) Tom Geraghty left the union when he was appointed deputy chair of the Labour Court last autumn.

Since then, Derek Mullen has been appointed as head of the union’s Civil Service Division.

Kevin was formerly the union’s deputy general secretary (DGS). Under the new union’s agreed transitional arrangements, he was designated to become Fórsa’s senior general secretary when the position became vacant.

Kevin currently has responsibility for the union’s 12,000-strong Education Division, as well as the union’s extensive organising programme.

He was formerly IMPACT’s deputy general secretary and, before that, he was the union’s national secretary for Health and Welfare. During his career has also worked with branches in the civil service and local authorities.

Kevin is currently a vice-president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and a member of the European Federation of Public Service Unions’ executive council.

Fórsa has welcomed the announcement of a ban on the use of single use plastics and other pollutants in the civil and public service, and says it will work with Government departments to implement the new policy.

The move follows last week’s Government decision that state departments, public bodies and schools are to stop buying single-use plastic cups, cutlery and straws, except where specific hygiene or safety issues arise.

Climate change minister Richard Bruton also ordered government departments to develop ‘resource efficiency action plans’ by the end of June to “help staff make savings in energy and water use, as well as preventing food waste and maximising recycling.”

Bruton also promised that new environmental national public procurement policy proposals would be finalised by the end of March. And he said all public bodies would be required to report on measures to minimise waste and maximise recycling by November.  

A Fórsa spokesperson said the union fully supported the objective of a just transition to a carbon-free Ireland.

“We welcome any initiative aimed at improving the State’s so-far lamentable response to the challenges of climate change. We look forward to working with Government departments and state agencies to develop and implement the practical measures needed to eliminate single-use plastics and other pollutants, cut waste, and improve environmental sustainability more generally across the civil and public services,” they said.

Minister Bruton said the Government was implementing the measures ahead of expected EU rules that will target the ten most prevalent single-use plastic products found on Europe's beaches and seas. Together with lost and abandoned fishing gear, these account for 70% of all marine litter.

The proposal includes a ban on certain single use plastic products such as plastic straws, cutlery, cotton buds and balloon sticks.

The number of people who died in workplace related accidents fell by 23% last year, according to a report issued by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) earlier this month. 

              
Even so, 37 people lost their lives in workplaces in 2018 – 10 fewer than in 2017. This is the lowest figure since the establishment of the HSA in 1989.

Agriculture continues to be the most dangerous industry to work in, with 15 farming fatalities in 2018. Although this figure is down 40% on last year, it still accounted for 41% of overall workplace fatalities in 2018.

Construction was also flagged as a hazardous workplace, with five deaths occurring in the sector. The HSA said it would prioritise agriculture and construction in 2019.

HSA chief executive Sharon McGuinness acknowledged the efforts of employers, employees and stakeholders in the improved figures. “There has been a huge improvement in health and safety standards. However, with 37 people losing their lives in work related activity in 2018 there is clearly still more to be done,” she said.

Fórsa official and health and safety representative Dessie Robinson welcomed the report and said a change in health and safety culture was one of the main contributing factors in the noticeable reduction in workplace fatalities.

“It’s great to see the emergence of a health and safety culture in the workplace,” he said. “It’s important that we encourage this and keep it at the forefront of employers’ and employees’ minds. Improved practices and increased awareness will continue to keep workers safe and the number of fatalities low.”

For more information on health and safety in the workplace click here.

Executive pay in Irish-registered companies increased by an average of 6% in 2017, according to the second update of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ (ICTU) study Because we’re worth it. The report, which examines executive pay in 26 companies, found that “the upward trajectory of chief executive officer (CEO) pay continues unabated.”

The disparity between average earnings – which were €37,646 last year – and CEO remuneration is also growing. Report co-author Peter Rigney said the greatest variance between the average worker’s wage and their CEO’s was in building materials company CRH.

“It would take an average CRH worker 230 years to earn what its CEO took home in 2017. It would take nine years for the average worker to earn what the lowest paid CEO earned in 2017,” he said.

Fórsa senior general secretary designate and ICTU vice president Kevin Callinan wondered if any lessons had been learned. “The trend of senior executives in companies earning growing multiples of the average pay packet is unacceptable and is fuelling inequality,” he said. 

Earlier this month, a survey by the respected journal Industrial Relations News found that the average private sector pay rise was between 2% and 3% in 2018.

The ICTU report’s conclusion notes that firms listed on the Dublin stock exchange are obliged to follow new guidelines by the British Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which come into effect in 2020.

It warns that: “it remains to be seen whether the effect of these new guidelines is to slow the rate of increase of corporate pay or merely to illustrate an unrelenting upward trend in greater detail.”

Read the report here.

Trade unionists will this week mark the anniversary of the 1919 Belfast engineers’ strike, which labour historian Padraig Yeates says laid the basis for the 39-hour week.

An event at ICTU’s Belfast office will acknowledge the dispute, which involved 40,000 workers and saw another 20,000 laid off. It will also launch the ‘centenaries and citizenship’ project, an initiative of the Fellowship of Messines Association.

Padraig says the strike was the start of a wave of industrial unrest across the United Kingdom and Ireland, which saw the length of the working week reduced by an average of 6.5 hours a week. “This was the largest cut ever achieved and it laid the basis for our current 39-hour week,” he said.

Late last year, Fórsa again placed the spotlight on working time when the union called for a move towards a four-day week to reflect advances in technology and work organisation.

Padraig says the 1919 strike has been largely ignored in this ‘decade of centenaries.’ “It may lack the drama and controversy that surrounds its more famous historical counterparts, but arguably it has had a far greater and more beneficial impact on all our lives,” he said.

Fórsa is working to ensure that conscientious objection protocols governing medical professions and abortion will be extended to non-medical clinical grades in the health service.

The union says hospital pharmacists and pregnancy counsellors should be encompassed by the protocols, even though doctors, nurses and midwives are the only grades specifically named in the context of conscientious objection in legislation adopted following last year’s referendum.

Fórsa has had a number of meetings with the HSE on the matter, as have other unions. Health service management has accepted the principle that provision must be made for the union’s members in clinical grades.

The protocols will allow clinicians to opt-out of abortion service provision if they have a conscientious objection. In line with international norms, they will instead be obliged to refer relevant cases to another clinician and/or to their line manager for re-allocation.

The ceiling for Fórsa subscriptions has been raised from €370 to €380 with effect from 1st January 2019. The cost of union membership is set as a percentage of gross pay up to the ceiling, which ensures a limit to the amount that members are asked to pay.

This table sets out the cost of membership for members with various different gross salaries.

At its December meeting, and in accordance with the union’s rules, Fórsa’s elected National Executive Committee (NEC) decided to make the change to take account of pay adjustments introduced and due under the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA). These include the anticipated adjustment of 1.75% due to civil and public servants later this year.

On top of negotiated pay increases and protection when things go wrong at work, union members can benefit from an improved range of membership entitlements introduced when Fórsa was formed just over a year ago.

These include €5,000 in personal accident cover or €5,000 critical illness cover or death benefit, which also is also available to spouses of Fórsa members.

Alternatively, €5,000 in illness benefit is available to members who are out of work for more than 12 months. And Fórsa also covers evacuation or repatriation expenses up to the value of €250,000 for members who become seriously ill or injured, or who die, while abroad.

That’s on top of a range of financial benefits, negotiated with external providers, which can mean big savings on financial products like car and home insurance, pension benefits, salary protection and life cover.

Fórsa members can also avail of free counselling, legal advice and support helplines, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. And they can opt into our group scheme, which gives them access to huge savings on a wide range of everyday items and services including restaurants, retailers, hairdressers and coffee shops.

Get full details about membership benefits here.

Find out how much your Fórsa subscription is here.

Fórsa has submitted the union’s first set of returns to the Lobby Register for 2019. The returns cover the period from 1st September to 31st December 2018.

Since the introduction of the Regulation of Lobbying Act in 2015, lobbying organisations are required to publish their returns no later than 21 days after the end of the relevant reporting period.

Fórsa submitted 10 returns for the most recent reporting period. The deadline for submissions for this period expired this week (21st January).

The latest lobbying returns submitted by Fórsa cover the following matters:

• Restoring tax relief on trade union subscriptions
• Cross-party motion on housing
• Restoration of tax relief on trade union subs
• Support our secretaries campaign
• Irish Water transformation programme
• Consultative role in relation to the implement of the recommendations of the Task Force report into the Grenfell fire incident
• EU Declaration "The Social Agenda in Aviation - towards Socially Responsible Connectivity also here
• Provision of cycling infrastructure
• Scouting Ireland

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.

Current enforcement provisions give 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 union’s Support our Secretaries campaign included an instruction to all school secretary 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 the Lobbying.ie website.

See also: Fórsa trade union profile page on Lobbying.ie.