Fórsa has backed calls for a system of Covid-19 testing of airline passengers as part of a suite of measures to safely assist the aviation sector and the thousands of workers – including in tourism – that depend on it.

Last week, Fórsa urged transport minister Eamon Ryan to work to get the system in place rapidly. The union also recently expressed disappointment that Budget 2021 contained no specific measures to support jobs in the sector, which is among the hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis. 

Fórsa general secretary, Kevin Callinan also raised the need for a Government-led initiative at a meeting of the main Government-employer-union social dialogue forum last week. He told the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF), which is chaired by An Taoiseach and includes senior ministers, that unions and employers should also be involved in coordinated measures to save jobs and incomes in the sector.

Kevin called for the development of a specific long-term plan for the industry, with appropriate Government supports.

“The announcements and threats of redundancies at some airlines runs contrary to this approach and is entirely inconsistent with the spirit in which we have collectively engaged with the challenges and hardships presented by the pandemic,” he said.

Fórsa has lobbied for Government supports for the aviation industry, on the basis of the economic importance of Ireland’s air connectivity, since the pandemic struck Ireland in March. But the union says support to airlines should be contingent on guarantees against compulsory redundancies or offshoring of services currently staffed by Irish staff and crew.

Fórsa official, Ashley Connolly called on the Government to work with aviation unions and other stakeholders to ensure that the industry survives the crisis.

“The aviation industry has been amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic and, unlike the last recession when it was among the first sectors to recover, most industry observers believe it will be among the last this time. The Government needs to do more and do it quickly,” she said.

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

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has received a budget boost of €4 million as part of Budget 2021, bringing the authority’s annual funding grant to €24.5 million, the highest level of State funding since 2008.

Following the economic crash in 2008 the authority’s grant fell to €18.6 million, while staff numbers were reduced from 197 to around 170, greatly reducing the agency’s capacity to carry out workplace inspections.

Fórsa official Ashley Connolly said the latest boost in funding is to allow for the recruitment of additional staff to monitor the challenges of Covid-19 in the workplace, including compliance with the ‘return to work safely protocol,’ which emerged from negotiations between unions, employers and the Government.

“The increased funding and staff recruitment reflects the importance of boosting workplace safety during the Covid pandemic.

“Fórsa has continued to make the case to improve funding in order to keep pace with recent years of economic growth. The pandemic brings a uniquely different set of challenges, requiring a robust workplace safety inspection culture. On that basis, this additional funding is very much to be welcomed,” she said.

Aer Lingus has confirmed it will use funds provided under the Taxpayer-funded Employer Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) to increase rostered hours and wages. Staff in the airline have seen their hours and pay cut by up to 60% as the pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on aviation.

The company has confirmed that recently-announced changes to the EWSS means Aer Lingus will increase the hours and pay of staff currently on 40% up to 50%, while staff currently on 50% of normal hours and pay will be increased to 60%.

The changes will be applied to the next set of published rosters, and reflected in payroll from 18^th November. The airline says these arrangements will remain in place for as long as the revised EWSS remains. It’s currently set to continue until the end of next January.

The company’s decision to increase wage levels was welcomed by the group of unions representing staff at the airline. Unions had sought clarification as to whether Aer Lingus intended to use the additional monies, provided under the revised EWSS, to increase the pay of members employed at the airline.

In a letter to Aer Lingus the group of unions said: “We believe that this is the right decision and the increase in income will be welcomed by our members who continue to be at the loss of significant income as a result of the ongoing public health crisis.”

Unions added that they continue to reserve the right to pursue improvements in incomes, and shared the ambition of seeing Aer Lingus recover in 2021 so that pay could be fully restored as soon as possible.

The company said it was currently operating at about 20% of normal activity, as the aviation industry continues to hit extremely hard by the collapse in demand for air travel as a result of the pandemic.

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 and other public service unions have warned that the time available to negotiate and ratify a new public service pay agreement is running short. The current Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) expires on 31^st December, but talks on a successor have not moved beyond an exploratory phase, in which the two parties seek to establish whether there is scope for substantial negotiations to produce a result.

The ICTU Public Services Committee (PSC), which is made up of most of Ireland’s public service unions, met two weeks ago to hear a report on talks between union leaders and senior officials in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER).

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who leads the union side, expressed disappointment at the lack of progress and said there was currently no basis for a full negotiation. This followed the cancellation of a scheduled meeting after DPER officials said they had yet to consult with public expenditure minister Michael McGrath.

Kevin said the delay was a concerning signal for all parties, including the Government.

“There is now a real possibility that we will find ourselves, perhaps unintentionally, without an agreement at the end of the year. That would create a very difficult industrial relations environment, which would be complicated further by the lingering Covid-19 crisis. I don’t believe that’s in anybody’s best interests,” he said.

Earlier, Kevin told Fórsa’s Consultative Council – made up of representatives from all the union’s branches – that, in the absence of a deal, Fórsa would prepare an alternative strategy and submit claims to employers when the PSSA expires.

He said negotiations for a new public service agreement would need to address specific austerity measures, include an acceptable approach to pay, and provide a clear path to resolving particular long-standing issues within public service grades, groups and categories, ensuring an ultimate resolution in each case.

He added that the reversal of additional working hours, introduced under the 2013 Haddington Road agreement as an alternative to an additional pay cut at the time, remained a priority issue for the union.

Speaking at the prestigious Industrial Relations News annual conference last week, Minister McGrath reiterated the Government’s desire to strike a deal, but said the economic backdrop to the talks was the most difficult imaginable.

The Programme for Government commits the coalition to negotiate a successor to the PSSA, which underpins pay and working conditions for staff across the civil and public service, including voluntary hospitals and other ‘section 38’ bodies. Public service pay agreements also cover non-commercial State agencies.

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

Fórsa has raised concerns that more workers than necessary are being required to attend workplaces since the entire country entered level five of the Government’s Covid-19 framework two weeks ago.

Under the highest level of restrictions, which was introduced on 21^st October for a six-week period, employees are meant to work from home unless they are providing essential services that require their physical presence in a workplace.

But the union says significantly more public servants were working from home at the outset of the coronavirus crisis in March, April and May than are now. This is partly because schools and crèches have remained open, though Fórsa says other services could be maintained with fewer staff going into workplaces.

A union spokesperson said there was a need for some to attend workplaces. “Very many, in health, social welfare and elsewhere, obviously need to go into work. Schools are now included in that, but we have concerns that, when it comes to remote working, some employers may not be placing the same emphasis on the imperative to control the spread of the virus as they did earlier in the year.

“We have raised this with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, saying that stronger central guidance may be required to reduce the number of staff travelling and attending workplaces without reducing levels of service to the public.”

Last week, the National Transport Authority expressed concern at the numbers of people still using public transport to go into work. Its chief executive, Anne Graham, said the return of schools was likely to add to pressures.

“NTA is asking people to avoid travelling at peak times and only to use public transport for essential purposes. Nobody wants to see a situation where essential workers, such as those on the healthcare frontline, cannot get on a bus. People who can work from home should work from home,” she said.

In a related move, Fórsa has also called on the Government to improve legal safety protections for essential public service workers in health, education, social protection, local authorities and elsewhere.

Through the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Public Services Committee, the union said a lack of Health and Safety Authority (HSA) oversight was putting these workers at greater risk. Unions have called for a legal requirement for the agency to investigate Covid infections in the workplace, as recommended by the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response.

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

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has renewed calls for legislation to oblige employers to pay remote workers an allowance to cover some of the costs of working from home. ICTU also wants a review of the current €3.20-a-day rate that workers can receive tax-free.

The call came after Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe extended tax relief for home workers’ utility expenses to include broadband, but fell short of announcing any other supports to facilitate remote working or assist those working from home.

Right now, home workers can claim tax relief on some heating and lighting costs if they don’t get a home working allowance from their employer. Workers can also claim tax relief on other vouched expenses incurred "wholly, exclusively and necessarily" when working at home.

Almost a half of respondents to a Fórsa members’ survey on remote working said that they incurred costs that they would not incur in work while working at home. The survey, which was conducted in July, drew responses from over 4,300 members.

Meanwhile, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) has updated its guidance on remote working on foot of a public consultation that took place during the summer. Its website now includes a remote working checklist for employers.

Tax and financial incentives were the single most-mentioned issue in submissions to the consultation, with many saying current tax allowances were inadequate and difficult to understand and claim.

The consultation attracted over 500 submissions including a detailed paper from Fórsa, in which the union made 20 recommendations. 

A number of submissions, including Fórsa’s, called for better health and safety protocols to cover work-related accidents in the home. Greater clarity over responsibility for provision of equipment and technology was also sought.

The department says the consultation will be used to inform a national strategy on remote work, with a cross-Government approach to facilitating and encouraging longer-term remote working in Ireland.

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

Fórsa’s delayed 2020 national delegate conference is set to take place on a fully remote basis on 19^th November. Originally planned for last May, the event was interrupted by Covid-related public health restrictions on travel and assembly.

The pandemic also means the size of the conference is restricted, with just one delegate from each branch. As always, their votes will be weighted to reflect the number of members in each branch. Members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) are also entitled to attend and vote.

It’s intended to live stream the conference so that all members can see the proceedings if they want to.

On foot of continuing coronavirus-related public health restrictions on travel, public gatherings, and related matters, the NEC agreed in July that the conference should be organised on a remote basis. The results of postal ballots to elect the union’s president, treasurer and three vice-presidents will be ratified at the event.

The conference agenda has had to be pared-back as business will be conducted in one day instead of the usual three. Delegates will debate a small number of proposals, including NEC motions on pay and jobs, working time and remote work, and the country’s response to the coronavirus crisis.

Delegates will also be asked to endorse reports on the union’s activities and finances over the two years since Fórsa was formed in early 2018, along with a report on organisational matters.

You can read all the reports and conference documents HERE.

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

The HSE has launched a free online mental health programme called ‘minding your wellbeing.’ It focuses on the promotion of mental wellbeing, and has been adapted from a face-to-face programme into a series of online videos.

The material has been produced to focus on various areas of mental health. The five 20-minute videos focus on self-care, understanding your thoughts, exploring emotions, building positive relationships and improving your resilience.

These themes encourage participants to build their own ‘self-care toolkit’, which include healthy habits for their mental health and wellbeing. The content also invites users to reflect on their own thinking and consider how thinking patterns can impact their wellbeing.

This course is available to everyone and provides a unique opportunity to learn and practice key elements of mental wellbeing such as mindfulness, gratitude, self-care and resilience.

For more information on the programme and to access the videos, click here.

For more information on minding your mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic, click here.

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

A webinar on trade unions’ role in promoting and protecting human rights and equality took place in late October.

The event was jointly hosted by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). Fórsa general secretary and ICTU vice-president, Kevin Callinan opened the session by welcoming the opportunity for trade unions to reconnect with their own fundamental values.

"We, as trade unionists, are committed to human rights, equality and diversity. It is widely recognised that the workplace is a strategic entry point to free society from discrimination," he said.

‘Promoting and protecting human rights and equality: The potential of the public sector equality and human rights duty for trade unions,’ aimed to advance the rights of public sector workers and service users, while enhancing the quality of public policy and services.

The keynote address was delivered by UNISON general secretary, Dave Prentis.

Leader of the UK’s largest public service union began by acknowledging how important the public sector equality duty has been during the Covid-19 pandemic. “The right for every person to be treated with decency, dignity and equality is vital in a time of crisis,” he said.

Referencing a recent speech by President Michael D Higgins to an OECD conference, Dave highlighted his point that the State has the ability to play a leading, transformative role is providing quality and universal public services to its citizens.

President Higgins said governments could act decisively when the will is there. Mr Prentis said trade unionists should generate this will, which would ultimately create a better, fairer society.

“We have human rights and equality legislation to facilitate the creation of political will, which will ultimately enact transformative change for all,” he said.

Download the public sector human rights and equality duty here. 

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

Pension campaigners have expressed disappointment at the composition of a new Pension Commission, saying its membership doesn’t reflect the interests of those most affected by a proposed increase in the age at which workers become eligible for the State pension.

The commission has been established by Government to review the issue. The programme for government said the pension age would be maintained at 66, pending the completion of the Commission's work. The previous Government had plans to increase the age of retirement to 67 next year, and to 68 in 2028.

The STOP67 coalition, which includes Siptu, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI), and organisations representing pensioners and older people, mounted an effective general election campaign against the proposed pension age increase to 67 from next January.

NWCI director Orla O’Connor said women experienced deep pension inequalities as they are more likely to be in low-paid jobs, and the value of their pensions is reduced when they spend time out of the workforce because of caring responsibilities.

“It is difficult [for them] to collect sufficient PRSI contributions to be eligible for the full State contributory pension and so they are more likely to be reliant on the non-contributory pension. Pension policy is absolutely crucial for women’s equality and has an enormous impact on women’s access to an independent income in old age,” she said.

SIPTU deputy general secretary Ethel Buckley welcome the invitation to ICTU to nominate a member to the commission. “However, the balance of its membership does not reflect the interests of those directly affected by the proposed increase in the pension age. Nor does it reflect the interests of those workers who rely entirely on the state pension for their retirement income,” she said.

You can help us keep you up-to-date with union information, news and advice by checking your contact details and amending them if necessary. If we have your home and personal contact details (personal email, mobile phone number, and home address) we can get information to you quickly and directly. You can update your contact details 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.