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Public service talks ongoing
by Bernard Harbor
 

Negotiations on a possible successor to the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) will resume this morning (Friday 4th December) after a spat over the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s (DPER) handling of the talks.


Negotiations on a possible successor to the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) will resume this morning (Friday 4th December) after a spat over the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s (DPER) handling of the talks.

 

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said yesterday that DPER’s conduct around the talks, and the absence of movement on issues raised by ICTU-affiliated unions, had posed questions about whether progress towards a new agreement was possible.

 

Kevin leads the negotiations on behalf of ICTU’s Public Services Committee (PSC) – made up of unions representing over 90% of public servants – which met yesterday. He told the meeting that the process was now “extremely fragile.”

 

The ICTU negotiators then met the DPER team throughout Thursday afternoon, and agreed to resume talks this morning.

 

Kevin said ICTU-affiliated unions are united in their approach to the negotiation, and on their objectives in the talks.

 

The unions have said any successor to the PSSA must include a mechanism to address issues still outstanding from the Haddington Road agreement, including the additional working time introduced under that deal. They also want a separate mechanism to address sectoral issues, and a realistic and acceptable approach to pay.

 

The PSSA, which has been in place since January 2018, expires at the end of this month. Formal negotiations on a successor began last week, with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

 

As well as the union agenda, the talks are looking at two issues – modernisation and reform measures and dispute resolution – which were tabled by the employer side. Both of these items have featured in every previous public service agreement.

 

On modernisation, Fórsa has argued that any agreement should acknowledge the commitment, flexibility, hard work and agility that staff across the civil and public service have demonstrated during the Covid crisis, and build on this momentum to meet the challenges ahead.

 

The initial DPER proposals were leaked to the media yesterday, prompting ICTU to reassert that unions would not accept measures like increased outsourcing, five-over-seven day working patterns, or certain other ‘modernisation’ measures raised by the employer representatives.

 

In a letter to Fórsa branches last week, Kevin confirmed that press reports that the Government side wants a pay freeze in 2021 were correct, but that this position has not been accepted by the union side.

 

Instead, Fórsa and other unions are seeking a realistic and acceptable approach to public service pay. Kevin told last month’s Fórsa national conference that this did not rule out pay improvements over the lifetime of what’s expected to be a two-year agreement, if one can be reached.

 

 “While everyone understands that the current economic and fiscal position is extremely difficult, all the projections point to a rapid economic and fiscal bounce-back once the Covid situation stabilises. I believe we have cause to hope that will start to happen in the coming months,” he said.

There has been no detailed discussion of pay during the talks so far.

 

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

Workplace safety advice upgraded
by Bernard Harbor
 

The agreed national guidance on preventing the spread of Covid-19 in workplaces has been upgraded.


The agreed national guidance on preventing the spread of Covid-19 in workplaces has been upgraded. The updated work safety protocol, which was the result of close consultation with trade unions and employers, includes revised advice on the management and control of Covid outbreaks, the selection of hand sanitizers, wearing of masks, and ventilation.

 

ICTU general secretary Patricia King said the revised protocol outlined important worker protection and safety-enforcement measures. “It is vital that it is fully complied with, and also crucial that workers can have full confidence that workplaces are Covid safe. I commend the appointment of lead worker representatives, who will play a central role ensuring that standards are complied with,” she said.

 

The protocol was first introduced last May, following trade union pressure for better advice and enforcement of Covid-related worker-safety measures. Both the original document and the revised version were overseen by the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF), which brings together senior representatives of government, unions and employers, including Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan.

 

At the unions’ insistence, its safety and enforcement guarantees include a requirement for employers to recognise at least one Covid-19 lead worker safety representative, with more in larger employments.

 

Shortly after the first publication of the protocol, Fórsa also won confirmation that civil and public service employers must abide by its measures, and that it would apply equally to employees who remained in their workplace throughout the first lockdown.

 

The union raised these issues with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) after its initial guidance suggested that parts of the public service might take a different approach

 

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) remains the lead agency coordinating compliance with the protocol. Nearly 20,000 Covid-19 compliance inspections have been carried out since May 2020.

 

On foot of union pressure, the Government allocated an extra €4 million to the HSA for 2021, to allow the agency employ extra staff and establish a new occupational health division to manage and prevent the spread of the virus in workplaces.

 

HSA chief executive Sharon McGuinness said cooperation and communication between employers and workers was the key to success.

 

“This protocol provides clear guidelines and measures to employers and workers, and is supplemented by a range of templates and online resources available from our website. The prevention and control measures have not changed, and the importance of adhering to hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and physical distancing continues to be emphasized,” she said.

 

Read the protocol and related material HERE. 

 

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. 

Water transfer stance boosts staff fears
by Bernard Harbor
 

Fórsa is to reassess its participation in talks on plans for Irish Water to become Ireland’s sole public water authority after the chair of a key City and County Managers’ Association (CCMA) committee advocated the “seamless transfer of all existing local authority water staff to the new utility.”

 


Fórsa is to reassess its participation in talks on plans for Irish Water to become Ireland’s sole public water authority after the chair of a key City and County Managers’ Association (CCMA) committee advocated the “seamless transfer of all existing local authority water staff to the new utility.”

 

In a letter to local government minister Darragh O’Brien, the chair the CCMA’s water services committee, Colette Byrne, said this was a “key priority for the sector.”

 

In a subsequent letter to Ms Byrne, Fórsa’s head of municipal employees and local government divisions, Peter Nolan, said a previous minister, and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, had given clear commitments there would be no compulsory conscription or redeployment of existing local authority staff.

 

Fórsa and other water unions are participating in a Workplace Relations Commission-brokered process, which is exploring issues around the proposal to establish Irish Water as the country’s single water authority by 2021.

 

Over 3,000 local authority staff currently work in water services under ‘service level agreements’ (SLAs) with Irish Water. The SLAs don’t expire until 2025.

 

Fórsa only agreed to enter the WRC process on the basis that it would see “simultaneous movement” on four strands:

  • The future sustainability and revitalisation of local authority services
  • A constitutional referendum on public ownership of water services
  • The structure and governance of the proposed single water utility, and
  • Employment and industrial relations issues that arise from the proposal.

Peter said the union expected the Government and relevant employers to stick to commitments that there would no compulsory redeployment of staff.

 

In a letter to Colette Byrne last week, he wrote: “The vast majority of our members do not support any transfer to a new employer, but we have continued our engagement primarily based on the commitments given to the union. Should the CCMA fail to urgently and adequately clarify [your] remarks, it will cause the union to review its current engagement in the process.”

 

Peter said the response, from Ms Byrne’s successor as committee chair “does little to reassure local authority workers.”

 

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. 

More action needed on parent's leave
by Bernard Harbor
 

Unions have welcomed reports that parents' leave will eventually be extended to nine weeks for mothers and fathers, in line with Ireland’s commitments under an EU directive.


Unions have welcomed reports that parents' leave will eventually be extended to nine weeks for mothers and fathers, in line with Ireland’s commitments under an EU directive.

 

Each parent of a child born on or before 1st November 2019 is currently eligible to take two weeks’ parent’s leave in the child’s first year. It attracts a parent’s benefit of €245 a week for workers with sufficient PRSI contributions.

 

Parent’s leave is different from parental leave, which is unpaid.

 

The amount of parent’s leave, which is also available to adoptive parents, is to increase to five weeks from next April, when the period in which the leave can be taken will also increase to two years.

 

Earlier this week, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) noted that children’s minister Roderic O'Gorman had been reported as saying that the leave would later be extended to nine weeks. Its equality officer, David Joyce, noted that this was the minimum requirement of an EU directive, due to be fully transposed into Irish law by August 2022.

 

But he outlined concerns at the low take-up of both paternity leave and parents' leave, due to the relatively low payment of €245 a week and most employers’ reluctance to top up the benefit. Some 50% of fathers don’t take the two weeks’ paternity leave they are due.

 

A recent spending review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) found that neither the public service nor most private sector employers topped up the payment. “With average weekly net earnings in the private sector over 2.5 times the payment, this is an issue that will have to dealt with,” said Joyce.

 

Leave

Who gets it?

How long?

Is it paid?

Maternity leave

Female employees

26 weeks and up to 16 unpaid weeks

Yes, Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks

Adoptive leave

Adoptive mothers, Men adopting alone

24 weeks and up to 16 unpaid weeks

Yes, Adoptive Benefit is paid for 24 weeks

Paternity leave

New parents of children under 6 months of age (but not the mother of the child)

2 weeks

Yes, Paternity Benefit is paid for 2 weeks

Parental leave

Parents and guardians of children under 12

26 weeks

No, it’s unpaid

Parent’s leave

Parents of children under 1 year of age (or in first year of adoption) - this will increase to 2 years from April 2021

2 weeks (5 weeks from April 2021)

Yes, Parent’s Benefit is paid for 2 weeks

SOURCE: Citizens Information.

 

 

 

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. 

Violence against women intensifies
by Hazel Gavigan
 

Violence against women and girls – and particularly domestic violence – has intensified since the outbreak of Covid-19 according to studies and reports from those working with the people affected.


Violence against women and girls – and particularly domestic violence – has intensified since the outbreak of Covid-19 according to studies and reports from those working with the people affected.

 

Speaking last month on the international day for the elimination of violence against women and girls, which took place on 25th November, President Michael D Higgins said every day we wait for the end of abuse of women and girls was a day too many. 

 

Addressing the Women’s Aid conference, President Higgins explained that violence against women in Ireland remains shockingly prevalent, with one-in-four women having been abused by a current or former partner according to recent statistics.

 

“We know from research that domestic violence tends to form a pattern of behaviour rather than an isolated event. That domestic abuse can also be linked with incidents of child abuse. That, in its extreme form, domestic abuse can and does result in female homicide.

 

“Since 1996, approximately 250 women have died violently in Ireland, with two-thirds killed in their own homes,” he said. 

 

President Higgins continued by saying that there can never be any cultural rationalisation for gender violence, and it’s a discussion which must be kept ongoing at the United Nations at every level. 

 

“Such violence needs to be called out for what it is: An abuse of rights formed from a sense of entitlement, superiority, misogyny or similar attitudes in the perpetrator, or because of a violent nature,” he said. 

 

Meanwhile, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has also found that women working on the Covid frontline have faced increased face-to-face abuse during the crisis. Much of this workplace harassment has moved online during confinement, facilitated by intrusive monitoring tools being used by many companies. 

 

To counter this new threat, unions are urging countries to ratify a new International Labour Organisation convention, which would commit them to prevent and address cyber-bullying and harassment. ETUC sent a letter  to ministers on the International day for the elimination of violence against women and girls, calling for its ratification. 

 

ETUC deputy general secretary, Esther Lynch said that although some laws, policies and services are in place, violence and harassment at work remains a major problem, especially for women.  

 

“There are not enough effective mechanisms in place today to prevent and tackle cyber-harassment, and particularly to prevent intrusive surveillance. “The best way to achieve progress is for governments to ensure the correct legal framework to tackle issues such as cyber-harassment, cyber surveillance, and to encourage employers to negotiate procedures with trade unions. This has already proved to be successful as companies with a trade union have 60% less sexual harassment,” she said. 

 

To learn more about International day for the elimination of violence against women and girls, click here

 

To read the ETUC letter to ministers calling for the ratification of ILO Convention 190 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 us HERE. 

Unions tackle far-right
by Mehak Dugal
 

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has launched a pro-mask campaign under the slogan ‘pro-mask = pro-worker’ as part of a new campaign to tackle the rise of far-right populism.


The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has launched a pro-mask campaign under the slogan ‘pro-mask = pro-worker’ as part of a new campaign to tackle the rise of far-right populism. A sub-group appointed by the ICTU executive is responding to the rise of far-right extremism in workplaces, communities and online.

 

The campaign aims to equip union members with the knowledge, skills and campaigning tools required to challenge far-right ideology, and to stand with the groups they target.

 

Its social media campaign will provide opportunities for trade union members across a wide spectrum of workplaces to take simple online actions challenging myths and promoting the movement as one that represents all.

 

The campaign serves as an important step against the far-right who have used the current pandemic to position themselves as representing working people’s interests and to spread dangerous myths about the virus and the need for public health restrictions. 

 

 

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. 

Virtual delegate conference well received
by Róisín McKane
 

Over 80% of those who attended Fórsa’s virtual 2020 national conference said it was a positive experience, despite an overwhelming desire to return to in-person events once Covid restrictions are relaxed.


Over 80% of those who attended Fórsa’s virtual 2020 national conference said it was a positive experience, despite an overwhelming desire to return to in-person events once Covid restrictions are relaxed. Last month’s conference was first postponed – and then went virtual – against the backdrop of the ongoing public health emergency measures.

 

Over 350 principle delegates and national executive committee (NEC) members were in attendance through the WebEx conference platform, while the event live streamed allowing hundreds of members to observe.

 

In a survey of delegates and NEC members, 85% said the platform was easy to access and navigate. For those who experienced difficulties, help was on hand via a dedicated conference helpline.

 

Conference material was circulated to branches in advance of the event, and a designated conference document page established on the Fórsa website.

 

Over 77% of participants were happy with the communication from Fórsa in advance of the conference, and almost 70% of respondents rated the conference documentation as “very good” or “good”. 

 

Voting on motions took place through a dedicated voting portal, which most delegates found easy to navigate. Over 80% were able to vote without any problems. While some participants experienced technical concerns, these were dealt with by a dedicated team, with minimal disruption for delegates.

 

Participants found the overall experience to be very well organised, with delegates feeling supported both in advance of the event and on the day.

 

 

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. 

Feature Article
Bereavement evening planned
by Róisín McKane
 

The Irish Hospice Foundation is hosting a free online bereavement information evening at 7.00pm on Wednesday 9th December. The webinar, which runs for 90 minutes, will provide an online space to share reflections on bereavement and generate awareness about the supports available.


The Irish Hospice Foundation is hosting a free online bereavement information evening at 7.00pm on Wednesday 9th December. The webinar, which runs for 90 minutes, will provide an online space to share reflections on bereavement and generate awareness about the supports available.

 

The event is suitable for all, but the organisers say it will be particularly useful for people who’ve recently experienced bereavement, or who are supporting someone who’s grieving.

 

The foundation says 2020 has been a very difficult and isolating year for many.

 

Register for the event HERE

 

Get more information HERE.

 

 

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. 

Also in this issue
New trade union studies programme
by Mehak Dugal
 

Siptu College is inviting all union members to apply for the ICTU/Siptu Trade Union Studies Certificate programme, which is offered in partnership with the National College of Ireland.


The programme, which kicks off in January, will be delivered through online classes.


Fit for activists and staff of any union, the course is open to those with or without previous academic qualifications.


It aims to provide learners with a sound theoretical and practical engagement with the purpose and practice of trade unions in the workplace and beyond, with the objective of enhancing their activities as officers or activists within a trade union, and of possible further academic study.


This is a modular programme which means that you can take individual modules at your own pace. It is however designed to be achievable in two years and you have a maximum of five years in which to complete all of the modules.

 

A separate option to take some of the elective modules purely out of interest without having to attend the full programme is also available for those who are wary of committing themselves to a full study program.

 

Modules available from January 2021 are divided into ‘core’ and ‘elective’, and you can find further information on each of them here.

More information about the program, its modules, fees and schedule are also available in this brochure.

 

You can express your interest for a place in the program by filling out this form.

The closing date for applications is 11th December 2020 and places are expected to be offered by 18th December, with classes starting the week commencing Monday January 2021.


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.

Debenhams: Mediator appointed as Fórsa sends support
by Mehak Dugal
 

Labour Court chairperson Kevin Foley has been appointed as mediator in the Debenhams dispute, in a move that was welcomed by the union that represents workers in the company.

 

Mandate general secretary Gerry Light said his union would play its part in attempting to find a resolution that is acceptable to the 1,000-plus staff, who lost their jobs when the store went into liquidation earlier this year.

 

The union also called on the liquidator, KPMG, to cease attempts to remove stock while Mr Foley was working to settle the dispute. This came after reports that KPMG had attempted to access and remove stock from stores in Limerick and Tralee.

 

The Debenhams workers have now been on strike, and seeking a fair redundancy settlement, for over 230 days. They were denied access to a collective redundancy agreement negotiated between Mandate and the company.

 

Mandate has also urged KPMG to respect the Government’s offer of mediation and allow the initiative an opportunity to succeed. “That means a commitment to not attempt the removal of stock until this process has been exhausted,” said Gerry.

 

Meanwhile, Mandate’s national executive council, and the union’s Debenhams negotiating team, last week wrote to Fórsa to thank its members for a €10,000 donation towards the Debenhams workers’ strike fund. The Fórsa executive had earlier sanctioned the contribution as an act of solidarity.

 

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

Update your contact details
 

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Compensation for post withdrawal
by Niall Shanahan
 

A Fórsa member employed by a local authority in the west of Ireland has been awarded compensation of €1,000 following their employer’s withdrawal of an offer of an SEO position.

 

The award was made following an adjudication by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), which also called for ‘constructive and meaningful’ discussions to progress the worker’s appointment to an SEO post in line with Public Appointments Service procedures.

 

The member was represented by Fórsa official Maura Cahalan, who explained that the offer of the SEO post was withdrawn at an advanced stage of the appointments process.

 

Maura explained: “This was at a time of particular difficulty for this member, and a source of great distress to them. This is a very welcome outcome because it both acknowledges the degree of distress involved, and provides a means by which this Fórsa member can secure the post they were originally offered,” she said.

 

Maura said the experience illustrated the benefits of union membership. “Without union support this was a situation that anyone would have found very isolating and difficult to resolve by themselves,” 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 us HERE. 

Join Fórsa online
 

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: Here to support you
 

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.