Fórsa is urging its members to support a national demonstration calling for an end to the housing and homeless crisis, which takes place in Dublin this Saturday (18th May).

The ‘Raise the Roof’ rally – the latest in a series of protests around the country – will call for a large-scale public house-building scheme. Its organisers are a coalition of trade unions, housing and homelessness organisations, and student bodies.

Other ‘Raise the Roof’ demands include rent controls, an end to forced evictions, more secure tenancies, and a legal right to housing.

Fórsa and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) are supporting the protest, and want members to sign ICTU’s housing petition.

Fórsa members should assemble at the union’s Nerney's Court office at 12.45pm on Saturday 18th May, before heading over to Parnell Square to join the rally at 1pm.

Fórsa has agreed to cooperate with the establishment of nine ‘learning sites’ to pilot new HSE community health organisation (CHO) structures. But the union has warned that the approach must be abandoned if the pilots don’t deliver more productive services, while maintaining effective clinical governance in the health and social care professions (HSCP).

Specifically, Fórsa has insisted that HSCP managers must retain “direct and active input into the line management function” to ensure that effective clinical governance is not compromised once new ‘network manager’ posts – and accompanying reporting relationships – are established.

The approach, which was agreed on foot of a lengthy Workplace Relations Commission-brokered process and extensive consultation with Fórsa branches and groups of health and social care professionals (HSCPs), will deliver substantially improved career structures for the professions, These will include the expansion of ‘in charge III’ posts and smoother progression from basic to senior grades.

On Fórsa’s insistence, the agreement will also secure a commitment that there will be no reduction in the number of therapy manager posts. This is a reversal of the HSE’s original position.

Furthermore, the union has insisted that an agreed review of HSCP career structures must begin immediately. This process is rooted in the Expert Group Report on Allied Health Professions, which was published in 2000. But it will be supplemented by the recommendations of a later ‘McHugh-Doran’ report, which took account of more recent advances in the professions.

The union says this process will examine a range of matters, including the role of advanced practitioners and clinical specialists.

The management proposals for the nine ‘learning sites,’ with new reporting relationships following the establishment of network manager posts, were tabled at the WRC earlier this year after Fórsa and the HSE reached overall agreement on a network model last September.

The agreement also included specific measures on improved staffing structures across the health grades, including job evaluation and competitions for clerical and administrative staff. The WRC has been clear that the career-strengthening measures for all grades are contingent on agreement on line management and reporting relationships.

Fórsa’s Head of Health, Éamonn Donnelly, said progress on community health organisation structures are crucial for Fórsa members, and for the future development of community and primary health and care services.

“Our health service is too hospital-centric. Investment in primary care close to citizens is a public good in its own right. And it would also free badly-needed capacity for those who really have to go to hospital, where our members are struggling against the odds to deliver quality services and to develop professional specialisms to meet today’s medical and social needs,” he said.

But, in a letter to the HSE earlier this week, Donnelly underlined the concerns about the model, which many HSCPs had surfaced in union consultations.

“Our HSCPs are firmly of the view that the proposed reporting model is seriously flawed and implicitly creates risk. Fórsa has stated that the provision of safe and effective clinical governance is compromised if there isn’t direct and active input into the line management function.

“The nine ‘learning sites’ provide an opportunity to move from theoretical arguments to actual and real assessment of the feasibility of the model. Our position is that, if such assessments clearly show that the model is not feasible, it would not continue to be rolled out,” he said.

The union’s HSCP vocational groups have said they do not oppose the proposed network model in principal, but they believe that reporting and line management matters are ‘red line’ issues.

Fórsa has disputed Government estimates that restoring pre-crisis working time in the civil and public service could cost the Exchequer over €600 million a year. The union’s Senior General Secretary Designate Kevin Callinan said the figure was at least 50% higher than Government estimates when the additional time was introduced in 2013.

Speaking at two Fórsa divisional conferences in Kilkenny last week, he added that advances in new technologies and work organisation could defray much of the cost of reduced working time in the public service and elsewhere.

Earlier, Kevin said discussion of the restoration of pre-crisis working hours should form part of mid-term review of the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA), which governs pay and working conditions for most public servants.

He said a review was necessary to “bolster the agreement’s credibility by taking account of improved economic indicators and past income foregone.”

Twelve civil service branches submitted motions on the ‘Haddington Road hours,’ which was more than on any other issue debated at the conference. Similar motions were tabled for the union’s health, education and local government conferences.

They relate to additional hours added to the working week of lower and middle-earning public servants under the 2013 Haddington Road agreement.

Kevin said this had resulted in a “two-tier problem” because the temporary pay cuts experienced at the same time by higher grades – whose working time did not increase – have been restored, while additional working time for lower and middle earners has not.

“A few years ago, when we were in the eye of the economic storm, I opposed similar conference motions. But I’d struggle to construct a convincing argument against them now, in light of our current economic performance and rapidly-developing technological possibilities,” said Kevin.

Under the Haddington Road agreement, higher earners – those on €65,000 a year or more – suffered a third, but temporary pay cut. By January 2018 this had been restored in full, as envisaged in the deal.

Those who earned less accepted increased working hours to avoid a third pay cut. But, unlike their higher-paid colleagues, these workers have seen no restoration to pre-crisis working time levels.

Kevin said: “These were torrid times for Ireland and, when the Government sought savings to fill an extra and unexpected €1 billion hole in the public finances, we agreed to talk and workers reluctantly voted to accept a third hit.

“By doing so we produced the savings that enabled the country to meet the harsh Troika bailout terms, and we avoided the imposition of another public service-wide pay cut under the hated FEMPI emergency legislation.

“It was the right thing to do at the time. But six years later we’re left with yet another two-tier public service problem, which leaves those on low and middle incomes – mainly women – losing out. This anomaly continues to disadvantage lower paid workers long after better-paid staff have experienced restoration. That’s not fair. However justifiable increased working time may have been during the crisis, it goes against the prevailing grain of efforts to better balance work and family responsibilities.”

Kevin said Fórsa wanted to restore and maintain full confidence in the Public service Stability Agreement (PSSA), which governs pay and working conditions for most public servants. “It’s time to shift our focus from the past and focus on the challenge of delivering real improvements in wages and purchasing power,” he said.

Read Kevin Callinan’s blog on working time HERE.

Fórsa’s Health and Welfare Divisional Executive has opted to theme next week’s health conference around the issue of workplace mental health and the provision of mental health services to the public.

Along with the usual conference deliberations on a wide range of industrial relations and service issues, delegates will hear keynote speeches from representatives of mental health promoters See Change and Mental Health Ireland.

Fórsa will also unveil the results of a large survey of its members in the health and welfare sector, to reveal their experience of workplace mental health issues, and their views on how the union should go about tackling them.

The final day of the event will include a panel session on the issue, with internal and external speakers.

The Sligo conference will debate over 150 motions covering national health policy, staffing and structures, pay, voluntary sector funding, pensions, health and safety and other issues. It will also hear from Fórsa Senior General Secretary Designate Kevin Callinan.

The biennial conference sets policy and priorities for the union’s health division over the next two years, and elects the Divisional Executive that will oversee their implementation.

Some 200 delegates from Fórsa health branches around the country will attend.

The Labour Court has strongly criticised Tusla in a recommendation on a dispute over the child and family protection agency’s attempt to outsource services at the Rathmines women’s refuge. The Court also said Tusla was in breach of Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) consultation requirements regarding outsourcing proposls.

The refuge closed for renovations in September 2017 and its 15 staff members were temporarily redeployed to other employments. But when the work was completed last September, Tusla failed to inform the staff of its plans to re-open the facility.

In its recommendation, the Labour Court said it was inexplicable that the employer waited until the refuge was almost ready to re-open before unveiling its intentions. It said it was apparent that these intentions would inevitably lead to serious concerns on the part of affected staff.

The matter was referred to the Labour Court following the union’s earlier success in removing the threat of outsourcing when the parties met at a conciliation conference at the end of January.

Fórsa originally sought the assistance of the WRC because Tusla had breached the PSSA by failing to consult staff on its decision to outsource the management of the refuge to a separate agency.

The Court has advised the WRC on the terms of the recommendation and said, in view of the urgency, that the parties engage in an “intense and meaningful” engagement with a view to concluding agreement within four weeks of the recommendation, which was issued last Friday (10th May).

Fórsa official Tony Martin said the union’s objective was to get the 15 staff back into their posts as soon as possible. “These are highly experienced staff who deliver a vital and very sensitive service. We are very pleased that the Court has made the recommendation and highlighted the unnecessary delay in re-opening the service,” he said.

It was reported in March that Ireland has less than a third of the required refuge spaces. A 2017 report states Ireland had 21 women’s shelters, with 141 beds, but needed 472 under European guidelines, which suggests a shortfall of 331 beds.

Public service management should work with unions to ensure that the introduction of new technologies does not lead to job losses or poorer services, according to Fórsa. Speaking at the union’s Civil Service Division Conference in Kilkenny last week, senior official Derek Mullen vowed the union would not oppose the introduction of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). “But technological advancement should not be at the cost of services or jobs,” he said.

Derek pointed to the positive experience of the Revenue Commissioners, where new forms of work organisation – supported by retraining – had increased the tax take and improved audit and fraud control, rather than cutting jobs.

He told 400 conference delegates that Fórsa would not give blanket support to the replacement of people-provided services with AI. “We will support properly thought-out automation, controlled by workers and managers whose aim will be the continued enhancement and delivery of public services. Citizens don’t want to talk to machines,” he said.

In a submission presented to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform earlier this year, Fórsa argued for steps to ensure that new recruits are equipped to thrive in increasingly-automated work environments, and said older workers should get help to adapt.

The paper also argued against an expensive external consultant-led approach to technological development. “The diminution of in-house IT services over the last two decades has seen the growth of a hugely costly consultant-led approach to designing new systems. This must change,” it says.

The submission was written as part of the union’s response to civil service management proposals for procurement of new technologies, on foot of an automation pilot that’s been underway in a small number of departments over the last year.

Derek told delegates that Fórsa would continue to champion the delivery of world class public services. “The world of work will change, as will society, and we must ensure that this is achieved equitably, and that decent work is protected in all parts of the economy, including in the public service.

“We demand more involvement and negotiation on change initiatives. We won’t be found wanting, but we won’t accept poor planning and we categorically reject outsourcing as a solution. Just look at the costs to taxpayers of the failed JobPath scheme in social protection,” he said.

Most older workers will be unable to meet the target of 40 years’ worth of contributions to qualify for a full rate pension, which is set out in plans for pension ‘auto-enrolment’. And the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called on the Government to revert to the 30 year target it originally identified.

ICTU Social Policy Officer Dr Laura Bambrick says the requirement of 40 years is not feasible for many older workers because of time spent in part-time employment. She also says the Government’s failure to meet deadlines for finalising the design of key aspects of its pension reform plan present major concerns for many workers.

Dr Bambrick said these concerns were further exacerbated by recent CSO figures, which found that over 50% of low and middle income earners were not saving for their retirement. This could leave them completely reliant on the State pension.

Under its ‘Roadmap to Pension Reform’ the Government was due to finalise plans to implement its new approach by the end of 2018, and bring forward legislation by April 2019. The Government also missed its March deadline to finalise designs for an auto-enrolment system to sign almost all workers up to an occupational pension scheme – with contributions from employers and the Government, as well as employees – by 2022.

Dr Bambrick added that many people who are coming up to retirement in 2019 are confused about pension reforms. “People don’t know what the rules are going to be when the new pension comes,” she said.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has organised a briefing on tipping practices in the hospitality sector, and the union group ONE Galway’s campaign for legal changes on the issue.

The event is part of ICTU’s monthly ‘Friday Briefing’ series, which features informal talks on topical workplace issues.

The event will hear from ICTU’s Trades Council Network and One Program Co-ordinator Fiona Dunne, lecturer and academic Deirdre Curran, Senator Paul Gavan, and Siptu organiser and One Galway local co-ordinator Clem Shevlin.

ONE Galway’s tipping campaign is encouraging customers in hotels, restaurants and pubs to ask how their tips are distributed and what percentage workers receive.

ONE Galway is a Congress-backed program to strengthen trade union awareness, build links between unions and communities, and enhance union’s local engagement. A similar initiative is in place in Cork.

The Congress Briefing takes place at ICTU’s head office in 31-32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, at 10:30am on Friday 24th May. If you wish to attend, please email eileen.sweeney@ictu.ie.

Fórsa and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions have welcomed a new Government initiative to combat sexual harassment and violence. The move comes after it was revealed that Ireland has the highest level of sexual harassment in Europe.

A survey revealed that nearly a third of women between the ages of 18 to 34 say they experienced some form of sexual harassment in the last 12 months.

On foot of this shocking statistic, Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan has launched a major national awareness campaign on sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The ‘no excuses’ media campaign, which features an ad to run for three years, aims to increase the awareness of sexual harassment and sexual violence. It also intends to bring about a change in long-established behaviours and attitudes, and activate bystanders with the aim of decreasing and preventing this kind of violence.

Fórsa Equality Officer Geraldine O’Brien welcomed the campaign, and said such initiatives could help reduce sexual violence by creating an open discussion on the problem.

“The prominence of this campaign breaks down barriers by bringing sexual harassment into an open forum. The ad creates a greater understanding of sexual harassment and violence. It will make people more aware of potentially dangerous situations, and provide us with tools to diffuse them,” she said.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) also commended the initiative and called for improved protections for people experiencing sexual harassment.

ICTU General Secretary Patricia King said: “It’s time for complaints of sexual harassment to be elevated to the status of ‘protected disclosures’, ensuring stronger protection and reporting mechanisms for those submitting them.”

The ‘no excuses’ initiative is timely as negotiations will take place on a new International Labour Organization convention on violence and harassment in the workplace at the International Labour Conference next month.

Click HERE for more information on the campaign and HERE to watch the ad.

Fórsa delegates expressed solidarity with the trans community at the union’s Local Government and Local Services Division Conference in Kilkenny last week.

The union’s Dun Laoghaire Rathdown branch won overwhelming support for a motion welcoming Fórsa’s support of last year’s first Trans Pride march in Dublin, and commended the progress made towards the recognition of transgender rights as human rights.

The motion also highlighted difficulties and discrimination transgender people face in society and the workplace.

Conference backed the call on the union to pursue transgender rights through Fórsa’s equality committee and with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

After the motion passed, the branch tweeted its delight at the huge endorsement. “We're really happy that our motion recognising that #TransRightsAreHumanRights has been passed at #flglsconf2019,” it said.

This year’s Dublin Trans Pride march takes place on July 6th at 2pm from the Garden of Remembrance. The theme is break the binary and all trans, non-binary, intersex and cis people are invited to attend.

For more information on the march, see HERE.

A petition calling for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to back a new social contract has been launched by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

The ILO is a United Nations body that brings together representatives of governments, trade union federations and employer bodies. The ITUC petition was launched ahead of its meeting to negotiate the ILO’s ‘centennial declaration,’ which takes place next month.

It calls for the ILO to pursue rights for workers, fairer wages, greater flexibility around working time and climate justice.

ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow said the petition was an opportunity to highlight the need to modernise the ILO to address the issues affecting workers in the 21st century.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity to set rules for the global economy to work for people. A strong outcome would set us on the path to a new social contract to give security to all working people,” she said.

You can find more information HERE.

The first meeting of Fórsa’s just transition network will take place in the union’s office in Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1, at 10.00am on Friday 24th May. The union will be supporting the latest ‘schools strike for climate,’ which takes place later that day.

Meanwhile, unions have called for a ‘just transition’ forum to alleviate job losses resulting in Bord Na Mona’s plans to move from peat production to carbon-free products, according to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

Its ‘Building a Just Transition’ conference, held in Tullamore at the end of last month, heard urgent calls for a forum for the midlands to identify measures and supports for workers and communities affected by Bord Na Mona’s restructuring.

The conference was chaired by Marie Sherlock and Fórsa’s Senior General Secretary Designate Kevin Callinan, who said that lessons needed to be learned from the situation facing workers in Bord Na Mona.

“These workers and their communities are being asked to make a huge sacrifice in response to the threat posed by climate change. The Government simply isn’t doing enough to support these workers by implementing policies to mitigate their sacrifices, despite committing to do so under the terms of the 2015 Paris agreement,” he said.

Unions in Ireland and abroad have strongly backed moves towards a carbon-free economy in response to the climate crisis. But they say workers and communities most affected by the transition should be protected as part of the process.

ICTU General Secretary Patrica King said that taking action on climate change was no longer an optional policy extra for the Government.

“Just transition is about seizing new opportunities and sharing the benefits of change, through creating better jobs, better social protection, more training opportunities and greater job security for all those affected by global warming and climate change policies,“ she said.

To participate in Fórsa’s just transition network, or to join the union delegation on 24th May, contact joconnor@forsa.ie.

Get more information on the ICTU conference HERE.

Fórsa is urging its members to exercise their democratic right to vote when polls open on Friday week (24th May) in local and European parliamentary elections.

The union is not affiliated to any political party or group, but it has tested candidates to establish their positions on a range of issues raised in Fórsa campaigns. These include ‘More Power to You,’ the initiative that seeks to rebuild local democracy and local authority services.

The union has also urged sitting elected representatives and candidates to support pension justice for community employment supervisors, and an end to the unfair two-tier pay system for school secretaries. 

Along with other trade unions, Fórsa has also sought candidates’ backing for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ (ICTU) Charter for Housing Rights.

 
ICTU has also asked European parliamentary hopefuls to sign up to a number of pledges. These cover action to protect Irish jobs and communities from the impact of Brexit, support for trade union rights, working conditions, health rights, and economic equality.

A redesigned Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) website has been launched, and is available at its existing address, www.workplacerelations.ie. The site provides information on workers’ rights under employment, equality and equal status legislation.

The redesign was developed with input from internal and external stakeholders through focus groups, testing, and surveys. The improved site features a better keyword search, filters and ‘tooltips’ to explain how best to filter searches.

WRC Director General Liam Kelly welcomed the launch of the new site. “After working throughout 2018 with our stakeholders to develop a website fit for the needs of all our customers, I am happy to see it come to life,” he said.

The WRC was established in 2015, and promotes good industrial relations and provides information for workers and employers.