IMPACT members working at Aer Lingus, including cabin crew and some management grades, completed a ballot this week to approve proposals to address the Irish Aviation Superannuation Scheme (IASS) deficit of €707m.

IMPACT national secretary Matt Staunton said the ballot result brings an end to five years of anxiety and uncertainty for the workers in the scheme. “It also brings an end to the sense of dread that there might be no pension when they retire. Having worked and contributed for years, this was a dreadful burden hanging over these workers and their families” he said.

An internal audit by the HSE has confirmed that the awarding of successive contracts to a management consultancy, Starline, by the Limerick Hospitals Group was non-compliant with EU tender regulations and the HSE’s own financial regulations.

IMPACT members working at the Limerick Hospitals Group commenced industrial action last July in opposition to the payment of a €250,000 annual fee to Starline for a chief operations manager.

IMPACT has written to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, following reports and media coverage that the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) was considering the introduction of admission fees for visitors to the galleries and museums of the NMI.

IMPACT national secretary Matt Staunton said that imposing admission fees would be a shortsighted and damaging measure. “The museums and galleries are a priceless national resource should remain open to everyone” he said.

Yes Equality, a joint campaign to encourage people to register to vote this November, ahead of next year’s referendum on civil marriage equality, was launched this week. The campaign will be run in collaboration with organisations across the country, including the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), IMPACT and other trade unions.

In May this year IMPACT’s biennial delegate conference, made up of representatives from all the union’s branches, unanimously voted to support a ‘yes’ vote in any future referendum on marriage equality.