The ballot of IMPACT members on the Lansdowne Road Agreement is now underway, as branches began to receive their ballot papers at the start of the week.

IMPACT branches have begun hosting information meetings all around the country. Details of the meetings are available on the IMPACT website. More meeting details will be posted on this page as arrangements are confirmed, information is also available from your local IMPACT representative.

All IMPACT members are encouraged to attend the meetings, so as to fully inform themselves about the agreement before they cast their vote.

IMPACT’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) has recommended that members vote in favour of the agreement. Other union executives, including the INMO, SIPTU and the INTO, have made a similar recommendation.

FAQs and Irish language text

A comprehensive FAQ document is also available on the IMPACT website and will be updated with answers to the most frequent questions coming in from the information meetings.

An Irish language text of the Lansdowne Road agreement is now also available - Comhaontú Cobhsaíochta na Seirbhíse Poiblí 2013-2018.

ISME attacks pay restoration agreement

In a statement issued on Tuesday (16^th June), the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) criticised the Government’s decision to enter into a pay restoration agreement with public sector unions, saying the proposed pay increases “make no sense economically.”

ISME demanded the establishment of a “comprehensive (independent) commission to review public sector wages, conditions, perks and increments. As well as improved efficiencies within the public sector to bring it to world class status.” The association also demanded an international chair for the commission to “avoid any political interference.”

ISME CEO, Mark Fielding said, "The pay increases awarded in the new Lansdowne Road Agreement make no sense economically…The public sector is paid far more than their private sector counterparts and excuses about differing education levels etc. simply do not wash. The sector is so sheltered it has no comprehension of the reality of our current economic situation - one of fledgling growth but continued struggle.”

ISME’s claims were criticised and firmly rejected this week by IMPACT president Jerry King.

Jerry commented, “ISME is doing a disservice to its own members when it makes ridiculous claims like this. The effects of  pay improvements for all workers, not just public sector workers, will be felt most immediately by the small and medium firms throughout the country, boosting business and helping to create jobs. Pay improvements are a vital and necessary part of Ireland’s economic recovery.” Jerry dismissed the claims as “another failed attempt to scapegoat public servants.”

IMPACT has finalised an agreement with the Department of Education and Skills on a revised circular to deal with our dispute over the fragmentation of special needs assistants (SNA) posts. The agreement follows a ballot for industrial action by SNAs in March this year.

Subsequently, the Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’ Sullivan TD, issued an invitation to unions and management to discuss the issue when she addressed IMPACT’s Education divisional conference in April.

In a letter to SNA branch secretaries this week, assistant general secretary Dessie Robinson explained that the union ballot sought a firm commitment from the department that no SNA would have their working hours or income reduced, once there is work available in the school as determined by the NSCE allocation, and prior to any new member of staff being recruited to the school.

Dessie added, “The Education Divisional Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday 10th June 2015 received an update on the negotiations and expressed the view that the terms of the industrial action ballot had been met. The Department of Education and Skills placed a revised circular on its website on Friday 12th June in advance of the announcement of the allocations for the 2015/2016 school year.”

Dessie further explained that there will be some situations where the Special Needs Assistant allocation to the school is reduced because of particular circumstances. “In such situations affected SNAs should ensure that the supplementary assignment arrangements are complied with so that the SNA has the opportunity of alternative employment” he said.

Circular

The new circular states that if a school or Education and Training Board (ETB) has an additional allocation of SNA hours or posts, “that additional allocation of hours/posts must be offered to any existing part-time SNAs in that employment, in order of seniority”, before the employer has recourse to the arrangements for assigning SNAs.

“In essence, this means that before an employer opts to recruit a further person as an SNA(s), they must ensure that all existing part-time SNAs in their employment, in order of seniority, have been offered a full-time position in the school or, in the case of ETBs, a full-time position within the ETB scheme” it states.

The circular also states that the offer of a position is “subject to the SNA undertaking the full duties of the post, including any training or upskilling. If a part-time SNA turns down the opportunity of a full-time position and/or there are additional SNA hours/posts remaining, then the employer can fill the vacancy.”

Exceptions

Dessie said that the department has indicated to IMPACT that the only exceptions will involve cases where there are genuine grounds for an alternative approach in the interests of a child or children. “In these instances any SNA affected by this should receive a written explanation provided by the NCSE/SENO. Any SNA who finds himself/herself in this situation should immediately contact IMPACT so that the union can validate that the circumstances are indeed exceptional and the case is genuine” he said.

Public sector pensions were the subject of a separate engagement with the ICTU Public Services Committee and the Alliance of Retired Public Servants during the recent pay talks, as pensions are not directly covered by the agreement.

The parties reached an agreement that pensions would be increased by way of a reduction in the pensions related deduction (Public Service Pension Reduction - PSPR) made from pensions in payment. The agreed measures were subject to a government decision on the matter.

Details were subsequently announced by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD, on Tuesday (16th June). The changes provide for a restoration of pension income on a phased basis over three years. A total of 80,000 out of 140,000 public service pensioners will be exempted from the PSPR deduction during this agreement.

Pensions below €12,000 were not subject to the deduction, which was originally introduced in 2011.

More detailed information and tables are available on the department’s website.

The Labour Court has issued a recommendation to maintain shift premiums for redeployed homeless hostel staff in Dublin City Council (DCC). The staff receive a time-plus-one-quarter shift premium.

A review carried out in 2013 led to a decision to close the DCC homeless hostel service. IMPACT assistant general secretary Phil McFadden explained, “As much as we didn’t want our members to be transferred, the next step was ensuring the best possible outcome for them. We sought to retain the shift allowance for all of the 23 staff involved.

“Initially, the employer only wanted to give this allowance to some of the staff involved. IMPACT’s view was that this approach would have been unfair.” he said.

A ballot of members followed and the union presented its case to the Labour Court.  Phil said, “The Court agreed that retaining the premium for all of the staff would be the most equitable approach. We made the case because we needed to ensure our members did not suffer unjustly because of circumstances outside of their control.”

There was a strong IMPACT presence outside of Clerys on O’Connell Street on Tuesday to protest against the recent treatment of the department store’s staff. The lunchtime rally saw over 1,000 people gather to call for justice for the workers left reeling by the sudden closure of the store last week. Tourists and the passing public also offered words of support.

There was an emotional atmosphere as staff described how they were treated when the company went into liquidation last week. Staff who had worked in the store for decades were shocked to lose their jobs with immediate effect.

The protest was attended by a broad cross-section of politicians and trade unionists. The IMPACT contingent consisted of members, staff and retired members who came to offer solidarity.

Dunnes rally

On the 6th of June a large, colourful contingent of IMPACT members and staff took part in the 3,000 strong march and rally for the Dunnes Stores workers. Protestors marched from Merrion Square to the Dunnes Stores head office sending a strong message to the employer after staff claimed they had suffered a backlash on return to work after a one-day strike in April.

Commenting on both rallies this week, IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan said, “Last week IMPACT members and staff were proud to march in support of decency for Dunnes Stores workers. Now, at Clerys, we have another blatant case of injustice.

“Public sector workers will continue to stand in solidarity with their counterparts in the private sector until they get fair treatment. After decades of loyalty and hard work, the recent treatment of the staff at Clerys is unacceptable. It is shocking that in 2015 companies can treat workers so abysmally while still operating within the law,” he said.

Re-employment sought

The Business and Employment Minister, Ged Nash TD, has written to the new owners of Clerys and requested that they meet the workers. In a letter to UK firm Natrium, the minister said he wants to explore the prospect of re-employment for the 460 workers left jobless by the shock closure.

“This may be some consolation to the staff who have been treated so coldly over the past few days…I would request that you meet with the workers themselves and their trade union representatives. They have many questions and I believe it is the right thing to do,” he added.  

An online petition to support Clerys workers is available here.

A ballot is currently underway of the cabin crew branch on whether or not to accept proposals put forward by Aer Lingus to address outstanding issues. 

IMPACT national secretary Matt Staunton said “it has been a long and trying process in trying to reach a fair and equitable agreement with the company. This was aggravated by the fact that in recent months a very disappointing Labour Court recommendation was issued and accepted by the company but not by IMPACT and the matters remained in dispute. 

“In response to the Labour Court recommendation the branch balloted for industrial action. However in advance of counting the ballot they were approached by the employer with a significant offer which the branch and their full-time official assessed could provide the basis for a settlement.

“The branch convened airport meetings to consider the offer and identified clarifications necessary to frame a collective agreement. These are now under ballot with a branch recommendation for acceptance closing on Friday 26^th June next. We urge all cabin crew members to make sure their voice is heard on this issue,” Matt said.  

The European Parliament has postponed its vote on the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) until November. The delay was provoked by disagreement and over 200 proposed amendments largely relating to the Investor-state Dispute System (ISDS) element of the deal, which could allow companies to sue governments if their profits are affected by national laws.

Suspension of the vote means that EU representatives will now be without guidance from parliamentarians when they enter talks. In order to bargain effectively, EU negotiators must know what elected representatives want them to achieve. In the absence of direction from the Europe’s decision-making structures, talks between the EU and the United States lack credibility and large trade union bodies, like EPSU, have now called for negotiations to cease until the democratic process has run its course. 

In recent weeks MEPs have received thousands of contacts from organisations and citizens voicing opposition to central aspects of the deal. They particularly called for additional democracy to be built-in and for ISDS and public services to be excluded. Trade unions also believe that TTIP’s privatisation agenda poses a threat to workers’ rights, wages and protections.

Pressure is mounting on the bi-lateral agreement with unions, a range of other civil society groups and over two million petition signatories boosting a growing mobilisation against it, while representatives of large corporations remain amongst TTIP’s most vociferous supporters. As such, positions have become increasingly polarised, creating an open contest between the protection of public health and the environment and the promotion of corporate interests.

For a further discussion on TTIP, and the postponed vote, check out the Nevin institute’s blog: TTIP in trouble.

Public Services Day

IMPACT members and staff attending last week’s consultative council in Dublin took part in EPSU’s photo campaign against TTIP’s encroachment on public services, Hands Off Public Services! The campaign is part of EPSU’s preparations for UN World Public Services Day which takes place next Tuesday (23^rd June).

IMPACT official Padraig Mulligan said “Management are proposing to breach Health and Information Quality Authority (HIQA) standards by displacing services from a purpose built facility. The issue for the hospital is one of capacity, but it makes no sense to breach one set of HIQA standards in order to satisfy a different set of HIQA standards.”

Padraig said that around 40 staff in GUH’s physiotherapy unit treat a monthly average of 750 acute patients, 70 respiratory cases and 1,400 outpatients. He said that management has proposed the physiotherapists move into a smaller area currently used by social work, which he described as “inappropriate”.

Non-filling of posts

Separately, Padraig has written to hospital management at GUH to explain that the failure to fill some posts at the hospital has led to a situation where clerical staff are being forced to make clinical decisions about patients on waiting lists.

In his letter Padraig said “The most shocking element of this current crisis is the absolute failure of senior management and clinicians in particular to support our members in addressing the cancelling of appointments. Having cancelled these appointments at short notice our members are being put in the position of deciding on who gets the next available appointment and when. This is absolutely unacceptable to put any Clerical Officer in. How can Clerical Officers be put in a position of having to make clinical decisions in a Centre of Excellence?”

Padraig said that three clerical officers have been put in the position of informing some cancer patients that the service has no plan to recall them for appointments.

Padraig has also raised the issue at the joint union-management forum of the Saolta hospital group. He added “In the event that management continue to ignore our warnings about this issue, IMPACT will have no choice but to escalate the matter.”