IMPACT president Jerry King has asked members throughout the country to “consider carefully” which party or parties form the next government after Friday’s general election. In a letter sent to all IMPACT branch secretaries last Friday (19^th February), he urged members to consult IMPACT’s Guide to General Election 2016 and examine how each of the parties responded to the union’s questions.

Jerry, who works in library services with Mayo County Council, said that it is “absolutely appropriate” that IMPACT has no affiliation to any political party. He added “On February 26^th we have an opportunity and an obligation, I feel, to vote in a way that will inevitably shape our future terms and conditions, as well as our capacity to deliver excellent public services.

“Emerging from a crisis caused by greed, corruption and lack of proper regulation, our society faces huge choices about job creation, health, housing, education and other public services. It’s crucial to remember we have choices now in a way that has not existed for eight years.

“As a union we stand together, unashamedly, on the side of efficient, organised and well-funded public services. As voting members we must make choices too,” he said.

Jerry added that it was important now to look beyond who will be elected into the Dáil, and consider carefully who will form the next Government, “because they will be, for the vast majority of IMPACT members, our new employer.

“For us, the crucial questions are: who do we want to be dealing with for the next five years as we negotiate for further pay restoration? Who do we want in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform? Who amongst the parties understands public services best and the people who provide them?” he said.

Jerry asked members to take the time to read through the parties' answers before they cast their vote.

You can read Jerry’s letter HERE

Check out IMPACT’s guide to the general election HERE

The Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF) has extracted some of the main pension issues highlighted in the various parties manifestos. Click HERE to view.

IMPACT is currently campaigning to protect library and fire services from amalgamation in a number of counties, with a concerted effort to organise the lobbying of general election candidates in the communities where amalgamations have been proposed.

Proposals to amalgamate library services in Carlow, Cavan, Cork, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath have been the subject of a continuing campaign by the union since early 2015. The union is also campaigning against the proposed amalgamation of fire services in Carlow, Cavan, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath.

IMPACT national secretary Peter Nolan said the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government had published proposals to amalgamate fire and library services, and that these proposals have been promoted and supported by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), based in Dublin.

“IMPACT has established that the proposals are not driven by concern about costs. We believe that the proposals are the last remaining attempt to erode local democracy in the affected areas. As a consequence, the opportunity to maintain control of library and fire services will either be lost or substantially diminished in these communities,” he said.

IMPACT commenced a lobbying campaign, in January 2015, to retain fire and library services in counties where amalgamations were proposed. The union also met Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly last December to discuss the proposals and outline the union’s concerns.

Support

IMPACT has mobilised community support to oppose the proposals and has now stepped up its campaign by mobilising branches in each area to write to local councillors and election candidates.

Union representatives met the Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government, Alan Kelly TD, in December, to outline their concerns. The minister has committed to considering the union’s position.

The union has gained the support of the Kilkenny Council of Trade Unions as part of the union’s campaign to prevent the amalgamation of fire services in Carlow/Kilkenny, and to highlight the threat of a similar proposal for library services in the two counties.

Peter said “The overwhelming majority of local elected representatives have supported the campaign, and Carlow County Council and Kilkenny County Council have also adopted supporting motions.

“We have also encouraged IMPACT members in Carlow and Kilkenny, who number almost 1,000, either to write to their local election candidates or question their position, and that of their party, when they appear on their doorsteps,” he said.

Get involved, write to your local representatives and election candidates – Keep Your Local Fire and Library Services - Sample Letters

Trade unions representing staff in the Institutes of Technology need to develop a unified position on the merging of the institutes, in order to ensure a more central role in the merger process.

The call was made by IMPACT trade union’s deputy general secretary, Kevin Callinan, who was addressing the Mergers in Higher Education symposium, which took place on Friday 12th February at St Laurence’s DIT, Grangegorman, Dublin. IMPACT represents clerical and administrative staff in the Institutes of Technology, and the symposium was organised by the union’s Institutes of Technologies branch.

Kevin said that while unions and staff had legitimate concerns about the proposed merger of Institutes of Technology, those concerns would be better addressed by the various unions involved working together in a cohesive manner rather than criticising "from the sidelines".

He said the Technological Universities Bill, which enjoys broad political support, presented an additional challenge for trade unions. That challenge, he said, is to develop a position that can deal effectively with the interests of the workers employed in the existing institutes of technology, as well as the bigger question of the social consequences of the Bill. “In a sense the battle is to create a modern vision for this sector that is true to the values that informed the forerunner Institutes of Technology, Regional Technical Colleges and Vocational Education Committees.”

Kevin cited the experience of the University of Northern Denmark and Aarhus University in Denmark and their experience of merging colleges, and what he described as the “disciplined approach” of the Danish trade unions. Representatives from both colleges attended the symposium.

He said that differences between the unions, which were sometimes substantial, were identified and resolved prior to discussion with management. “There was a single trade union position developed and agreed. While this inevitably involved compromise, it resulted in a more powerful bargaining position. This was because the negotiators spoke on behalf of the entire workforce,” he said.

Kevin added that the unified position of unions made it more attractive for management to engage “in a genuinely collaborative approach, providing for real consultation, as a rule, rather than in response to a crisis or a threat,” with substantial change achieved without conflict “and in a manner that was broadly acceptable to all.”

He said that the call for a cohesive union position was not to capitulate to the merger process. “Rather it is to try to make a real difference. There are very important issues at stake,” he said.

Student loans

Kevin told delegates that one of these issues was the potential introduction of a student loan scheme, following leaked details from the unpublished report of the expert group on the future funding of higher education. “The prospect of a student loan scheme creates a cloud of uncertainty. It is not difficult to envisage such a move having a devastating effect on student numbers, with consequent effects on the viability of courses, jobs and even perhaps on the survival of individual higher education institutes,” he said.

He said the current geographical variations, on the amount of students in receipt of student grants, points to the possibility of catastrophic consequences for some of the institutes. “It is likely that the requirement for prospective students from some regions to borrow will be just a further barrier to entry into higher education.

“Trade unions must articulate the view that employers cannot expect to have subsidised labour. With legitimacy, employers may stress the importance of the development of skills that will aid competitiveness and profitability. But it is a bit rich that those who acquire these skills will then spend their first years of employment repaying a loan.

“The funding challenge faced by higher education is severe indeed. But the solution will require the creation of a consensus that doesn’t punish our young people and which involves business paying its fair share of the education and training costs,” he said.

Lifelong learning

Kevin said Ireland still has a very high proportion of people of working age without a higher secondary level education, relative to other OECD countries. He added this might be linked to the very low participation rate of 6.9 per cent for lifelong learning among those aged 25-64. “Eurostat figures show that Ireland lags behind the EU 28 average of 10.7 per cent and is significantly behind Denmark, at 31.7 per cent.

He said that the distinguishing features of the technological university, as identified in the Hunt report, include a pivotal role in facilitating access and progression, particularly from the workforce, by developing structured relationships with providers of further education and training. He said that the Education and Training Boards (ETBs), formed from merged VECs and the dissolution of FÁS, have been struggling for direction and an enhanced role, and that closer cooperation with the ETBs could provide opportunities for the entire sector.

Kevin told delegates that Ireland’s capacity for future growth relied on the development of relevant skills, and that the Institutes of Technology had the potential to play a crucial role in realising the ambitions contained within the recently launched Enterprise 2025 strategy. He said that, currently, more third level qualified people are emigrating than are arriving into Ireland, representing a potential loss of skills.

Kevin concluded by saying that, while there is a valid view that universities are increasingly becoming corporatist institutions focused on feeding an insatiable commercial environment, there is little choice but to respond to the issues by emphasising the regional and local dimension to education and in a way that consistently holds government to account: “A response that maintains relevance by meeting industry and enterprise needs in a way that preserves the best values in education. A response that strives to promote inclusivity at all costs in a modernised execution of the traditional mission of vocational education.”

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) is asking voters to think about what type of society they would like to see in the coming years before casting their vote in the general election on Friday. Congress asks, “What needs to be done to ensure society will be fairer and more equal?”

Congress has said the key components to create a fairer Ireland are a living wage, decent jobs, fair pensions and good public services and that it makes sense to support the parties and candidates who back these measures.

Questions

The dedicated campaign site provides some useful election campaign tools, including questions to put to canvassers and candidates in the remaining days of the election, background information on all the issues, and a list of current TDs and Senators who support fair conditions at work.

Charter support

Congress recently revealed it had found overwhelming support for its Charter for Fair Conditions at Work among political parties, with Labour, Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, the Social Democrats and socialist deputies signing up, while there was little or no support for the Charter from either Fine Gael or Renua.

The Congress Charter for Fair Conditions at Work sets out five key principles to help make decent work a reality:

• A Living Wage
• Fair hours of work
• The right to union representation
• The right to respect in the workplace
• Fair public procurement.

Representatives of IMPACT, Mandate and SIPTU have notified the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) that they have formally withdrawn from the joint staff/management forum because of concerns over the Authority’s plans to resume paying state dividends.

The joint negotiating forum on the ‘New Engagement Model’ has been working on various change management issues in recent weeks. National media reports emerged two weeks ago stating that the board of the DAA intends to resume paying a dividend to the State for the first time since dividends were suspended in 2009 due to the economic crisis.

In a joint letter, sent on Friday 12^th February, to the DAA’s chief executive, Kevin Toland, the unions said that reports of a resumption of state dividend payments, ahead of pay restoration for DAA workers, had provoked considerable anger among staff.

IMPACT assistant general secretary Johnny Fox explained, “Our members at DAA have come through six years of significant temporary pay reductions ranging from 4.25 per cent to 9 per cent, in addition to other significant changes to their terms and conditions of employment.”

The respected journal Industrial Relations News reported last week that the DAA expects to begin the process of pay restoration under its 2010 Cost Recovery Programme (CRP) later this year. It reports that the authority told staff last December that it expects to have made enough profit in 2015 to justify the start of pay restoration under the terms of the 2010 deal, which made restoration of the pay cuts conditional on reaching certain targets for either profits or ‘return on equity’.

Johnny said, “The staff have played a crucial role in sustaining the DAA’s profitability, and reports that the board would resume state dividend payments, ahead of pay restoration measures, demonstrates a willingness on the part of the employer to have the staff subsidise the dividend payments. Under those circumstances our continuing participation in the forum has become untenable,” he said.

The joint letter states that the unions have withdrawn from the joint forum until the DAA provides assurances that such state dividends will not be paid in advance of confirmation of the full restoration of the temporary pay cuts contained in the 2010 Cost Recovery Programme Agreement.

IMPACT has joined with the Association of Childhood Professionals (ACP) to work together to achieve investment in the sector. The first step is coming together at regional level to explain the importance of trade union organisation in order to achieve our common goals.

IMPACT and the ACP are holding a series of 17 meetings around the country in February and March. These meetings are open to all early childhood care and education staff and providers. Both organisations plan to work together to achieve professional recognition with appropriate pay and other standards.

IMPACT’s deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan explained, “IMPACT has had a presence in the sector for a long time but it is clear that much closer cooperation between professional groups like ACP and the trade union will be required to achieve improvements for the people delivering the services.

“We would like to increase membership to make early childhood professionals become a very significant part of the union. In doing so, IMPACT can draw on its success in winning professional recognition and rates of pay for other groups and achieve the same for workers in early years.

“All staff in early years services, such as pre-schools, day nurseries and crèches should work together to ensure that their voices are heard. This is a sector that is growing fast. However, the valuable work that is carried out by its staff is not reflected in pay and other conditions. This is not the fault of employers. Change is needed involving more investment by the government,” said Kevin.

This week’s meetings include Kilkenny Monday 22nd February 7.00pm;  Carlow Tuesday 23rd February 7.30pm ; Cavan Wednesday 24th February 7.30pm. Here is a full list of meetings and venues.

Management at St James’s told staff just before Christmas that the planned introduction of car parking charges was linked to the construction of the new National Children’s Hospital on its campus. It said the development would result in a significant reduction in staff parking capacity.

IMPACT assistant general secretary Catherine Keogh explained that the key issue for staff was that management failed to consult with them about the proposed charge. “This is effectively a pay cut by another name, as staff would have to earn 800-1000 euro in wages to cover this cost,” she said

999 emergency call operators who are members of the Communications Workers' Union (CWU) are taking industrial action on Thursday (25th February) in a dispute with their employer, Conduit Global / BT Ireland.

The CWU’s campaign has been ongoing for 18 months, and the union is seeking engagement with the employer on the payment of a living wage, fair treatment at work, a fair On-Call policy and for the workers to be represented by the trade union.

The CWU says the action is about decency and respect at work and is seeking the support of trade unionists throughout the country.

CWU general secretary Steve Fitzpatrick said “These are hard working people who deliver a vital public service to a very high standard. The company has refused to meet us and we have been left with no other option but to take industrial action,” he said.

An online petition to support the workers is available here.

THMs, or trihalomethanes, are a group of four chemicals formed as a by-product of the process in which drinking water is disinfected to exclude fecal and other bacteria from the supply.

These chemicals are most infamous for their central role in the widely covered water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

The city of Flint, as part of its post-crash austerity measures, attempted to save $19 million dollars by switching its water supply from the Detroit water system to water drawn directly from the Flint River.

The hasty switch-over did not provide time for the Flint River water to undergo all of the necessary testing. It soon emerged that the new supply was contaminated by Coliform bacteria, a species of bacteria associated with the presence of fecal matter. To counteract this, the city treated the water with an aggressive diet of disinfectant chemicals.

Reaction

It was this reactionary disinfection that produced the THM crisis. The city issued boil-water notices and warnings to the young, pregnant and infirm not to drink unfiltered water. Several Flint schools, preschools and hospitals switched to using bottled water. The city, meanwhile, was found to be in contravention of the Safe Drinking Water Act. This violation has since given rise to a number of large class-action lawsuits.

State officials commissioned a private water consultant from Veolia to determine whether or not the city should revert to sourcing its water from Detroit. The consultant reported that the Flint water was safe to drink and that no change was required. Many took heed of this advice and continued to drink and bathe in the contaminated water.

Flint’s crisis was compounded by the fact that Flint River water is highly corrosive (so much so that General Motors ceased using it in engine production) and was causing lead from inside the city’s outdated water-transport system to leach into the drinking supply, leading to serious concerns around lead poisoning.

Despite these grave and persistent concerns, Flint residents were pursued for some of the highest water charges in the entire US. The city hired two extra investigators to look into possible cases of water theft. Several Flint residents faced criminal charges for refusing to pay. In another case, Flint resident Chris Wahmoff was imprisoned for a critical Tweet he published.

Concern over the presence of THM in the water supply is well-justified. The four-chemical group has been linked to a whole range of potentially life-threatening conditions. These include bladder and colon cancer, kidney and liver damage, problems with the Central Nervous System, IQ loss and reproductive issues such as miscarriages and birth-defects.

Rosa Pavanelli, general secretary of Public Services International, speaking about the THM and lead poisoning in Flint said: “The Flint crisis is a glaring example of the results of right-wing governments. Their politics of austerity maim and kill. Flint isn’t the only city and the U.S.A. isn’t the only country”.

Evidently not. It was reported last week that there’s concern about THM levels in water in Kerry, Cork, Kilkenny City, Waterford, Wicklow, Meath, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal and Galway.

Meanwhile, in Flint, the deaths of ten people from Legionnaire’s disease (a particularly serious form of pneumonia) has been linked to the contamination. The FBI and others are examining charges of involuntary manslaughter for those responsible for the city’s water system. The city was the target of a cyber-attack by the ‘hacktivist’ group Anonymous. Several public figures, including Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, environmentalist Erin Brockovich and film-maker (and Flint-native) Micheal Moore have publicly criticised the handling of the crisis.

For more information:

• Irish Times coverage
• Irish Examiner coverage
• Democratic hopefuls Clinton and Sanders discuss Flint crisis during debate
• Michael Moore discusses the crisis in his hometown