Dáil passes FEMPI Bill to give effect to Lansdowne Road Agreement
Bill passed by 110 votes to 14
by Niall Shanahan
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| The Bill will go to the Seanad next week |
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Dáil Éireann has overwhelmingly passed a Bill to give effect to the terms of the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The Bill will go to the Seanad next week.
A Sinn Féin amendment, seeking to block the agreed terms of the Haddington Road and Lansdowne Road agreements regarding the restoration of the third round of cuts for those earning over €65,000, was rejected. The Bill was passed, by a vote of 110 votes to 16, and supported by the four main political parties.
Renua Ireland abstained from the vote, while a number of independent TDs, including Shane Ross, Finian McGrath and members of various left wing groups in the Dáil, voted against.
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PSI and Congress condemn Paris attacks
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Public Services International has joined with unions across the globe to express sympathy with the victims of last week's attacks in Paris.
In a statement, PSI General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli said,"We stand in solidarity with the French people, its trade unions, and with all the workers of the emergency, health and security services who are on the frontline of these bloody attacks. We stand in solidarity with the French population and express our revolt at this senseless and extreme use of violence against innocent people."
Congress General Secretary Patricia King has extended the condolences and sympathies of the Irish trade union movement to the families and communities of those injured and killed in the attacks “I want to extend our very deepest sympathies to all those affected by the brutal and callous attacks on innocent civilians in Paris and on French society itself. “These cruel and senseless murders serve no civilised cause and are an offence against our common humanity, regardless of creed or colour.
"Only mutual respect, solidarity and toleration offer a way forward, not the path of violence. Our thoughts today are with the people of France and with those affected by this outrage against civil society and human decency,” Ms King said.
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IMPACT ballot at Irish Water underway
The ballot will close at 12 noon on Friday 11th December
by Niall Shanahan
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| Only members involved in the direct provision of services to Irish Water, including those who work in non-domestic water billing and water metering, are being balloted. |
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The Local Government & Local Services and Municipal Employees’ divisions of IMPACT have commenced a ballot for industrial action at Irish Water, following the announcement by the water utility that it will shed 1,500 jobs as part of its business plan published in October.
Only members involved in the direct provision of services to Irish Water, including those who work in non-domestic water billing and water metering, are being balloted. However, IMPACT national secretary Peter Nolan has said that the union will extend the ballot to other workers in the local authority sector if it becomes necessary.
The ballot will close at 12 noon on Friday 11th December, and a Frequently Asked Questions document is available to download here.
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Government decision to drop universal health insurance was inevitable
Flawed proposals “leaves us back at square one”
by Niall Shanahan
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| Health insurance proposals were 'fundamentally flawed' - National secretary Eamonn Donnelly |
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IMPACT national secretary Eamonn Donnelly said that IMPACT had previously warned of the likelihood of prohibitive health insurance costs under the Government’s UHI proposals. “When the white paper on UHI was published last year we described it as fundamentally flawed, as it would place an impossible financial burden from the very start, particularly for the growing number of people without health insurance who don’t qualify for a medical card.”
He added, “Sadly, this leaves us back at square one, with no alternatives to the original flawed proposals, and no immediate prospect for the delivery of a single-tiered health service. The opportunity has been lost and it must fall now to the next government to tackle,” he said.
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Increment ‘anomaly’ solution approved
Anomaly could have left some workers disadvantaged compared with those employed after 30th June 2016
by Niall Shanahan
The Public Services Committee of the ICTU has approved a measure to resolve an anomaly where increment measures, introduced as part of the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA), could have left some workers disadvantaged compared with those employed after 30th June 2016.
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IMPACT members' draw - win a car
Cornmarket and General Motors Ireland have teamed up for an IMPACT members' draw which could see one lucky winner drive away with a 161 Opel Corsa Excite. Two runners up will win an iPad. To enter you must be an IMPACT member. Deadline for entry is April 30th 2016. To enter, simply click on the panel above (links to an external website).
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