Feature Article
IMPACT audio bulletin
 

Listen HERE

 

In this episode:

 

Coverage of the ongoing Ryanair story; an interview with Minister Regina Doherty on zero-hours contracts; a chance to win a signed copy of Philly McMahon's book The Choice; an exclusive audio discount code; an update for SNA members, and more.


Listen HERE

 

In this episode:

 

Coverage of the ongoing Ryanair story; an interview with Minister Regina Doherty on zero-hours contracts; a chance to win a signed copy of Philly McMahon's book The Choice; an exclusive audio discount code; an update for SNA members, and more.

Dub teams up to tackle cancer
 

Dublin GAA hero Philly McMahon was in IMPACT’s headquarters last week for the launch of the Cornmarket ‘pink and blue power’ campaign, which offers a free breast or prostate health check for IMPACT members who are members of its salary protection schemes.

IMPACT members can avail of this service as an added benefit of their IMPACT salary protection policy. The service has been developed, specifically for female members under age 50 and male members aged 40-65, by an excellent team of medical professionals.


Dublin GAA hero Philly McMahon was in IMPACT’s headquarters last week for the launch of the Cornmarket ‘pink and blue power’ campaign, which offers a free breast or prostate health check for IMPACT members who are members of its salary protection schemes.

IMPACT members can avail of this service as an added benefit of their IMPACT salary protection policy. The service has been developed, specifically for female members under age 50 and male members aged 40-65, by an excellent team of medical professionals.

There is currently no official national prostate or breast assessment service available in Ireland for these age groups.

Over 4,600 Cornmarket customers have so far taken up the health assessment, with 17 of them diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, their outlook is positive due to early intervention.

 

additional articles
Movement on SNA rights
by Lughan Deane
 

A Labour Party motion, which seeks to protect the rights of special needs assistants (SNAs) and recognise their important role in the schools system, was carried in the Seanad last week. The motion condemned “the July publication of SNA allocations in 2017, which caused enormous uncertainty for SNAs.”

 

The move follows the overwhelming endorsement of industrial action in a recent ballot of IMPACT SNA members. IMPACT organiser Olajide Ogidan said: “The motion was significant because it is in support of IMPACT’s position. It is asking the education department to do what IMPACT is asking,” he said.

 

In an interview with IMPACT, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordain, who moved the motion, said: “When a group of people known for their compassion and for their work with very vulnerable children are turning to potential industrial action, that’s quite a significant development.”

 

The Seanad motion is a significant moment in the context of a wider shift where SNAs and their rights are concerned. Kevin Callinan, IMPACT’s deputy general secretary and national secretary for education, explains: “Since we announced the ballot in July, and since members voted, the Government has changed its position on funding SNA allocations.”

 

In a letter to the the education department, Kevin said it “has already approved the funding of the announced SNA numbers for 2018-19”. He writes, too, that allocations will be known “no later than May.”

 

On the motion, Kevin says that it “was about respect for SNAs.” He said that “that respect needs to be achieved through normal employment arrangements for SNAs.”

 

IMPACT has written back to the Department to progress other issues, including job security.

 

For more on this story you can listen to our extended audio report here.

 

This audio report is also available for download HERE (mp3).

School secretaries in precarious work
by Niall Shanahan

Members of IMPACT’s School Secretaries branch were featured in a recent special report on RTÉ radio’s Drivetime programme, which highlighted the issue of precarious work. The segment followed a number of case studies on precarious work. Previously, the programme had covered the issue in the construction, finance and hospitality sectors.

 

The broadcast features Eileen Barry of IMPACT’s School Secretaries branch. Eileen outlined the uncertainty and inequity around school secretaries pay and terms of employment. “Because individual boards of management determine the pay and conditions of the school secretary we actually have a chaotic, multi-tiered, system running all over the country, where no national standard exists,” she said.

 

Earlier this year the union had to take individual schools to task because they had withheld the 2.5% pay increase due to school secretaries since the beginning of 2017. This was despite the Department of Education and Skills making the funding available for the increase.

 

The RTÉ broadcast followed the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ call for the Government to act with urgency to address the problem of precarious work, following the release of a new Congress study that shows precarious and insecure work is now ‘pervasive’ across the economy and has risen significantly since 2008. The study – Insecure & Uncertain; Precarious Work in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Irelandreveals an alarming growth in precarious work practices across the island of Ireland, since 2008.

 

Congress General Secretary Patricia King said the report confirmed that there was now “an urgent necessity for government to address this problem decisively through legislation.”

 

Listen back to the Drivetime broadcast here.

Roscommon flexi clarification welcomed
by Lughan Deane

IMPACT has welcomed a Labour Court clarification about its recommendation on flexi-leave arrangements in Roscommon County Council. The Court said its recommendation “is intended to be understood as meaning that normal operational arrangements for flexible working schemes across the local authority sector should apply in this council.”

 

IMPACT assistant general secretary Padraig Mulligan said the letter completely supported and vindicated the union’s position. “The flexi-time system is of most benefit to low-paid workers and in particular to women with childcare commitments. IMPACT will continue to resist any challenges to the scheme, and will not see Roscommon County Council staff left at a disadvantage relative to their colleagues elsewhere in the country,” he said.

 

Padraig said IMPACT would contact senior management in the council, with a view to agreeing a mutually acceptable date to meet and attempt to reconcile differences.

 

Hidden heroes campaign launched
by Martina O'Leary

IMPACT has launched its campaign to defend the ‘hidden heroes’ of our health service. The initiative unveils the vital role that all staff play in delivering quality health services.

 

IMPACT national secretary Eamonn Donnelly said the campaign is a response to the popular view that health service delivery only involves so-called ‘front-line’ workers.

 

“There are no front-line services without proper backroom teams and support. Many of our members work in those critical backroom teams. They are the hidden heroes of our health services and it’s time to acknowledge that,” he said.

 

Maura Cahalan, who chairs IMPACT’s Health and Welfare division, says there are many more hidden heroes too. “We have a lot of members working in medical records, accounts, central referrals, and many other vital areas. The public don’t see them, but they are essential cogs in the service,” she says.

 

Watch the ‘hidden heroes’ videos here.

 

#HiddenHeroes

 

IMPACT Christmas hours

IMPACT’s Dublin and regional offices will close for the holiday from 1pm on Friday 22nd December. The Dublin office reopens on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th December from 10am until 4pm. All offices will be back to normal office hours from Tuesday 2nd January 2018. Local arrangements apply for IMPACT’s regional offices.

 

 

 

NEWS
Happy holidays to all our readers
by Bernard Harbor
 

This is the very last IMPACT members’ ebulletin you’ll be able to read. With the formation of the new union Fórsa, you’ll be receiving an improve communications service from January, as we’ll be producing separate ebulletins tailored to members working in the civil service, education, health, local authorities and the services and enterprises sector. So you’ll be receiving stories specifically relevant to you.


 

This is the very last IMPACT members’ ebulletin you’ll be able to read. With the formation of the new union Fórsa, you’ll be receiving an improve communications service from January, as we’ll be producing separate ebulletins tailored to members working in the civil service, education, health, local authorities and the services and enterprises sector. So you’ll be receiving stories specifically relevant to you.

 

The New Year will also see IMPACT’s Work & Life magazine replaced by a new quarterly Fórsa publication. This will be produced by your Communications Unit with welcome contributions from communications staff form the CPSU and PSEU – the unions that are amalgamating with IMPACT to form the new union.

 

We’ve enjoyed working on this publication for you, and very much look forward to delivering an even better news service from next January.

 

This has been a particularly notable year for IMPACT and its members, with the negotiation of a new pay deal, the publication of legislation that will eventually see the end of the hated ‘FEMPI’ legislation, the creation of a new union, and the first ever meeting between trade union reps and Ryanair management.

 

We look forward to reporting on more momentous stories – plus the news that impacts on your workplace, sector or locality - in the New Year.

 

In the meantime, a very happy Christmas to all our readers from the editors and contributors to the IMPACT members’ ebulletin. And spare a thought for the many IMPACT members who’ll be working to deliver services – in the public service, community and voluntary sector, semi-states and private companies – over the holiday period.

Compulsory retirement age raised
by Bernard Harbor
 

The Government is to legislate to allow civil and public servants who are currently obliged to retire at age 65 to opt to stay in work longer. Once enacted, the law will give public servants recruited before 1st April 2004 the option to retire at any time up to age 70.

 

 


The Government is to legislate to allow civil and public servants who are currently obliged to retire at age 65 to opt to stay in work longer. Once enacted, the law will give public servants recruited before 1st April 2004 the option to retire at any time up to age 70.

 

The new arrangements will benefit public servants who must currently retire at 65, but who depend on the state old age pension for part of their retirement income. They have faced a problem since the state pension age was increased from 65 to 66.

 

Public servants recruited after 1st April 2004 are not affected because they either have a retirement age of 70 already, or they have no compulsory retirement age.

 

Press reports last November predicted that the new measure would mean a compulsory increase in the retirement age for all civil and public servants. It does not.

 

Along with other unions, Fórsa had been working to resolve the plight of public servants who are forced to retire at age 65, but who cannot access the state pension until they are 66. Discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform took place under the auspices of the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA), which was recently backed the union’s members.

 

Pending the enactment of legislation to introduce the change, unions and management have agreed limited interim arrangements to allow public servants who want to stay in work until they reach the state pension age to be re-hired. Under these interim arrangements, staff can retire and receive their lump sum, before being re-hired in their current role.

 

However, they will be placed on the first point of the non-pensionable pay scale, and they will not make further pension contributions. Although this arrangement is not ideal, it means that public servants won’t be forced out of the workforce against their wishes before they are due payment of their full pension.

 

Ibec and unions working on pay gap
by Bernard Harbor
 

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and employers’ body Ibec are exploring a common approach to tackling the gender pay gap, with efforts underway to agree a joint proposal on gender pay gap reporting.


The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and employers’ body Ibec are exploring a common approach to tackling the gender pay gap, with efforts underway to agree a joint proposal on gender pay gap reporting.

 

IMPACT has been in touch with Ibec for some months now in an effort to allay fears that gender pay gap reporting could put too great a burden on employers. Legislation to compel larger employers to reveal their organisations’ gender pay gap is currently going through the Oireachtas, so far with all-party support.

 

In a joint opinion piece published today (see below), IMPACT’s Lughan Deane and Kara McGann of Ibec call for an appropriate methodology for gender gap reporting to be developed. “This has to be one that both generates meaningful and specific data about really-existing gender pay gaps and is designed so as to minimise, as far as is practicable and without compromising the quality of the data produced, the burden of compliance for employers,” they argue.

 

IMPACT has called for continued cross-party support for the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2017, and says gender pay gap reporting should be introduced in the public sector as an immediate first step. The union has also made two submissions to the Department of Justice and Equality’s consultation process on measures to close the gender pay gap.

 

OPINION: If done well, pay gap reporting could be a major step

 

By Lughan Deane and Kara McGann

 

If well-designed, the introduction of mandatory gender pay gap reporting in Ireland could represent a positive step towards addressing the gender pay gap.

 

Gender pay gap reporting has the potential to offer a real diagnostic tool to highlight the particular issues facing distinct organisations, sectors and regions.

 

Reporting will only be effective, however, if it’s done the right way. An appropriate methodology of reporting must be used. This has to be one that both generates meaningful and specific data about really-existing gender pay gaps and is designed so as to minimise, as far as is practicable and without compromising the quality of the data produced, the burden of compliance for employers.

Ibec and trade unions like IMPACT are committed to endeavouring to achieve the full socio-economic equality of women and girls in Ireland. It’s important in that context to note that addressing the gender pay gap is just one part of that and, equally, that this policy is just one part of addressing the gender pay gap.

 

There is a myriad of structural, cultural and policy causes for the gender pay gap which themselves need to be directly addressed. This will require action on the part of individuals, employers, trade unions, government and society.

 

IMPACT, other trade unions and Ibec stand ready to play whatever part they can in tackling gender inequality in the Irish workplace and in wider Irish society.

 

Lughan Deane works in IMPACT’s Communications Unit.

 

Dr Kara McGann is senior labour market policy executive with Ibec.

 

Zero-hours ban is progress
by Lughan Deane and Hazel Gavigan
 

New legislation that would improve security for workers on ‘zero-hour’ contracts has been broadly welcomed by unions. Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ (ICTU) general secretary, Patricia King said the Bill “marks some progress on these very important issues for workers.”

 


New legislation that would improve security for workers on ‘zero-hour’ contracts has been broadly welcomed by unions. Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ (ICTU) general secretary, Patricia King said the Bill “marks some progress on these very important issues for workers.”

 

The Bill, which was moved by employment minister Regina Doherty earlier this month, bans zero hours contracts in all cases except emergency cover, short-term relief work, or genuine casual work.

 

The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill would also oblige employers to give workers information on the duration of their contract, the rate or method of calculating pay, and the normal length of the working day – all within five days of taking the job. It also sets out a minimum payment due to ‘zero hours’ employees who are called into work, only to be sent home again. 

 

In an interview in the latest IMPACT members’ audio bulletin, Minister Doherty said that the legislation was required because of a small number of “rogue employers who treat their employees with such disrespect.”

 

But unions are concerned that the bill excludes casual workers. “It is our view that all workers should be covered by this prohibition,” said Patricia King. ICTU said it would lobby hard for amendments to the Bill.

 

 

 

 

History as IMPACT meets Ryanair
by Bernard Harbor
 
Ashley Connolly, Bernard Harbor and Angela Kirk IMPACT
Ashley Connolly, Bernard Harbor and Angela Kirk IMPACT

History was made this week when representatives of IMPACT, and its members in Ryanair, sat down to talks with company management at 5pm on Tuesday 19th December. It was the first time that Ireland’s most high-profile anti-union company had ever sat around a table with representatives of organised labour. Less than a week before, Ryanair management was still saying it would never happen.

 


History was made this week when representatives of IMPACT, and its members in Ryanair, sat down to talks with company management at 5pm on Tuesday 19th December. It was the first time that Ireland’s most high-profile anti-union company had ever sat around a table with representatives of organised labour. Less than a week before, Ryanair management was still saying it would never happen.

 

However, the practical significance of this historic moment remained unclear as this bulletin went to print. The union was still awaiting written confirmation that Ryanair was recognising the union, despite the company having told its pilots, the media – and, more significantly, the stock exchange – that it would.

 

The seemingly Damascene conversion took place early on Friday 15th December, when a stunned Ireland woke up to hear Ryanair spokespeople saying the company intended to recognise unions for the first time in its 33-year history. It followed years of effort by IMPACT and other unions to organise workers in the company and win negotiating rights.

 

IMPACT said the move could assist thousands of other workers who wanted independent workplace representation, but whose anti-union employers were encouraged and emboldened by Ryanair’s previous high-profile antipathy.

 

Earlier Ryanair staff, who are members of IMPACT’s pilots’ branch IALPA, had voted overwhelmingly to strike in pursuit of representation rights. Strike notice, served for 20th December, was subsequently suspended on foot of the company’s offer of both a meeting and full recognition of IMPACT and IALPA as representatives of pilots.

 

In a statement announcing the strike’s suspension, the union paid tribute to “the principled determination of Ryanair pilots,” which had made the breakthrough possible.

 

Company management was upbeat following the landmark meeting on Tuesday evening, though IMPACT expressed disappointment that the company had felt unable to underpin its declared intention to recognise the union with a written confirmation. The union gave management until today (Thursday) to respond to a set of proposals aimed at cementing normal bargaining procedures in the airline.

 

On the evening of 20th December, management emailed its pilots individually, saying it had “confirmed that we are recognising IMPACT for collective bargaining.” IMPACT was awaiting the company’s response to the union as this bulletin went to press.