IMPACT’s Communications Unit has sent all TDs and senators a briefing on the reasons behind the gap in average earnings in the public and private sectors. The union moved after business and media groups presented new CSO earnings figures as evidence that public service pay restoration was not justified.

Union spokespeople were also out on national and local media this week, refuting claims that public servants earn 48% more than private sector workers.

Making sense of Ireland’s public-private pay gap argues that media headlines always exaggerate the size of the gap, and that commentators seldom attempt to explain the reasons why it exists. “In the recent past, this has fuelled calls for public service pay cuts. These days, it’s being used to argue against pay restoration - not just in the public service but across the economy,” it says.

The IMPACT briefing acknowledges that economists disagree on the size and significance of the pay gap, but says the most balanced and comprehensive study of recent years - by the CSO in 2012 - concluded that, depending on how it’s calculated, it could be as little as minus 1.4% or as much as plus 11.4% once the pension levy is factored in. This research was concluded before additional pay reductions were implemented for some in 2013.

Women

The IMPACT briefing notes that the pay gap for women is much higher than for men, and says this raises particular concerns about the prevalence of low paid and often precarious work for women in the private sector.

In a blog last week, the union warned that the media and others would try to divide public and private sector workers in order to hold back pay restoration. It argued that, to avoid this, unions should argue the case for public service pay restoration in the broader context of recovery for all. It said IMPACT’s strategy for pay restoration does this by highlighting the need for continued action on unemployment, along with pay restoration in the public, private and community sectors.

Over the past fortnight, IMPACT spokespeople have outlined the union’s position on national TV and radio including RTÉ, Today FM, Newstalk, the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, the Journal, and local radio. The union also had a letter refuting Sunday Independent coverage of the public-private pay gap published in that newspaper last Sunday (24^th August).

In a series of media interviews, the union said: “Pay restoration must now be the priority to improve dented living standards in all sectors and support the fragile recovery by getting people spending in the local economy again.” IMPACT spokespeople also rejected claims of a huge public-private pay gap.

The union’s pay restoration strategy, agreed at its May delegate conference, calls for pay restoration in the public, private and community sectors, and urges continued action to tackle unemployment.

IMPACT recently welcomed public service minister Brendan Howlin’s confirmation that there would be talks next year on the start of pay restoration in the public service, where average earnings have fallen by around 13% since 2009. But the union also warned members that there would be stiff resistance to pay restoration from the media and others.

Although it seems certain that the forthcoming budget will include some form of tax relief, IMPACT rejects the idea that tax cuts can be an alternative to pay increases as Ireland comes out of recession. The union says focussing solely on tax cuts would leave taxpayers subsidising low-paying but profitable employers, and would mean more cuts in public services.

The last 18 months have seen a growing number of modest pay rises in profitable private sector companies.

The ICTU document also provides a good guide to the new legislation, which followed a long IMPACT campaign to strengthen protections for workplace whistleblowers. The new law provides a framework of protections for people who are victimised, or threatened with victimisation, for revealing illegal practices in the workplace. But workers must meet proper criteria to ensure that their revelations are covered by the protections in the Act.

Employees are now legally protected from victimisation or dismissal when they disclose a ‘reasonable belief’ of illegality to their employer or a person prescribed under the act. Employees are immune from civil and criminal legal proceedings in such cases.

The legislation also allows for external disclosure - for instance, to the media or a politician - in some cases, although there are tougher criteria to determine whether such disclosures are protected.

Importantly, IMPACT’s core demand that the law should prevent employers from sacking staff pending the outcome of a case has been met. Whistleblowers who are unfairly dismissed for making a protected disclosure can now seek a court order preventing their employer from taking them off the payroll while a case is being heard.

The maximum penalty for unfair dismissal in protected disclosure cases has also been set at five years pay - far more than the usual two years.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions says workers are best advised to talk to their union rep before making a disclosure to ensure that they proceed correctly and gain the protections of the new law.

The restoration of legal wage protection in these sectors was one of the pay restoration priorities identified by IMPACT at its delegate conference last May.

Jobs minister Richard Bruton and Minister of State Gerald Nash said the new laws would allow unions to ask the Labour Court to review and make recommendations on pay and other conditions in defined low paid sectors.

Separately, Nash has confirmed that he will be establishing a low pay commission to review the statutory minimum wage, which sets the legal pay floor for the entire economy.

The May 2013 Supreme Court judgement invalidated the prevailing REAs, allowing employers to reduce already low pay rates for new staff.

The Government intends to publish the legislation during the next Dáil session, which begins next month, and says it wants a new law on the statue book as soon as possible.

The new law will have to make various changes to the old REA system to take account of the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling. These will include establishing criteria that the Labour Court must take into account when considering pay and conditions, allowing interested parties to make submissions, and introducing measures to ensure that both employers and unions are “substantially representative” in the relevant sector.

The law is also to include enforcement, compliance and anti-penalisation measures.

The Trust was set up by the Limerick Council of Trade Unions with the aim of erecting a memorial to the six men.

The weekend starts with the launch of a book, From the Shannon to the Ebro, which takes place at the Mechanics Institute, Hartstonge Street, at 7pm on Friday 12^th. There will be events at various Limerick locations over the weekend, which will include music, poetry, debate, and a public viewing of the film Goodbye Barcelona.

A parade will take place on Sunday 14^th September. It will assemble at the Mechanics’ Institute at 11.30am and proceed to the gardens of City Hall for the unveiling of the memorial. The parade will be led by trade union representatives from Ireland and the UK.

All unions affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are invited to attend and are encouraged to bring union flags and banners to the parade.

A full programme is available HERE.

An impressive line-up of speakers includes Tánaiste Joan Burton and homelessness campaigner Father Peter McVerry. The event, hosted by the union’s Boards and Voluntary Agencies' branch, will challenge policymakers and practitioners to outline practical measures to implement their commitments to tackle the capital’s homelessness crisis.

Other confirmed contributors include Wayne Stanley of Focus Ireland, Bob Jordan of Threshold, IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan, and Councillor Críona Ní Lathaigh who chairs Dublin City Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on housing.

Contact joconnor@impact.ie for more information.

Total direct and indirect tax contributions of households in Ireland brings together information on both direct (income tax and social insurance payments) and indirect (VAT, excise and levies) taxation.

Minister Nash, who was appointed as a ‘super junior’ minister with specific responsibility for collective bargaining in the recent cabinet re-shuffle, said the legislation would “significantly strengthen the rights of workers in companies that refuse to engage in collective bargaining, while strengthening statutory protection to guard against the victimisation of workers in such companies.”

A temporary arrangement to deal with homeless people discharged from hospital is now in place while a permanent protocol between the HSE and the Dublin regional homeless service is being developed. This is expected to be in place by October.

The staff concerned will continue to receive updates from the union as developments unfold.

The Minister for Justice has activated a section of the Data Protection Act that will end an “unfair and discriminatory recruitment practice” used by some employers to access data about prospective employees. The move will prevent employers asking interviewees to make requests under the Data Protection Acts to get information from current or past employers for use as a reference.

In a letter to unions outlining the new rules, ICTU’s legal and social affairs officer Esther Lynch said some employers had been exploiting job seekers’ rights in order to vet their employment records. These data requests could include seeking records of previous sick leave, parental leave, union membership, and grievances.

“It’s easy to see how the information in the data access request could be used by unscrupulous employers to unfairly discriminate against workers,” she said.

In future, breaches by employers will incur criminal penalties, which could mean fines of up to €100,000 depending on the seriousness of the offence. A copy of the legal documentation for this new statutory instrument is available here.

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

There’ll also be an opportunity to raise workplace issues with local union reps and put questions to senior union officials including general secretary Shay Cody and health chief Louise O’Donnell.

The event takes place at the Education and Research Centre, Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6w from 10am on Tuesday 4^th November. There’ll be more information in future ebulletins.

The proceeds will go to the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) which helps children overcome the trauma they’ve have experienced during the Israeli occupation of - and assaults on - Gaza. MECA provides support for treatment clinics as well as medical aid, counselling, play centres and libraries.

Get more information from 01-858-8217.