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The report calls for targeted programmes, aimed at distinct groups with varied labour market integration needs. These include programmes targeting young unemployed early school leavers, graduates, and those experiencing long-term unemployment.

The report, written by Dr Mary Murphy of Maynooth University, says that open market internships displace paid entry level employment, that internships need to be regulated, and that the culture of open market internships needs to be actively discouraged.

Concerns

IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan said that the research was prompted by growing concerns within IMPACT’s Education division at the improper use of the JobBridge scheme following the advertisement of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts on the JobBridge website in autumn 2014.

Kevin said “Even those who welcomed the introduction of JobBridge in 2011 have surely been troubled by the reports of abuse and exploitation which have dogged its reputation and greatly undermined its positive outcomes.

“An argument could be made that even a flawed instrument like JobBridge served some purpose in the context of stemming the tide of our skyrocketing levels of youth unemployment and emigration at the height of the economic collapse, but it is time to move on.” he said.

Regulation

Kevin said that trade unions have a key role to play in the development of more focused and regulated internship programmes and that the widespread lack of proper regulation and monitoring should not be tolerated any longer. “With strong economic growth now returning, and increasing employment levels, we need our labour activation measures to adapt to reflect these changing realities.

“The purpose of this research is to set out a new vision for labour activation and internship schemes. It contains proposals to establish a framework which would see the re-framing, restriction and re-sizing of Irish internship policy, providing a road map to a new and robust system of activation measures and internships in Ireland” he said.

The report recommends:

• That interns should be adequately compensated at the trainee rate of the minimum wage as a stepping stone to decent paid employment
• That the duration of state funded internships should be mediated on a case-by-case basis and  longer internships should offer possibility of progression
• That the number of active labour market internships should be proportionate to, and no more than, 5% of total active labour market interventions
• That internships should not be allowed in the public sector until there is full staffing and the recruitment moratorium is lifted
• That access to internship schemes be facilitated through a regional internship strategy and include working age claimants beyond the live register.

Kevin said that IMPACT strongly recommends that all participation in active labour market measures is voluntary and that support mechanisms are needed to assist vulnerable participants.

Evaluation

Speaking at the launch of the report, Minister of State with responsibility for Employment, Community and Social Support, Kevin Humphreys TD, said “I welcome the IMPACT report on JobBridge and will consider all recommendations. Now that we are in a very different place to where we were four years ago when JobBridge was launched, it is only right that the scheme should be reviewed and revised to take account of changed economic circumstances and operational experience.”

Minister Humphreys said he had met with JobBridge interns who had completely changed their careers and successfully use the JobBridge scheme to combat the problem of not being able to get a job without experience nor experience without a job. “Research shows the longer you are out of work, the harder it is to get back to work. JobBridge is designed to break that cycle” he said.

He added that an in-depth evaluation of jobseeker outcomes from a range of activation programmes, including JobBridge, will be undertaken this year, and that suggestions outlined in the IMPACT report would be taken into account as part of the evaluation.

 The full report and its executive summary are available here.

The Labour Court has recommended the restoration of a fixed sum travel allowance at Sligo County Council on the basis that the allowance was abolished without exhausting agreed dispute resolution procedures. The Labour Court hearing took place in March, and Sligo County Council has accepted the recommendation, which requires the allowance to be restored from the date of its abolition.

IMPACT official Richy Carrothers, representing IMPACT staff at the local authority, made the case to the Labour Court that the employer had made a unilateral decision to withdraw the fixed sum travel allowance, that the taxable allowance formed part of staff pay and that staff should be compensated for the loss in line with public service agreements.

IMPACT sought compensation for the loss of the allowance in accordance with the public service agreement, which has entailed a practice of a loss of earnings formula of 1.5 times the annual loss.

The Labour Court recommendation states that the matter of whether the fixed travel allowance comes under the protection of public service agreements, and whether it should be replaced by a standard travel allowance, should be the subject of national discussions “through the appropriate negotiating structures” as a recommendation by the Court will have implications in other local authorities.

Richy said that the Labour Court’s recommendation was clearly a positive outcome for members in Sligo. “The really important part of this recommendation is that the Labour Court won’t allow employers to act unilaterally, which is of even greater significance for our members all across the country” he said.

In advance of the marriage equality referendum on 22nd May, a number of #VoteWithUs videos have been launched by IMPACT.

Calling for a ‘YES’ vote, IMPACT general secretary Shay Cody highlights the injustice of excluding the LGBT community from marriage equality. He is joined by a number of IMPACT activists and staff members explaining their support for the campaign.

#VoteWithUs videos offer an interesting insight into why people are voting ‘YES’. Supporters can make their own video sharing their reasons for voting for equal marriage.

Following a unanimously endorsed motion from the Sligo branch at IMPACT’s biennial conference last year, IMPACT is actively supporting the campaign for a ‘YES’ vote in the referendum. IMPACT members are continuing to take the initiative in a number of ways. The Dublin City branch, for example, are developing their ‘love equality’ campaign by placing marriage equality adverts on Dublin Buses.

IMPACT is encouraging members and branches nationwide to get involved with the campaign.

The Yes Equality campaign website is here and is packed with information and events.

Readers of the IMPACT e-bulletin can take part in our Readers’ Poll. Let us know how you intend to vote in the marriage equality referendum by clicking here. The survey is hosted via Survey Monkey and participation is anonymous.

As the referendum approaches opportunities to support the equality campaign are spreading throughout the country. In the run up to the vote the Yes Equality National Bus Tour will be travelling to every County in the state gathering support and recruiting volunteers. Keep an eye out for the bus in your local area. 

With a month of campaigning left there are real opportunities to get involved and help make history. We can all play a part in changing society for the better. Spread the word, do what you can to support local events and most importantly get out and vote on 22^nd May!

IMPACT members working at Sligo County Council have voted in favour of industrial action in response to management proposals to impose compulsory redeployments on workers at the local authority.

The ballot result, released on Tuesday, saw 78% of those balloted vote in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action, if management attempts to impose compulsory redeployment.

IMPACT official Richy Carrothers explained that compulsory redeployments in the local authority are not necessary. “Since 2008 there has been a staff reduction of nearly 200 posts. There is a strong argument that Sligo County Council is, in fact, understaffed when you consider the range and number of services being provided across the county” he said.

Richy added that expressions of interest issued by management for voluntary redeployment were ‘vague’ and contained no information about roles, functions or locations.

Workforce planning

Sligo County Council produced a workforce plan just two months before the Government deadline in December 2013. Richy explained that the union had serious concerns about management proposals, which included plans to outsource areas of work. A subsequent financial plan developed by the Council included plans for staff redeployment, to suppress posts, abolish acting positions, as well as proposals for the closure and reduction of some services.

Richy explained “This plan has yet to be signed off by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, and discussions about the plan have been confined to senior management at the local authority, elected councillors and the department itself. Trade unions representing staff have been excluded from the workforce plan discussions entirely.”

Richy said that there is still no workforce plan proposal for Sligo County Council, and this has meant that requirements under the Haddington Road agreement, in relation to the regularisation of acting posts, have not been met. “We want to see a fair and negotiated resolution to the regularisation of acting posts, consistent with what has been achieved in other local authorities. Without a workforce plan, this can’t be realised” he said.

Richy said that industrial action, which would initially take the form of a work to rule and non-cooperation, can be avoided if Sligo County Council could commit to no compulsory redeployments. “Management also need to work toward reaching an agreement with us on long term acting and the development of a workforce plan that is fair, equitable and transparent. We believe that industrial action can be avoided on that basis.”

Richy said that talks had taken place with management in recent weeks and were continuing.

IMPACT’s Education division held its conference in Galway in early April. Here’s a roundup of the main news items from the conference.

Divisional chair Gina O'Brien spoke on RTE's Morning Ireland about the range of issues covered by the conference, you can listen to that interview here. Gina’s opening address to conference is available here.

The Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan, made a commitment to tackle working conditions for special needs assistants (SNAs) in schools. The minister covered a wide range of issues, including upcoming pay restoration talks.

Also on the agenda was Early Childhood Care and concerns about cuts to the School Completion Programmes (SCP).  A copy of Minister O'Sullivan's speech is available here, and a copy of IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan's response is available here.

Delegates also voted on a motion to seek improved recognition on pregnancy related sick leave, and RTE's Sean O'Rourke spoke to school secretary Marion Jackson about the issue of grant paid school secretaries. IMPACT delegates also passed an emergency motion to support Dunnes Stores workers in their dispute with the retailer.

Talks between IMPACT and education management bodies, over the fragmentation of special needs assistants (SNA) posts, are due to commence next week. IMPACT SNAs balloted last month for industrial action over the issue, which has seen members lose hours and pay as a result of revised SNA allocations each academic year.

The Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan, took the opportunity to call for talks between unions and school management bodies over the issue when she attended the union’s Education division conference earlier this month.

Acknowledging that IMPACT had asked her to issue a direction to prevent the fragmentation of posts, the minister said that “under the Education Act, I am required to consult with all relevant bodies before exercising my powers as a Minister. And so I can’t simply issue a direction. I can however, start a negotiation, involving both unions and management bodies, to find a solution. And that is what I am doing.

“The Department has written to management bodies, to unions, and to the National Council for Special Education. We have asked all parties to come together over the next couple of weeks, to understand the challenges facing management bodies that are leading to this trend and to start putting in place a solution to address your union’s concerns – concerns which I share – about the hours worked by SNAs and the wages that they earn.”

IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan said the minister’s invitation was a welcome development. “The invitation by the minister to gather all of the parties involved is a good starting point, and we hope this is the beginning of a process that will solve this particular problem.

“We received a very strong mandate from our members to engage in industrial action if it becomes necessary. The level of support for the ballot reflected the deep anger and frustration of members about what has been happening.

“SNAs need to have an assurance about their working hours that’s consistent with the protections afforded to other public servants under the terms of the Haddington Road agreement. That’s what we’re working toward achieving” he said.

The first meeting with school management bodies will take place next week.

IMPACT has warned of the threat posed by the proposed trade deal between Europe and the US, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Speaking at a seminar at the European Parliament Offices last week, IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan, representing the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, focused on employment rights and how the agreement is likely to affect public services.

Kevin said “Trade unions do not oppose free trade but, as currently constructed, the proposed TTIP is fundamentally anti-democratic and constitutes a real threat to sovereignty. The balance is tilted heavily towards big business and away from the ordinary citizen.”

Kevin said a number of specific aspects of the agreement that caused alarm, “The additional ‘investor protections’ in the Agreement go above and beyond the property rights already enjoyed by companies and threaten democracy, labour rights and public services.

“Democracy would be breached by corporate control as the government, afraid of being sued, would have its hands tied in the creation of legislation. Companies that would claim compensation from the state would not even do so in the courts of law but in secret unaccountable arbitration” he said.

Kevin said TTIP would erode public service provision by further liberalising the trade in services, including public services. “The world is becoming a more insecure place by the day, this agreement would solidify that reality for our children. Whatever basic protections workers enjoy would come under pressure. No agreement is worth the effects this one would have on our society, especially when the case for economic growth is by no means certain” he said.

Deborah O’Connor, from IMPACT’s Munster SNA Branch, spoke to the motion at conference.  She told delegates “The work is thoroughly rewarding, but sometimes we are placed in difficult situations with children who can become aggressive. I haven’t suffered serious injury myself, but on one occasion I was knocked down in the corridor and had my glasses broken. I have seen colleagues being grabbed by the mouth, bitten and head-butted resulting in bleeding and bruising.”

IMPACT conducted a survey of SNA members in 2013 which showed that 59% of respondents had been assaulted in the previous five years and that 36% of those were assaulted on a daily or weekly basis.

Deborah told delegates she hasn’t received training in five years. “In that time, policy has changed and we have not been trained in alternative methods to manage challenging or aggressive behaviour. I’ve seen colleagues suffer major injury and return to work the next day, this reflects the dedication of SNA staff, but that doesn’t mean it’s right. We need an occupational injury scheme and to be trained in the best techniques to manage challenging behaviour.”

The tale of The Limerick Soviet, an intriguing part of Limerick’s revolutionary history, will be told by a new documentary shown for the first time on Mayday, Friday 1^st May, 2015 at the city’s Lime Tree Theatre.

In April 1919, Limerick workers defied British martial law, declaring a general strike and taking over the city for twelve days.

The documentary scrutinizes events leading up to the establishment of Ireland’s first soviet. It reveals what happened during the strike and explores its relevance in Ireland today.

Limerick Council of Trade Unions, in collaboration with Frameworks Films Cork, has been working on producing the film for the past year. Although there is a lot of excitement about the release of the film, the event will also be a poignant one for many in attendance.

President of Limerick Council of Trade Unions, Mike McNamara, explained, “This documentary will be dedicated to the memory of our late colleague Frank Prendergast who was involved in the making of this documentary. Sadly, Frank passed away before we completed the work and I am sure it is a fitting tribute to a great friend and mentor that we remember him in this way.”

Tickets for The Limerick Soviet are priced at €5.00 with proceeds going towards the cost of the production. You can book tickets here.