Lucky Jim
by Niall Shanahan

The strike action by Enable Ireland staff in Cork last Friday was covered extensively by the Irish Examiner at the weekend, as Liz Dunphy delivered the news story and Mick Clifford examined the wider context and how the State exploits the sector for cheaper health service delivery. Donal O'Keefe also covers Friday's strike in the Echo, reflecting extensive coverage of last week's strikes by regional media outlets.

 

Elsewhere, the Business Post reported that An Bord Pleanála has paused plans to outsource elements of its corporate governance after Fórsa warned that the move would cause “serious personal discord.” Meanwhile, the group of unions' plans to lodge a joint pay claim at Aer Lingus gets the attention of Ferghal O'Connor at the Indo.

 

In other news there's the A to Z of Budget day (which takes place tomorrow), while some of the (leaked) measures, including free primary school books, and tax breaks for renters, get a preview in the Irish Times.

 

Zen

 

This week will be, by any measure, a strange one for those of us who’ve been working with our esteemed colleague, friend and Zen-gatherer Bernard Harbor, as he retires from Fórsa later this week. The week will be tinged with a little sadness of course, but full of our collective good wishes for Bernard’s next chapter. Purveyors of rare books across Europe should probably be put on some sort of alert, as he will be digging through their shelves with gusto before long.

 

While I was driving between picket lines in Connacht and Munster last week I had a chance to catch up on a few episodes from the BBC's Desert Island Discs archive. A recent episode I’d recommend to you features Bernard’s former colleague from his TGWU days in London, the TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady. Frances (or ‘FOG’ as Bernard has often affectionately referred to her) is also stepping away from her trade union role this year after decades of dedicated service, so the inclusion here seems apt.

 

Among her (frankly excellent) musical choices is the 1970 hit Double Barrel by Dave and Ansel Collins, included here as your Zen and dedicated to our friend and colleague as he sets sail for a new future in seas of fresh adventure.

 

Best wishes Bernard.

 

Niall

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