Tuesday Tidings
by Róisín McKane

Poverty among working lone parents has more than doubled over a five-year period up to 2017, according to a new report from the Society of St Vincent de Paul. The 'Working, Parenting and Struggling' report found that one in 11 working lone parents was living below the poverty line in 2012, but that number had jumped to one in five by 2017. The report says the high cost of housing and childcare, combined with low levels of income, were making it very difficult for many families with children to make ends meet.

 

The Examiner reports that construction workers are seeking pay rises of 12% over three years. SIPTU says it is looking to the Labour Court to establish a new Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) for the construction industry.

 

Nurses working in the acute mental health unit (AMHU) at Cork University Hospital (CUH) are considering industrial action in protest at being asked to triage patients who present out-of-hours. industrial agreement reached prior to the opening of the unit in 2015 made no reference to an out-of-hours triage service.

 

In further industrial news SIPTU members working in First Choice Credit Union in Ballyhaunis, Achill and Castlebar have served notice of industrial action in a dispute concerning pay, travel time and other terms and conditions at the company.

 

A research group made up entirely of young people with experience of Tusla have created a new website to help others like them access the services of the child and family agency. The site, changingfutures.ie will offer young people support in areas such as engaging with social workers or accessing educational support.

 

The Indo reports that negotiations around a proposed profit-share scheme at DAA are understood to have made progress. Staff reportedly fear however, they could be offered a similar deal to that proposed recently for Aer Lingus staff seeking a similar scheme. In January, the Labour Court recommended that instead of a fully fledged profit share scheme Aer Lingus should offer staff a once-off pay rise of 1pc, as well as a €300 voucher. This is proposal is due to be balloted upon by staff. 

 

The Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) have been slammed as "not even being in line with 2005 rents" in a report by The Indo this morning. Just 8pc of private rental properties on Daft.ie analysed in a three-day snapshot study were available within the scheme's levels in November 2018.

 

A man in Britain has become the second known adult worldwide to be cleared of HIV after he received a bone marrow transplant from a virus-resistant donor, his doctors said.

 

As it's pancake Tuesday we have a history of the pancake and selection of pancake recipes for your zen. 

 

Have a good day folks. 

 

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