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Vol. 10 No.1 January 2011 ISSN 0791-458X

CHANGE IS IN

THE National Executive of SIPTU dominating the 31st Dáil. SIPTU “For three years SIPTU and four year austerity plan set out by the (NEC) has urged union members to General President, Jack O’Connor, said Congress have argued for an alternative outgoing Government which places the vote for the Labour Party and transfer that it was clear that the current deep economic and fiscal strategy to protect burden on working people and fails to Yto other partOies and candidatesUeconomRic and social crisis couldHnot ANDS and create jobs and to avoid the sav - impose any significant burden on the that support the principle of social sol - be resolved by a Government commit - age attack made on the incomes and wealthy in our society,” Jack O’Connor idarity in the forthcoming general elec - ted to the brutal austerity and anti- living standards of working people in said. tion. worker programmes of the past three this country. During the long-awaited general Following a lengthy discussion at years. “We opposed the terms of the election campaign political parties and the NEC meeting in Kilkenny on Friday “While every voter has of course recent EU/IMF loan facility which 21st January, the NEC has effectively the right to exercise their democratic candidates will be exposed to unprece - recommended to the 200,000 SIPTU choice in the privacy of the ballot box, places an impossible burden on the dented scrutiny in relation to their members that they use their consider - the NEC has taken this opportunity to Irish tax payer and we opposed the policies and their plans to bring the able voting power to prevent right-of- express its view as to what is best for Finance Bill which gives effect to the crippled Irish economy out of reces - centre parties and those that encour - our members and their families,” Jack unfair December budget. sion.The fact that Labour Party was age social division and inequality from O’Connor said. “We are equally opposed to the the only party to oppose • Continued P2 2 Liberty JANUARY 2011 NEWS

POLICIES , not personalities, should King said. “There are huge concerns over decide the outcome of the general elec - the quality and delivery of our health tion, and for SIPTU members the key service not least in relation to access to cAoncerns are the protectNion of jobs and EWBy PATDRICIA AKING Wemergency care and cNancer treatments.” incomes and a strategy for economic “Tens of thousands of children attend recovery, SIPTU Vice-President, Patricia sub-standard school buildings and the King has said. quality of public services generally has With more than 440,000 people out been savaged over recent years.” of work and an estimated 100,000, “The most vulnerable communities mainly young people, expected to emi - have been hit through cuts to community grate over the next two years, the party or programmes and employment schemes parties that can deliver real economic while the sick and old are now, more than growth is the priority for union members ever treated as second hand citizens.” Employment Agreements which protect “We are facing four years of austerity and their families, she told Liberty. “Only a radical political alternative the incomes of over half a million work - under the plan agreed with the EU/IMF “SIPTU members are also deeply can address these fundamental problems. ers,” Patricia King said. and a new Government will have to be concerned that any new Government Policies, not personalities, should deter - forceful enough to re-negotiate those reverses the unfair, and financially unjus - However, there is much more at stake mine who forms the next Government and terms in such a way that the burden is tified, cut to the minimum wage and in this election campaign including the who leads us to a fairer and more just shared more equally by those with the resists the clear effort, endorsed during vicious attack on incomes in the recent society,” she said. the discussions with the EU/IMF to dis - budget through tax increases and the ability to pay more and particularly by unfair introduction of the Universal those who got us into this unholy finan - mantle the structures of the Employment Patricia King is Vice-President of SIPTU Regulation Orders and the Registered Service Charge, she said. cial mess in the first place,” Patricia SIPTU NEC calls on members to vote Labour • From Page 1 is the view held by many on the also been pressing for many government of the left and will Congress and SIPTU over recent the disastrous bank guarantee NEC that a strong Labour Party years for the right to collective continue to fight for that out - years, the NEC has recommend - scheme in the Dáil in late presence in a government bargaining to be enshrined in come but we must ensure that ed to our members that their September 2008 had a major which, on the basis of current domestic law and the Labour the influence of Fine Gael or any first preference votes should go impact on the deliberations of opinion polls could be led by Party leader, Eamon Gilmore, other centre right party is bal - to the Labour Party in the forth - the NEC while its proposals for a Fine Gael, is essential if the gave a commitment to introduce anced in the next government.” coming election the outcome of State investment bank and the advances made by SIPTU and such legislation when he “While we recognise that which is so vital for the future of necessity for an urgent injection other trade unions in respect of addressed Congress at its bien - other parties have endorsed our working people, to ensure bal - of funds into job creation meas - job and income security are to nial conference in 2009,” Jack proposals for recovery and ance in government.” ures was also significant. be protected. O’Connor said. “Of course, we growth, and many other detailed More importantly, however, “SIPTU and the ICTU has would prefer to see a Labour led policy positions promoted by Liberty 3 NEWS JANUARY 2011 USC change welcomed MEET SIPTU’S but it’s still not enough UPROAR at the impact the Universal look for a job. Among the hardest hit Social Charge (USC) has had on work - will be the elderly, particularly those ers’ pay in January may have forced a forced to take up employment DÁIL HOPEFULS U-turn on the Government – but the because they cannot get by on their changes fall far short of what is need - inadequate pensions.” ed, SIPTU researcher Lorainne Pat Cody The expected €80 million short - Mulligan has claimed. fall in tax will be recouped through a The Labour Party has not She said: “The announcement held two seats in the that Medical Card holders will be sub - surcharge of 3% on self-employed Wexford constituency since ject to a maximum rate of 4% rather people earning more than €100,000. the 1950’s but that could than 7% does not disguise the fact Lorainne Mulligan described this change very soon. Pat Cody that this vulnerable group are still as “a welcome step” in redressing the works as a nurse in St required to contribute beyond their unfairness of Budget 2011 which Senan’s Psychiatric Hospital means by remaining liable for the 2% actually benefitted very high earners. in Enniscorthy. He is mar - and 4% rates. She added: “For example, a self- ried with one child. He is a “They were exempt from the old employed person on €175,000 would member of the SIPTU health levy and did not pay PRSI if Nursing Sector and Psyc- have paid €1,931 less under the USC unemployed.” scheme as originally set out in the hiatric Nurses committees Lorainne Mulligan pointed out Budget, than under the old system, and an honorary branch that Medical Card holders now face when they were liable for the income organiser. The people of an expense while they have to get by Wexford now have a chance, on lower social welfare payments – and health levies. not only to elect a second especially if they are unemployed. “It is now crucially important to Labour TD, but to send an She said: “In fact, bringing low- ensure loopholes and exemptions that experienced union activist income households into the tax net in facilitate avoidance are not allowed to and nurse to the Dáil on this way will not incentivise anyone to emerge.” their behalf. Pat’s election campaign kicked off in style on 5th January when it was officially launched by Waste workers in vote to Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore, in Enniscorthy. strike over privatisation SIPTU members working in the waste were proceeding with these plans for collection service of South Dublin outsourcing.” He said the decision to County Council (SDCC) have voted over - put this work out to contract was a whelmingly in favour of strike action breach of the commitments given on the over plans to privatise the bin collection continued use of direct labour in the service. (Croke Park Agreement), as well as in Marie Maloney SIPTU organiser Conor O’Gorman previous national and local agreements Marie is standing in the Kerry South claimed the action is being taken between SIPTU and SDCC. constituency for the Labour Party. She because of South Dublin County Conor O’Gorman added: “We are works in the SIPTU hub office in Tralee Council’s unilateral decision to discon - willing and eager to continue our dis - and previously as an administrative tinue waste collection by direct labour. cussions with the council to ensure the assistant for the union in Killarney. Born He said: “For more than a year future viability of the service. and raised in Kilcummin, Marie lives SIPTU has been engaged in discussions “The council is bound by the terms with husband Mike, son Michael and with SDCC over a restructuring of the of the Croke Park Agreement and if it is daughter Leona and worked for many waste collection service. willing to abide by the section referring years as constituency secretary for for - “In October last, the management to outsourcing we can resolve this with - mer Labour TD, Breeda Moynihan gave a commitment in the Labour out recourse to strike action. Cronin. Marie is a member of Kerry Relations Commission (LRC) to maintain “This whole situation again high - County Council and has been active in the direct labour service. lights the need for regulation of the the community for many years. “It is now quite clear to SIPTU waste industry.” members that even at that time they

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER TO VOTE! Go to www.checktheregister.ie or check the register in your local Colm Keaveney Garda station or library Colm is a Labour Party councillor from Students are entitled to a postal vote Tuam in East Galway. He has represented Tuam since 1999 and was elected to Galway County Council in 2004 and since then he has always worked tirelessly for his Nurse student pay warning constituents. He is a former president of SIPTU has warned the state will reap move as an attempt to introduce a form “the painful rewards” for moving to of slave labour into the health service. the Union of Students Ireland where he phase out pay for student nurses and She added: “The Department of played a major part in many campaigns, midwives on work placement. Health has attempted to justify this such as the abolition of third level fees. Health Division Sector Organiser, move by comparing our system to other Colm believes in a sustainable economy Louise O’Reilly, claimed this would have systems internationally. However, com - where people are rewarded for their work, “far reaching implications” for our parisons cannot be drawn as our stu - dent nurses and midwives work while an efficient transport system that gets you health service. to where you need to be, an education sys - they learn and are members of the team She said: “It is incredible that engaged in hands-on activity and who tem that will not leave our children wanting while our health service is crying out for replace staff nurses on the roster on a and a health system that cares. He is mar - frontline professionals, the Government 2:1 basis. ried to Deirdre with whom he has three has chosen to effectively make it impos - “This will only serve to drive young, children and lives in Kilcreevanty, just out - sible to attract and recruit young people enthusiastic men and women from the side Tuam. to the professions of nursing and mid - profession and the state will reap the wifery.” Louise O’Reilly described the painful rewards for this.”

BIG 10 CHALLENGES FOR NEXT HEALTH MINISTER PAGE 5 4 Liberty JANUARY 2011 NEWS CONGRESS ANGER OVER

MINIMUMCONGRESS Whas called on thAe Gment aEnd advises Athat “bestDprac - V“The Ecut to thRe minimumT wage Minister for Enterprise to withdraw a tice suggests that any change in an will not save the taxpayer one cent ‘potentially unlawful’ Government employee’s rate of pay would be or create a single new job. The advertisement that provides mis - agreed between the employer and Government – or what’s left of it – leading advice on changes to the employee.” also has to explain why it has Minimum Wage. But David Begg said: “There is rushed in this cut a full four months General Secretary David Begg a profound difference between ‘best before the date mentioned in the has written to caretaker Minister practice” and legal necessity. IMF/ ECB bailout deal. Mary Hanafin requesting that she It is a matter of both statute “What is so urgent? The withdraws the ad, which appeared and contract law that there must be IMF/ECB Memorandum of recently in a number of newspapers. agreement between employees and Understanding says the measure The official advertisement sets employers before wages can be will be implemented by May 2011. out the terms of the Ministerial reduced. “But Minister O’Keefe chose to Order that cuts the Minimum Wage cut the wage as the last act of his by one euro – from €8.65 to €7.65 ministerial and political career. per hour.The cut is due to come into Government needs to explain this – force on 1st February. and the new Government needs to Congress had already pointed reverse this miserable measure.” cut in the out workers on the €8.65 rate can - Anyone worried about the Congress has put in place a d call: not have their pay cut – without minimum wage rate shoul team to coordinate the union their consent and agreement. response to the wage cut. A union However, the Government ad help line and support service will 18 300 900 be available during February. David Begg: Advert will appears to ignore this legal require - 08 cause massive confusion Batt’s euro cut was just the start,

REAs andDespitEe strenuRous opOposition frsom aThesre areelegally enrforceable satandarlds of tthae law bry regmovingethe ‘oftfencse’ alto - By Michael Halpenny the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and pay and conditions agreed between gether! most parties in the Dáil, not to mention employers and workers through their The effect of this would be to open BEFORE he turned off his office lights many right-thinking people of all political unions which establish a ‘level playing the way to mass exploitation of workers in and headed for the foothills of retirement, hues and none, this last act by the pitch’ for employer and worker alike and these parts of the labour market to the one of the last acts of the outgoing departing Minister represented yet anoth - which also ensure fair competition and point at which even decent employers Minister for Enterprise Trade and er step by Government to aid employers stable industrial relations. who want to observe reasonable stan - Innovation, Batt O’Keefe, did was to sign in their bid to dismantle worker protec - They generally apply in vulnerable dards will not be able to compete and the Order to cut the National Minimum tions. sectors of the economy such as hotels, will believe they have to join ‘the cheap Wage by one euro on February 1, taking This move was all the more galling in catering, construction, agriculture, and labour brigade’ in the ‘race to the bot - €39 a week out of the pay packet of that it was implemented a full four security and so on, where left to their tom’. nearly 50,000 vulnerable low paid work - months before any EU/IMF requirement own devices, employers have been If there is a way out of the cur - ers. to do so, and a matter of weeks before shown to compete with each rent banker and property specu - the election of a new Government which, other by forcing down There lator-led crisis, it can cer - by all expectations, should be composed wages. are 19 EROs in tainly not be on the backs of parties who declared themselves This is no coin - total covering more of the most vulnerable publicly against the proposal. cidence, either, in workers. It has been well argued that the that these areas than 300,000 workers. It was lack of reg - proposal also lacks any justification, are precisely those The REAs deal with ulation at the top that hits at the most vulnerable in the which have been industries such as got us into this workforce on top of other austerity identified by the the construction , printing unprecedented mess. measures and represents a signifi - International Labour Cutting the pay of cant transfer of wealth away from Organisation (ILO) in industries and with low-paid workers and dis - the very low paid to the employers, their 2005 Report as electrical contractors. mantling the regulation of with no benefit to the State. being the very sectors pay and conditions will not What has not been pinpointed globally which are most get us out. much in public debate (except by exposed to exploitation of workers in all It is important that all parties and workers and their unions) is that the its forms. candidates going before the electorate Minimum Wage is just the prelimi - While unions, on their own account, call for a reversal to the minimum wage nary target of the employers. and the National Employment Rights cut publicly declare their opposition to The actual primary targets are the Authority (NERA), on behalf of the com - any further dismantling of these other mechanisms for the protection of munity, have been pursuing the applica - protections against worker exploitation. workers in vulnerable areas of the econo - tion and, where required, enforcement of SIPTU will continue to campaign my – the Registered Employment the wages and conditions under the vigorously to defend these protections, Agreements (REA’s) and REA’s and ERO’s, some employers have and we are calling on all union members Employment been busy lobbying both privately and to unite behind this campaign and make Regulation publicly to dismantle them altogether. their vote count! Michael Halpenny: ‘Race Orders Their intention is to relieve them - Michael Halpenny is Head of SIPTU Legal Rights Unit. to the bottom’ warning (ERO’s). selves of the burden of complying with Liberty 5 NEWS JANUARY 2011 BIG CHALLENGES FOR THE 0 1 NEXT HIt isEoften sAaid that Lyou cTan judgHe a society bMy how it treaIts Ntell yIou thSat the deTvelopmeEnt of suR pports 1. PRIVATISATION its most vulnerable and nowhere is this more important in the community is the only way that this than in our health service. We are a society, not just an issue can be safely addressed and to do The scourge of privatisation is destroying this the Government needs to make good our public health service and will never economy, and improving our health service for those who on the commitments in ‘Vision for Change’ deliver the quality our citizens deserve. work in it and for those who depend on it must surely be and to switch the focus onto community Once you introduce the profit motive into the best place to start as we try to rebuild our shattered based mental health care. We cannot health care, then you treat your patients on economy and society. So what, asks SIPTU Health Division allow our young people to continue to take the basis of ability to pay rather than need Organiser LOUISE O’REILLY , can the next Minister for Health do their own lives when this tragedy is pre - and this is not a good foundation for to rebuild our public health service? ventable. rebuilding our society. Those who depend on the public service are men and women ered where it is needed. We have repeated - who are among the most vulnerable and 4. GRADUATES ly called on the HSE to introduce agreed 9. CO-LOCATED HOSPITALS they need a service that can meet their standards which seek to place care and It is to the credit of SIPTU and other needs – not a company chasing profits. Nursing graduates are being educated for quality before business and profit and the organisations that campaigned against co- We have seen the impact of privatisation in export and this cannot be allowed to con - new Minister can and should insist that location that not one brick has been laid the homecare sector and the new Minister tinue. Irish nursing graduates are among this is done. The new Minister will have an for a co-located hospital along the lines for Health must ensure that trend is the most valued internationally and our opportunity to undo some of the damage envisaged by the outgoing Minister for reversed in favour of directly employed new Minister must recognise this. We need caused by the former Minister and remind Health. It is now within the gift of the new workers. to provide these graduates with jobs to the men and women who deliver quality ensure that their education is not provided Minister to re-align the focus of govern - health services that those in authority ment away from co-location and privatisa - for the benefit of other countries. The deci - intend to put patients before profit. 2. MORATORIUM sion of the outgoing Minister to phase out tion and towards public health care. The myth that Irish healthcare will be improved Under the Croke Park Agreement redeploy - pay for fourth year students must be 7. CANCER CARE by the introduction of profiteering has been ment is the preferred means to staff vacant reversed immediately if we are to ensure a debunked by health policy analysts as well posts. This process must be prioritised. supply of graduates that is so essential to The outgoing Minister had a lot to say as health care professionals – it is now However, there is no getting away from the the running of our health service. about centres of excellence and her plans time to put the nail in the coffin of the fact that the moratorium on recruitment to revolutionise cancer care in Ireland. idea of co-location and to acknowledge has a disproportionate impact on our front - However, centres of excellence are only 5. ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY that SIPTU and other campaigners were line health service. The moratorium must part of the story and the new Minister right and that this will not work. be re-examined in light of the adverse There is much that can be done to allevi - needs to focus on excellent prevention – impact it is having on patient care and ate the problem of overcrowding in our expanding screening programmes and com - service delivery. Accident and Emergency Departments. munity-based aftercare. Centres of excel - 10. CROKE PARK AGREEMENT The new Minister for Health must put an lence are to be welcomed but it is not fair The new Minister for Health will see that end to this national emergency by listening to draw a line down the middle of the 3. MENTAL HEALTH there is great potential for change and to the nurses and other healthcare staff country and say to our citizens those on improvement outlined in the Croke Park Under ‘Vision for Change’ – the outgoing who provide this service and who see one side have services and those on the Agreement and this will need to be max - Government’s detailed paper on mental where the problems are and how they can other have nothing. There is an imbalance imised. The new Minister must take health – we should see the development of be addressed. A forum which allows this in the way that cancer care is delivered responsibility for the HSE and for the community services and the dismantling of vital conversation to happen should be and this must be addressed. delivery of this Agreement. Those nurses old institutions. Increasingly, we see the convened as soon as possible. and healthcare workers who deliver top goals on dismantling being achieved with - 8. SUICIDE PREVENTION quality care have led change in the past out the development of community servic - 6. HOME CARE PROVISION and have never been found wanting when es. The new Minister must listen to nurses Acting Offaly Coroner, Brian Mahon, has their clients and patients need them. That and healthcare professionals who are work - This multi-million euro industry has been described the increase in the numbers of needs to be recognised and rewarded and ing in the service and who are willing to allowed to thrive at the expense of directly people taking their own lives as a ‘serious they need to be part of any changes into co-operate with the ‘Vision for Change’ but employed home helps and home care situation’. Suicide, while most prevalent the future. The Croke Park Agreement not with the selected sections on which the providers. This service is big business and among young men, is on the increase facilitates this and the new Minister must HSE focuses. The new Minister needs to needs to be taken back from speculators across all categories and is an issue which lead this process. get serious about developing community and business people and put in the hands needs to be tackled by any incoming based services. of the HSE so that this care can be deliv - Minister head-on. Psychiatric nurses will Louise O’Reilly is a SIPTU Health Sector Organiser.

HEALTH WARNING! Louise O’Reilly looks at Harney’s record as Health Minister Mary’s abject legacy of failure THE best way to sum up Mary portfolio, Ms Harney claimed that through the introduction of the dealing with that emergency. Harney’s legacy would be to go to she would take on the vested Fair Deal Programme, Home Care We repeatedly called on the any one of our hospitals and ask interests in the health service. Packages and other measures Minister to take action on a num - a patient waiting on a trolley or a She never understood that presided over the increased pri - ber of serious national issues chair in A&E what they think of the citizens of this state all have vatisation of our health service. from mental health funding to her record in health? Or maybe a vested interest in our health SIPTU took the decision not the moratorium on recruitment we could ask an elderly person service and that rather than take to invite her to our Nursing and she has failed every time. who is waiting on a stepdown on what she perceived to be vest - Conference some years ago as We pledged to fight co-locat - bed that is not available ed interests, she should have the members of the Nursing ed hospitals – another of her what they think of spoken to those who were repre - Council felt that it would be plans – and not one has been the woman who senting the greatest asset that inappropriate to invite the built to date. dubbed him or her the health service has – the men Minister who has brought our This Minister leaves the a bed blocker? and women who work in it – and health service to the point of health service in much worse When she asked them what they need to ‘national emergency’ to speak to condition than she found it and took the health deliver a better service. She has, the men and women who are she will be remembered for that. 6 Liberty JANUARY 2011 NEWS Contract cleaners in drive to defend ERO

By Paul Gavan

CONTRACT Cleaning Workers have vowed to mount a vigorous political campaign in defence of their Employment Regulation Order (ERO). Activists representing workers in hos - pitals, public transport, universities and other large sites across Dublin met in Liberty Hall on 22nd January to finalise their plans for the coming battle. They joined SIPTU organisers and representatives from the Migrant Rights Defence vow: Contract cleaners, SIPTU organisers and MRCI reps held a strategy meeting in Liberty Hall Centre of Ireland (MRCI) which is a strategic partner in the campaign. The burning issue within the industry at present is the threat to wages con - What are EROs? tained in the Government’s proposal to THEY may sound complicated but ERO’s are basical - review the Contract Cleaning ly very simple to understand. They are agreements Employment Regulation Order as part of between worker representatives and employers on an overall review of EROs. the rates of pay and conditions in various industries. This review, due to be completed The current minimum rate of pay for the contract before the end of March, could see a cut cleaning industry is €9.50 per hour and acts as a of up to 20% to the basic wage of con - floor to higher rates of pay. tract cleaners. This new potential threat to wages comes on the Valentina Christenson, a contract back of budget tax increases for low paid workers cleaner working in Leo Pharma said: like contract cleaners and cuts to children’s “This will affect our families, our chil - allowance. dren, our future.” Activists, outraged at the threat of this further attack on their wages, will return to their places of work this week with plans to launch a series of con - stituency-based petitions across all work sites to defend their terms and condi - tions. Meetings will then be organised em with local candidates Th et ! from all the major t L RO n’ r E political parties to Do u Antoinette Byrne & Frances Bracket attended n o establish where they Bi meeting. Forum chair Amanda Ziemele, right

stand with regard to t is our ERO? Wha gulation oyment Re ning Empl rker ntract Clea tween wo the government spon - The Co reement be ) is the ag termines Order (ERO es that de s and boss hat we resentative onditions t and a range of other key bailing out the richest people in the GJP said: “The Government will not rep n and the c uch we ear ttack. sored review of EROs. how m ’s under a ut today it work in. B greement. iew” this a ant to “rev wage. issues. country. We cannot allow this review to listen to one worker standing alone, but ernment w e minimum The Gov e way of th There will also be a annot go th The ERO c do? Amanda Ziemele, a result in the ERO going the same way as our voices together will be loud enough at can we ion Wh to take act number of public e together time to com Now is the have. ld what we contract cleaner working at we can ho or the minimum wage.” that they must be heard. Now is the time so our fight f actions which should involved in one to get Tell every s! or Cleaner Beaumont Hospital who Fair Deal f for workers to become active and join a focus the minds of a Unfortunately it could be worse than e campaign tion about th ore informa u.ie chaired the January Forum, f you want m aning@sipt that and the Government may well trade union.” politicians during the I or e-mail cle 586330 ciety call 01 8 stice in So ork and Ju was very clear about why rness at W ng for Fai In summarising the campaign’s election campaign. : Organisi decide to do away with ERO’s altogether. SIPTU the meeting was taking Joe Bonomally a con - position on the review, campaign co- place: “Today is about preparation MINIMUM WAGE tract cleaner originally ordinator Ethel Buckley said: ‘It would for the battle ahead to protect our wages. from Mauritius, now working at Our lady’s If this happens the only floor could be entirely wrong to use this review to “Everybody should care about this Hospital in Crumlin, said: “There is no be the new reduced minimum wage of target hard-working cleaners and their issue – not just contract cleaners, but middle ground on this issue, and families for pay cuts. other workers governed by EROs, our co- €7.65 per hour. nowhere for politicians to hide – they “Not only would this be bad for workers in our hospitals, universities and This could mean a reduction in pay either pledge their support to defend our workers, it would also be bad for the railway stations, and the general public. from €370.50 (the current ERO mini - current rates of pay, or else they will be Cleanliness in our buildings affects mum of €9.50 x 39 hours) to €298.35 – better employers in the industry. named and shamed.” everyone.” a loss of €72 a week! “We must ensure that neither employers Activists will also be distributing a Martin Brennan, a contract cleaner Another workplace leader, GJP, who nor employees will be thrown into a race new Contract Cleaning Newsletter which working at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital works at Our Lady’s hospital in Crumlin, to the bottom with regard to contracts highlights the campaign and will be pro - in Crumlin, added: “This is another stressed the importance of workers com - and conditions of employment.” duced regularly to update workers on this attempt to punish the poor while we are ing together to defend the ERO. Paul Gavan is a SIPTU Organiser. Anyone wishing to play their part in the campaign should contact their local organising committee/shop steward – Email [email protected] or ring our Fair Deal for Cleaners campaign support team on 01 858 6474 Liberty 7 JANUARY 2011

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Terms & Conditions apply. Flood Maguire & Robertson Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. One Direct (Ireland) Limited, trading as One Direct is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. One Direct (Ireland) Limited is a subsidiary of An Post. One Direct Car Insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Europe SE. Aviva Insurance Europe SE is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. One Direct Life Assurance is underwritten by New Ireland Assurance Company plc. New Ireland Assurance Company plc is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. New Ireland is a member of the Bank of Ireland Group. The One Direct Credit Card is issued by MBNA Europe Bank Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority. January 2011.HSF is regulated by the Department of Children & Health. KennCo Underwriting Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. 8 Liberty JANUARY 2011 NEWS PLEASED TO EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SCHEME MEET YOU, Mexico Members in Further Education The scheme will offer up to ten Aratwiacrdsleeach year. Second-Level Awards for JESSIE Mem?bers and for Members’ Children Up to thirty awards will be Face to face made each year to second- level students to cover the senior cycle (the two years up with US civil to the Leaving Certificate). rights activist Gaeltacht Awards for Members’ Children Up to twenty-five awards will be made each year for the Rev Jackson children of members to cover the cost of their participation (accommodation and tuition fees) in a Gaeltacht course LEADING US human rights campaigner Rev Rev Jackson twice ran for the Democratic Jesse Jackson is coming to Ireland later this under the scheme operated nomination for President of the United States, month to take part in a special event organ - jointly by SIPTU and Gael Linn. securing 6.7 million primary votes on his sec - ised by think-tank TASC. ond attempt in 1988 which established his He will speak in Liberty Hall Theatre on position as the foremost African-American A member, applying on his/her February 14 in a question and answer format political leader. own behalf or on behalf of with RTE broadcaster Myles Dungan – and no He has continued to be a leading advocate his/her child/children, must doubt many aspects of his eventful life will be for a variety of public issues, including univer - covered. have at least one year’s mem - sal health care, equal administration of justice A veteran of the African-American struggle bership of the Union and be in in all communities, sufficient funding for for racial equality, Rev Jackson worked with Dr benefit when both the applica - enforcement of civil rights laws, and for tion and the payments are Martin Luther King in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. increased attention to business investment in made. He went on to found PUSH (People United under-served domestic communities. to Serve Humanity) in the 1970s, and in the He is currently involved in a campaign Application forms and further 1980s formed The Rainbow Coalition to press ‘Restructure Loans, Don't Foreclose on Homes’, information available from for greater economic opportunities for minori - addressing America's housing crisis in tandem your Sector Organiser ties and social justice for all. with the global economic crisis.

Closing date for receipt of completed applications SPECIAL ENCOUNTER is 30th September, 2011 (for awards 2011/2012) Rev Jesse Jackson in conversation with Myles Dungan Liberty Hall Theatre, Monday 14th February at 7pm Tickets €22 including booking fee and credit card commission. Tickets must be booked through the Central Ticket Bureau at www.centralticketbureau.com or by telephone 0818 205205 Note: Tickets are not available from TASC Liberty 9 NEWS JANUARY 2011 SIPTU meeting to focus on Tory cuts SIPTU is holding a public meeting in Omagh Omagh community activist and SIPTU mem - commitment of their workers and volunteers to later this month to discuss Tory-led Coalition ber Gerry McCusker said: ‘Local communities survive.” Mr McCusker warned jeopardising Government’s cuts to the Assembly Budget and deliver a vital service to society, delivering a crucial services would leave “a deep void” and the devastating impact these will have on local diverse range of projects like childcare, senior “tear the soul out of many local areas” as well communities. citizen clubs, disability support, suicide preven - as leaving many vulnerable people neglected. It has also been called to highlight the need tion, drug and alcohol awareness courses, youth He added: “We have called the meeting in for communities to organise in the fight against clubs, summer schemes, adult education and the Strule Arts Centre to bring together commu - the attack on frontline services. preparing long term unemployed back into work. nity workers and people from the community The ‘Defending Omagh's Communities from “While socially invaluable and extremely who want to make a stand against any cuts to Cutbacks' event will be held in the Strule Arts cost effective, many are already surviving on a the services on which they rely. It's your com - Centre at 7.30 pm on Thursday, 17th February. shoe string budget and relying on the exemplary munity, your future, your meeting, come along!” Lay-off terms SIPTU BACKS agreed Jack O’Connor: Common aim CAMPAIGN ON at Britvic BRITVIC sales representatives in Dublin, who are members of SIPTU’s Manufacturing Division, have recently agreed to redundancy DSIPTU is Eto join tBhe New T RESOLUTIBy jOoining theN cam - terms. It follows two conciliation conferences Beginning campaign to put paign SIPTU will be pro - at the Labour Relations Commission. in place a fairer and more viding a link for members The redundancies follow management’s humane system of debt res - who are in difficulty with review of commercial operations at the drinks olution for home owners who New Beginning. company and affect 55 sales representatives find themselves in danger of It campaigns under based throughout the country. repossession. the slogan ‘Fairness and The terms agreed, six-and-a-half weeks per Possession orders Recovery for All’, which is year of service, inclusive of statutory redun - obtained by banks and sub- quite similar to SIPTU’s dancy, plus an additional half a week’s pay per prime lenders from the High motto. year of service (minimum of €2,500) for co- Court have risen almost SIPTU General operating with the process which started on three-fold since 2007, President Jack O’Connor January 14th. despite some limited meas - said: ‘Our common aim is Assistant Organiser Colm Casserly said: ures put in place since then to put in place new struc - “While some may argue that this package is to protect home owners from tures, including an arbi - relatively good in the current climate, it is and eviction. tration scheme that pro - never will be adequate compensation for losing There were 109 evic - vides a range of alterna - one’s job.” tions in 2007, 311 in 2010 tive options to eviction for Colm Casserly also expressed concern over and there have been nearly homeowners in negative the conduct of management both locally and 100 new cases initiated in equity – allowing, for at the LRC. the High Court since 300,000 mortgage holders could be in negative equity by year’s end example, debt to be He added “Management has been January this year. October by lawyers Ross Maguire SC, restructured while leaving extremely disingenuous throughout this House prices have fallen by 55% Vincent P Maguire BL and business - a roof over a family’s heads. process in that it refused point blank to since 2006 and Merrill Lynch predicts man David Hill. “We have had informal discussions discuss or disclose how much this cost-cutting they will continue to fall for another They have recruited a legal panel with New Beginning over the past three exercise was saving it and then compounded two years, because interest rates are willing to act on a pro bono basis for months and those involved, on both the issue by misrepresenting its position as set to rise significantly. householders facing repossession. sides, feel considerable benefits could adopted at the LRC to employees. As many as 300,000 borrowers Already they have launched a number derive for both organisations from “Clearly this cavalier attitude by Britvic may be in negative equity by the end of of legal challenges to the system, building closer relations. Ireland management towards its employees the year and, more importantly, unable including one to the legal status of “We also believe that society at and industrial relations generally does not to meet repayments. sub-prime lenders that could have wide large will benefit from such an initia - bode well for the future.” New Beginning was set up last ranging implications. tive.”

NORTHERN IRELAND COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS FOR A BETTER, FAIRER WAY SATURDAY Octagon Room, PEOPLE’S King’s Hall, Belfast CSPECOIAL CNONFEGRENCRE CONETACT SE: eileS [email protected] E: [email protected] T: 028 90 247 10 Liberty JANUARY 2011 NEWS OPINION & COMMENT

Minister for the Environment John Gormley, Niall O'Keeffe (NABCo), National Association of Building Co-operatives), Declan Hudson (NABCo) and SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O'Flynn, at the stone laying ceremony at the South Gloucester Street Co-operative Development on 18th January.

BUILDING FOR A

BMSINIISPTER,TfrieUnEds a ndc coelTleagmues, eTnts EsupRport fFor sUociaTl hTohatU uwas sthe irensponRgsibil ityc of roecklE-esso banp kers, I am very pleased to have been invited to speak at SIPTU General Secretary Joe O’Flynn spoke light touch regulation and greedy developers encour - this stone laying ceremony for the construction of 19 aged by unsustainable tax incentives over several badly needed units of social housing on this site. at the stone-laying ceremony at the South years. I am particularly proud to be here today because Gloucester Street Co-operative development From its foundation as the Irish Transport and some years ago the site was provided by SIPTU to the General Workers Union by Jim Larkin and James National Association of Building Co-operatives on January 18. This is what he had to say... Connolly just over 100 years ago SIPTU is proud to (NABCo). have a long history of defending the rights and improv - The Union gave over the site to NABCo and the With over 50,000 people on the housing waiting ing the living and working conditions of generations of City Council as part of an agreement in respect of lists in this country there could not be a more satisfy - working people in this city and country. planning for car parking on the site. ing gesture than to help some families get a roof over That is what motivated our contribution of this site It is the third occasion in which SIPTU has joined their heads without having to pay an extortionate mort - for the construction of social housing in this communi - forces with NABCo to provide social housing. gage. ty which has long and established links to our Union. When the site was provided to NABCo the property At a time of mounting repossessions and with fam - I am grateful for all of those in the union, particu - boom was at its height and the value of the land here ilies losing their homes the beginning of construction larly Head of Property, Tony Walsh and former property on South Gloucester Street and Townsend Street was of 19 quality units on this site is a most welcome manager, Tom Dunne, who made this possible, to far in excess of the values it would command today. development. NABCO including their former chief executive Bernard The decision to hand over this land was influenced It will also create a number of decent jobs for con - Thompson, to Brian Hogan Architects, to Dublin City by the guiding principles of SIPTU which include a struction workers who have been hit far more than any Council and to all of those people involved in this inno - commitment to justice in society as well as achieving other employment sector due to the economic and vative co-operative development. fairness at work. financial crash for which they bore no responsibility. I wish the project every success. Liberty 11 NEWS OPINION & COMMENT JANUARY 2011

Liberty View January 2011 WORKERS’ INTERESTS ON THE LINE IN THIS ELECTION AT last the people get to have their say. We were denied pendents on the hard right) would be the equivalent of a say during the years when a coterie of buccaneering leaping from the frying pan into the fire for working peo - bankers and developers were allowed to run riot, running ple and their families. We must use our vote more wise - our country. ly. We were all signed up for a €400bn credit guarantee Some people believe there is a real chance of a left- to the banks. We were not consulted about the EU/IMF of-centre Government for the first time in our history. It straightjacket. At last, we the people get to decide our would be an exciting prospect. However, we must be future. careful not to end up with the worst of both worlds. We Will we opt for real change? We can elect a new kind can use our vote to bring about a balanced Government of Government committed to fairness, equality and sus - preventing Fine Gael dominance while tainable development. increasing support for social solidarity at Alternatively, we can continue rotat - newspaper the same time. The Liberty ing the two big centre-right parties and hed monthly This can be done by voting for ill be publis the wealthy interests they represent, w iberty Labour candidates first in order of PTU while L which have dominated public life in by SI as a choice and continuing our preferences ill continue Ireland virtually since the foundation of Online w se for the other parties and individuals lletin for tho the State. weekly e-bu that are committed to the principles of ’s True, Fine Gael did not preside over on the union social solidarity. the creation of the bubble and subsequent ase. If you Labour in Government between email datab collapse. ive SIPTU 1992 and 1997 delivered the aboli - wish to rece However, they did go along with many ine and tion of 3rd level education fees and ications onl elements of the Fianna Fáil/Green publ sages the most dramatic increase in child nal text mes Government’s recipe for dealing with it. occasio s benefit in the history of the State. mail addres They supported the inclusion of Anglo send your e Our first and only Labour Minister number to: Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide in the and mobile for Finance handed over the public ations €400bn credit guarantee of 2008 (which communic finances in pristine condition gener - only Labour opposed). They agreed with the [email protected] ating 1,000 new jobs every week epartmen €6bn cut in the last budget. Indeed, they d without creating a bubble. The PDs argue for more savage cuts. and the right wing of Fianna Fáil then They are equally adamant that the went on to ruin it. wealthy at the top of society should not be required to Now, 1,000 mainly young people are leaving our pay their fair share, skillfully camouflaging this through shores each week. Labour and others on the left have opposition to higher taxation. consistently prioritised job creation through the current Looking ahead, their Universal Health Insurance poli - crisis.If we are not going to have a left-of-centre cy is a recipe for privatisation and outsourcing on a vast Government we must at least ensure we get a fair bal - scale. They favour selling off our commercial State com - ance. The only way of covering both options is by voting panies which are key to rejuvenating our economy. for the Labour candidates first and then transferring to Replacing the FF/Green Government with a majority Fine other parties and individuals that are committed to the Gael administration (or one dependent on a few inde - principles of social solidarity.

Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, LIberty Hall, Dublin 1 SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor • Vice President, Patricia King • General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 • Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: [email protected] SIPTU Head of Communications, Frank Connolly • Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU) & Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) • Publications Assistant, Deirdre Price • Administrative Assistant, Karen Hackett Produced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labour • Printed and distributed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin. 12 Liberty JANUARY 2011 OPINION & COMMENT

Next plane out: People queuing at last year’s working abroad emigration expo at the RDS in Dublin

Scourge of emigration haunts families in the West again... THEY’RE not dancing at the cross - stolen their hope, and their trust in roads anymore; they’re raising a this country has been broken. glass of cheer to their friends and We can’t count that lost hope going home wondering if they will SUSAN O’KEEFFE and broken trust in the way we be next to take the train or the have counted the growing billions plane to God knows where. And of debt and the growing queues at every day, every week, parents are They’re going from council on a small island.” This comment the dole offices. Trust is the glue driving to the airport or the ferry house, small farm, terrace, village, came in the middle of the reces - that binds communities and ulti - with a son or daughter, shiny new town and city. The PhDs, the sion that caused the so-called mately society, and every ticket out bag in hand, as much cash as builders, the nurses, the engi - brain drain. His son Brian Jnr, is of Ireland takes another bit of that everyone could muster and a neers, the architects, the computer now central to the current drain in vital trust with it. That is the col - promise to Skype or mail or call. scientists.... and more. Some have an apparent unstated acceptance lateral damage of this meltdown. friends or siblings to bunk in of his father’s utterance. Except of course, the collateral with. Some have a promise of The hundreds are now turning will become central. As we step up work. Others are simply leav - to thousands and the ESRI pre - to rebuild our broken democracy ing because the staying is dicts 50,000 will leave this year or and find ways to create jobs, unbearable or because just less than 1000 every week for restore confidence and protect the their parents are a whole year. vulnerable, we need the very peo - stretched and another It’s hardly a surprise ple who are emigrating to mouth to feed is a that the tide is going be part of that change. stretch too far. And out especially from No more We need their vitality the tears? They come the west and the and freshness, their later when the false north-west where dancing at the education and bravery runs out and the landscape is their entrepre - the cold separation most blighted by Crossroads, it’s neurship here. sets in. the section 23 Without our young So Fianna Fáil ghost houses, the plane to people, that chal - have done it again. built by young lenge of change is The E-word is back men who are now God knows much more difficult. as, yet again, the idle or already gone Above all, we want brains, energy, enthu - and where the lack of where... them to believe that siasm and youth drain infrastructure has prolonged Ireland has a future, that we can from our lives. In the the lack of serious investment and and will restore a stronger more 1980s Fianna Fáil’s employment in the region. honest government and a more Brian Lenihan Snr Leaving seems to have a cer - equal society. The next remarked, in govern - tain logic when all turns bad - Government has an absolute ment, that “we until you see their faces and the responsibility to forge a new trust can’t all look in their eyes when they tell with those who have lost hope. live you ‘sure I have to go, I might as And to tell them that Brian and well, there’s nothing for me here.’ Brian are wrong. We can all live on Fianna Fáil hasn’t just forced this island – if - when - we pull them to emigrate. They have also together, for each other.

Susan O’Keeffe is the Labour Party candidate for Sligo/North Leitrim Liberty 13 OPINION & COMMENT JANUARY 2011 The diary of a Southside Senator

Friday idea of being a TD. At least everyone knows where Shane Ross stands. Mé Fein and proud! Paul has a big section on his website called "Supporters". He has two In the immortal words of Victor Meldrew, I don't believe it. An opinion poll – Brian Lucey of Trinity and Constatin Gurdgiev, the trendy-looking but Right-on which shows that I could secure a vote as big as my ego. My people need economist. Paul is warning about "an inevitable explosion" following "a tsunami of me – and they know it. Fine Gael wanted me to stand with Olivia and Alan personal debt." They are calling us Somerville and Ross, a little literary joke which but I was having none of it. When the private opinion poll was published, pleases my Trinity friends. By the way, Paul has a 15-point plan – Number 15 is the pair of them had a hissy fit. They told Enda that I could canvass "I'm No George Lee". He really is a funny little man! Nutgrove Avenue, Mulvey Park and the like but there was no way Alan was letting me near Mount Merrion. I did not get where I'm going to be filling Wednesday out medical card forms for readers of The Irish Sun so I told Phil Hogan to stick his nomination where the other sun does not shine. To Seanad Éireann to write my column for Sunday. It's very hard to concentrate with all these political distractions so I am going to re-write the usual guff about Saturday the bearded brethren in the trade unions. The economy is falling apart, the Cabinet has collapsed and our international reputation is in tatters – and it's all the fault of There I was basking in the glory of my appearance on The Panel with three the unions. Next door, the Finance Bill is being held up by Mattie, Mickey and other clowns when a reporter from a rag called Liberty called to accuse me Jackie. I was standing at the urinal attending to my business when Healy Rea of cronyism. Cronyism. Me? Apparently it is published by SIPTU. I asked slapped me on the back and nearly did me an injury. And now you want to be like the hack if he thought I should run in Dun Laoghaire. "Yes, off the pier" me." "Yes", thought I, as I looked at his brylcreeme comb-over and jowled was his impertinent reply. Just because She Who Must Be Obeyed is well cheeks..."I can be the Jackie Healy Rea or the Mattie McGrath of Dublin South." connected with RTÉ does not mean that I should be barred from making a gobshite of myself on The Panel. Speaking of gobshites, I must get ready Thursday for the Saturday Night Show. It's a small world. The Saturday Night Show is presented by Brendan O'Connor of The Sunday Independent but we Martin is making shapes, demanding TV debates left, right and centre. Well don't know one another at all at all. Dublin is such a big city. (What do you almost. He wants to debate with Eamon and Enda. Enda wants to debate with mean "Just like Cowen was not all that friendly with Seanie?" It's different Michael, Eamon, Gerry and John. I think he wants to hide in the crowd. But no when it's other people). one wants to debate with me. Clearly they are fearful of my brilliant mind. Sky Sunday News is getting in on the act and want to host a leaders' debate which is very confusing. Only a few years ago they turfed out all their staff and closed down the O'Connor was brilliant. He kept a straight face when he explained that Irish operation. Still, I bet Adam (Boulton - Ed) would appreciate my eloquence, even though we both work for The Sunday Independent, we don't actually my wit, my style...I must get Sir Anthony to put in a word with Murdoch. These know one another. There were no tough questions about hedge funds or titled types all know one another. Not like me and Brendan O'Connor. treble jobbing and I came across as the People's Champion. By golly, that audience was gullible. I could have worn my ‘Profit before People’ T-shirt Friday and they would still have clapped. After O'Connor RTÉ showed a repeat of The Panel and now I'm all over The Sindo. As I said to herself, there's Donie Cassidy has done something to his hair. Ivor is filling out his expenses sheet. nothing wrong with using connections when it is in the public interest. Ivana looks smug. Now that McWilliams is not running, she hopes to get the And it is in the public interest that the well-heeled men and women of intellectual vote in Dun Laoghaire. The Finance Bill has passed the Dáil and we Dublin South are given the honour of voting for me. Now that they have can stay up all night making long, pompous speeches. This is my forum and I love recovered from the trauma of losing Boy George, I am prepared to pay the it. They are in awe of me here and know that I am a national treasure. Parting will ultimate price of standing before the great unwashed. be such sweet sorrow but I must answer Ireland's call (Oh, and the Seanad is going to be abolished shortly and the Dáil salary is better). Monday Saturday Great news. Paul Sommerville is running in Dublin South East. Paul is a pedigree chum and well used to playing the capitalist game. With my A rare Saturday sitting. Back at the Sindo they are doing a telephone poll asking background in hedge funds and the stock exchange and Paul's knowledge me what they think of the magnificent Shane Ross. Anguish is in mourning for of financial spread-betting operation, we would make a great pair. Now if Brian Lenihan and wants to write a nasty editorial attacking the election of Mickey we could get McWilliams to run in Kingstown, (sorry Dun Laoghaire, old Martin. I told him not to bother – so he is attacking the public service instead. habits die hard) we would be motoring. (Never mind that Mickey Martin has taken over from Cowen.) I don't think that will make a bit of differ - Sunday ence. The people will not be fooled by a change on the poster and Mickey looks better than Cowen but, when all is said and done, they were all there A new opinion poll shows Fine Gael looking good. They will improve if they keep at the Cabinet table. They should have listened to me – there were other Enda out of the way. Apparently he has agreed to climb Croagh Patrick in ways they could have screwed the public service. preparation for office. If he sticks to the Croagh Patrick agreement he will disappear from view for a whole weekend. Labour are sending Joan Burton to Tuesday Lough Derg, away from Vinny Browne. Such intrigue! SF and Labour are tearing lumps out of each other. The disunited left and Labour are at daggers drawn. At McWilliams is not standing. Golly, gosh. I never had him down as a this rate, Sommerville and myself could hold the balance of power, unless workers political wallflower. Life can be very confusing. He says he was talking to decide to vote for Labour and transfer to the Left parties that look after their Labour and Fine Gael about a nomination but he could not cope with the interests. Now, that would be a nightmare. 14 Liberty JANUARY 2011 OPINION & COMMENT OPINION & COMMENT A blank cheque for

A great deal of energy has been expend - if it was invested in sustainable development the decision and to compliment Minister ed over the past two and a half years scape - e.g. new industrial products etc. However, we Brian “Poster Boy” Lenihan on goating the supposedly high minimum wage now know that most of it was for property his courage, decisiveness and foresight. the banks Indeed, he himself speaking at the Leinster and general wages among private and public speculation. Moreover, it was borrowed on the sector workers, vilifying people who depend international money markets on a short-term Society of Chartered Accountants on October on public services and of course the Trade basis and lent long so that ordinary people 24th 2008 described it as “the cheapest Union Movement for causing the most seri - could compete with each other, driving up bailout in the world so far”. Two and a half ous economic crisis in the history of the house prices to enhance the profits of the years later we know the truth. We know that State. The real cause lies elsewhere. developers. it was the single worst financial decision ever taken in the history of the state. We know Between 2003 and 2008, the banks in By the time the global credit crisis struck that the cost of the bailout originally estimat - Ireland increased their net foreign borrowing in August 2007 the Irish Banks had lent way ed at about €11bn has now gone to €60bn from the equivalent of 10% of total national beyond the deposits they took in during the plus a output or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to property boom to the tune of at least provision for another €25bn and perhaps 60%. This meant that, on average, they were €200bn. They were trying to bridge the gap much, much more. (This does not include pumping an additional 10% of GDP into the by borrowing in the international markets. the €40bn cost of the NAMA project economy in each of those five years. The When the whistle blew with the fall of By Jack O’Connor designed to transfer toxic loans from the bal - Government was spending about 5% of GDP Lehmans in September 2008 it became clear ance sheets of the banks onto the shoulders on the Public Capital Programme building the Emperor had no clothes and the banks of the people). We all know that the people public infrastructure such as roads, schools could not convince lenders to continue pro - who live in Ireland will be paying for it for and hospitals and viding them with money. During the last two years and years to come. investing in weeks of that month the Irish banking system However, this disastrous decision was training tottered on the brink of total collapse with opposed in the Dáil by only one political and Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide about party - Labour. to implode. All the others bought the line that it was A crisis meeting took place in essential to save the banking system. They Government Buildings involving the also believed that it was simply about a guar - Taoiseach and Minister of Finance during antee to get over a short-term liquidity prob - the night of Monday 29th September lem and they did not suspect that the banks were actually completely insolvent and that it which extended into the early hours of “The credit was exposing the country to a liability of Tuesday 30th. They were visited by some absolutely unprecedented proportions. of the doyennes of the banking system. Government spokespersons have tried to guarantee to the The encounter resulted in the biggest insist that their approach was subsequently policy decision ever taken by an Irish vindicated in a report by the Governor of the Government. They decided to extend a Central Bank, Patrick Honohan. This is not banks was opposed complete credit guarantee to the so. Indeed, his bottom line was that it wasn’t banks – an effective blank cheque, necessary to guarantee all outstanding debt underwritten by everyone in Ireland to and the decision to do so played a crucial in the Dáil by only the tune of €400bn - more than three role in maximising the cost of the banking years total national output. Anglo Irish crisis for the taxpayer. Bank and Irish Nationwide, which sub - The consequences are now clear for all to one political party - sequently turned out to be totally useless see. It was central to the cruel budgets of institutions, were included on the basis 2009 and 2010 which apart from penalising that they were “systemically important to working people prevented any prospect of Labour.” the Irish economy”. recovery. It ultimately resulted in the State The Irish Government differed from the being unable to borrow money internationally approach followed by almost every other because lenders were not prepared to risk the country because they guaranteed the full prospect of the State having to honour the guarantee. That in turn led to the so called skills stock of existing debt for two years. They also EU/IMF bailout and all the misery that goes develop - included institutions which were totally with it. There is no easy solution because ment and unnecessary to economic activity. They could have introduced a much more limited guaran - allowing the banks to collapse will immedi - other initiatives ately result in the guarantee being called in, (This was one of the few good decisions that tee applying only to the AIB and Bank of Ireland. but scapegoating working people and their they implemented). So the banks were Next day and over the following week so trade unions won’t solve the problem either. adding twice the public capital programme called independent spokespersons for the Jack O’Connor is General President of SIPTU and into the economy. This could have been good stock broker belt were rolled out to support President of Congress Liberty 15 OPINION & COMMENT OPINION & COMMENT JANUARY 2011 How the bank bailout has grown and grown the story so far -

BAILOUT 1 BAILOUT 2 BAILOUT 3 BAILOUT 4 FEB-MAY 2009 MARCH 2010 SEPT 2010 NOV 2010 €11bn €35bn €50bn +€25bn CONTINGENCY FUND *Some €2billion of the €10billion up-front recapitalisation of the banks will be used to help the banks sell “non-core” assets to AIB shrink their business.

€10.4bn €15.6bn €3.5bn €7.4bn

GOVERNMENT STAKE (Indirect) 25% GOVERNMENT STAKE 18% GOVERNMENT STAKE 92%+ GOVERNMENT STAKE 96%+ BANK OF IRELAND €5.7bn €3.5bn €5.7bn GOVERNMENT STAKE 70%+* GOVERNMENT STAKE (Indirect) 25% GOVERNMENT STAKE 36% GOVERNMENT STAKE 36% *Bank to attempt to raise capital on its own ANGLO IRISH BANK €34bn €22bn (Worst-case scenario) €4bn €29bn

GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% IRISH NATIONWIDE €2.7bn €5.4bn

GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% EBS

€875m €1.3bn

GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% GOVERNMENT STAKE 100% IRISH LIFE & PERMANENT €145m €243m TO BE RAISED ON ITS OWN: TO BE RAISED ON ITS OWN: STILL IN PRIVATE HANDS Courtesy: The Irish Times Nov. 2010 STILL IN PRIVATE HANDS 16 Liberty JANUARY 2011 ECONOMY ECONOMY December’s job stats doled out

Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) little Xmas chsurveey suggested tehat 30% of cr ompanies By Loraine Mulligan expect to reduce the numbers they employ THE number of people receiving in 2011. Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance, as meas - A report produced by Kavanagh ured by the seasonally-adjusted Live Fennell Consultants shows 1,525 insol - Register, increased by 5,200 in December 2010 compared to the previous month, vencies occurred in 2010, an increase of representing an annual rise of 13,700 and 8% on 2009 and a leap of 320% com - bringing the total to 437,079 in absolute pared to 2007. terms. However, the 133 cases in December The increase reflects a greater inci - 2010 signals some moderation on the pre - dence of casual/part-time work, now vious month’s figure of 142. The highest involving 82,058 people compared to concentration of the year was in February 73,999 in the same month in 2009. The at 151, followed by March at 148. bulk of new claimants are male. It is particularly worrying that the INSOLVENCIES number of long-term unemployed reached 155,324 in December 2010, up by It can only be hoped that situation 60,206 on the previous year and signify - does not further deteriorate in 2011. ing a monthly rise of 3%. Almost one third of insolvencies relat - FALLOUT ed to the construction industry, 18% to Services, 13% to Hospitality, 12% to The unemployment rate rose to young people under 25 on the Live the highest peak in the past 15 years. Retail and 7% to Manufacturing. 13.4% from 13.2% in November. Register, a reduction of 1% on November There were 2,870 redundancies in The Industrial Development Authority Persons formerly employed in ‘craft 2010, which can only lead to the conclu - December 2010, down by 30% on the (IDA) assisted the creation of 10,897 new and related’ occupations count highest in sion that more are faced with the option comparable figure for 2009. jobs in 2010 but this was counter-bal - the Live Register figures at 26.3%, point - of emigration. The Small Firm’s Association’s (SFA) ing to the fallout from the collapse of the A total of 58,731 redundancies were has just published its ‘Job Sentiment anced by 9,545 job losses. However, the construction industry. registered with the Department of Survey’ which indicates that, among 1,350 net increase exceeds the agency’s ‘Plant and machine operatives’ repre - Enterprise, Trade and Innovation in 2010. respondents, employment levels will original target. The IDA is seeking to sent 16% of those signing on, highlighting Businesses in professional services, remain flat in the next three months in support 10,000 new jobs in the country in the impact of the economic downturn on tourism and retail were worse hit with 62% of firms, while 14% intend to recruit 2011 and 62,000 by 2014. While the vulnerable workers. 22,589 redundancies. or 18% over the year as a whole. export sector continues to perform strong - The South-East experienced the high - The building and civil engineering However, it remains to be seen ly, the outlook for achieving a net gain in est monthly jump in those on the Live sector was another big casualty along with whether additional jobs will be primarily jobs remains deeply uncertain given the Register while, on an annual basis, the manufacturing, with a combined loss of for temporary rather than permanent posi - current economic climate. largest annual increase was recorded in 24,637 jobs. The overall figure is a tions. the Border region. There are 81,300 23.7% improvement on 2009 which was In contrast, a recent Irish Small & Loraine Mulligan is a SIPTU Economist. Forget the false dawns, recovery is a long way off actually increased during the summer same period. Unfortunately, a rising tide In short, it is not possible to take €6bn, By Marie Sherlock months (July to September), and that tax does not lift all boats and the large pick up or almost 4% of GDP, out of the Irish econo - revenues for 2010 were ahead of what was in exports of over 13% on an annual basis is my in a single year and not tip the economy REAL recovery of the Irish economy will be forecast for the year, was heralded by some relatively meaningless as it fails to translate measured not by additional units of output as the end of the recession and proof Ireland into any significant job creation. into a prolonged slump. There will be job or smaller deficits in our Exchequer has turned a corner and already in recovery. Based on the experience of recessions in creation but in paltry numbers, exports will finances, but by the creation of new jobs However, these are false dawns. The other countries, we would expect to see a experience another strong year although their and it will mean growth in both the export cruel reality is that tax revenues may have nine-month lag between the time the decline base will worryingly become increasingly and domestic sectors of this country. been ahead of the forecasts, but they were in an economy stabilises and the time when concentrated in a smaller number of sectors To date, a two-tier economy has almost 4%, or €1.3bn lower, than in 2009. job losses come to a halt. In Ireland, we can emerged with exports experiencing one of Were it not for corporation tax revenues have no such certainty. and the shortfall between tax revenues and their strongest years in 2010 since the days coming in almost €800m ahead of expecta - Already core retail sales were stagnant spending will narrow. This is of little conso - of the export boom over 10 years ago, while tions, the very weak nature of income tax and consumer confidence had taken a nose- lation to the 155,000 signing on for one all three components of the domestic econo - revenues would have been shown up and the dive over the four months up to last year or longer and a similar number who will my – household and business spending, cap - overall picture would have been much worse. December, but the deeply deflationary tax be forced from these shores or will have to ital investment as well as government spend - GDP did increase by 0.5% in the third measures introduced in the Budget and the ing – continue to contract and are highly quarter of 2010, compared to the previous reduction in take home pay can only mean a stay in education over the next two years. likely to continue declining into 2011. News three months, but this was not enough to further decline in household spending and Real recovery is still a long way off. in late December that the Irish GDP had prevent the loss of 23,500 jobs during that the loss of more jobs in the economy. Marie Sherlock is a SIPTU Economist. Liberty 17 ECONOMY ECONOMY JANUARY 2011 A code of ethics for economists By Paul Sweeney

THE failings of the economics profession in predicting the crash of 2008 have been a widely commented upon and criticised. One of the contributing factors to the crash was tainted ‘advice’ and ‘opinion’ which urged people to borrow money from financial institutions and ‘get on the property ladder’. This too often came from economists with direct or indirect links to the financial sector, while newspapers with fat property supplements or pages of adverts for tax-break investments also regularly relied on such commentators. In January, almost 300 economists haved called on the American Economic Association to establish a code of ethics requiring disclosure of even potential conflicts of interest. And the AEA’s executive has just voted to set up a committee to consider the matter. Prof George DeMartino of the University of Denver said: ‘There is a lot of hand-wringing in this profession over whether... we may have contributed to the financial crisis.’ The last time the economists’ ethics came up (in 1994), the AEA dismissed the idea. What would a code of ethics requiring full disclosure mean for econo - mists in Ireland? Firstly, it would hit many of RTE's radio economic commen - tators, many of whom have links and agendas which they did not nor do they still reveal. Nor has RTE insisted on such disclosure. Secondly, it may hit those ‘independent economists’ who write articles for the newspapers and magazines and, thirdly, it might make government and its agencies less enthusiastic about hiring advice which is so ideologically tainted. As an economist working for the “I am often taken trade union movement, I am often taken aback by the hostility shown by some in aback by the the media to my critical perspective on markets, and by the contrasting soft hostility shown by interviews with those who worked for financial companies during the boom. some in the media The implication is that they are to my critical ‘independent’ and I am biased. Yet it was far clearer where I was coming from, perspective on representing the largest civil society organisation in Ireland, whereas the markets and the ‘independent economists’ were repre - senting themselves or the companies contrasting soft who paid them. Economists who work for companies interviews with in finance or other sectors like transport, whether full-time or as consultants, have those who worked urged changes in economic policies for finance firms which benefit their linked firms, often without disclosing their connections. during the boom” It’s true that many academic econo - mists are remote from the real world, and working with industry can help educate them in the workings of the economy. But during Ireland’s boom years, the finance sector economists, who seemed to have their own desks in RTE and Today FM, played a very influential role in opinion formation which was ultimately very destructive on the economy A study by two MIT academics, Epstein and Carrick-Hagenbarth, exam - ined the work of 19 prominent academic financial economists who advocat - ed financial ‘reform’ (de-regulation) in newspaper and journal articles between 2005 and 2009; the study found that the economists were not hon - est in pointing out how they were conflicted. “Our main findings are that in the vast majority of the time, these econo - mists did not identify these affiliations and possible conflicts of interest. In light of these and related findings we call for an economists’ code of ethics which would require academic economists to identify these connections in appropriate contexts.” The 19 academic economists were consultants, on the boards of finan - cial firms, or had been trustees or advisors to them. They did not mention their affiliations. Even The Economist magazine recently cited George DeMartino of University of Denver commenting on economists who have pushed free market policies, including financial liberalisation ‘on the basis of limited understanding or worse, because they ignored ways in which the real world departs from the idealised one of neo-classical economic theory.” DeMartino says that, in the light of the immense impact that their opin - ions have had on the lives of ordinary citizens because of the crash, econo - mists should be a bit more humble about the limits of their knowledge. I add: not just in America . Paul Sweeney is the Congress Economic Advisor. Picture: Photocall 18 Liberty JANUARY 2011 ECONOMY ECONOMY

Taxes & Social Security Contributions as a share of GDP (market prices) 2010

TEXPECRT Fine GaUel, FiannTa aHnd those witBh disabiliEties as Htaxes wIe coNme near Dthe THOSE BIG LIES Fail and cheerleaders for big well, although these may be bottom of the EU league on business, like hedge fund kept under wraps until after all counts, as the following director Shane Ross, to polling day. tables show. engage in a Dutch auction Like every political scam 1. The Big Government Lie : during the general election. to ensure the poor pay for Total Government spending, They will be promising the sins of the rich, it is as a percentage of Gross that all our problems can be based on the big lie which, Domestic Product, is well solved by offering up the told often enough, will be below the Eurozone average fatted calf of the public accepted as true. of 39%. Even when the sector on the altar of But the reality is very smaller Gross National financial rectitude. different. Far from Ireland Product is used as a meas - Expect further cuts having a bloated public sec - ure, we are on no more than targeting the unemployed, tor, extravagant social wel - the Eurozone average. We Source: European Commission DG Eofin Central Government datas stats (Autumn 2010) carers, the sick, the elderly fare payments and crippling spend the same as the EU/IMF deal: the KEY elements 1. How much are we getting? effect next month. The conditions under SIPTU economist Marie Sherlock takes a which a company can plead inability to There is a commitment to provide up to cold, hard look at the figures that lie pay national wage agreements will be €67.5bn from the European Commission, broadened. A review is planned for the the IMF and the EU member states over behind the EU/IMF deal and attempts to system of ERO’s (Employment Rights the next three years, while Ireland has to Orders) and REAs (Registered answer the questions we’re all asking... Employment Agreements). All these are to commit €17.5bn from the National Pension Reserve Fund and Exchequer take place in the first quarter of 2011. Legislation will be introduced in the cash reserves. Together this amounts to a The average rate of interest is 5.82% and to measure progress towards the targets second quarter of the year to increase the total of €85bn. To put this in context, the Ireland will repay these loans over an set. But Ireland faces a review four times state pension age to 66 in 2014. value of the package is over half of the average period of 7.5 years. At these a year. A number of specific policy condi - total value of goods and services produced rates, Ireland faces an interest bill in the tions were set out under the deal, of Public sector: New pension entitlements in this country each year. order of €32bn in the next four years to which the major ones are as follows: and new pay arrangements for incoming 2014. In 2011, the debt servicing bill will public workers will be legislated for in the 2. Who exactly is be in the region of €5.6bn. This is one For 2011 third quarter of 2011. giving us this money? euro out of every €6 collected in tax The pace of public sector reform revenues this year. By 2014, interest will Banking : By end of February, €7bn will be will be reviewed in that quarter and any While the bailout deal is most widely swallow one euro out of every €4.50 injected as equity into the AIB, Bank of shortfall in planned savings will result in a known as the IMF bailout, it is only collected in tax revenues. Ireland, EBS. Provision is also made for review to seek further adjustments in pub - contributing one third ( €22.5bn) of the further equity for Irish Life and Permanent lic sector pay bill to make up the shortfall. funds. 4. How will it be spent? in May. A further €3bn will be given to the Another €22.5bn will come from the banks to cover potential increases in Fiscal policy: A budgetary council will be EFSM (European Financial Stability The funding is in the form of an overdraft expected losses. set up in the second quarter of 2011 to Mechanism) in the form of loans from EU to be drawn down when necessary. A total The plan for the winding down of provide advice to the Minster for Finance member states. of €50bn will go towards day-to-day and Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide will and Government on budgetary matters. A Another €17.7bn will be raised from capital spending by the Government, be published and more strenuous stress fiscal responsibility law will be introduced the EFSF (European Financial Stability €10bn will go immediately towards recapi - testing of the capital base of other banks in the last quarter of the year setting a Fund) and €5bn will come directly from talising the Irish banks and a further will be undertaken. ceiling on expenditure levels across all the UK, Sweden and Denmark. €25bn will be held as a contingency fund. Legislation for a bank resolution departments for the medium term. The EFSF was set up specifically to €48.3bn will be raised by the IMF, scheme to deal with the winding down of Budget 2012, which will be assist Eurozone members. Operated by the EFSF and ESFM throughout 2011, with institutions will be published and a plan announced in December, will contain European Commission, money is raised the remainder to be raised in 2012. Not for restructuring subordinated bondholder €1.5bn in tax raising measures, principal - on the bond markets to bail out troubled all of this money will be drawn down by debt within the nationalised banks will be ly through a property tax, reform of capital member states and is backed by guaran - Ireland in 2011. However, a ‘service fee’ announced. gains and capital acquisition tax, and an tees from all the member states. will be payable on monies not drawn down increase in the standard rate of income The IMF and the ESFM are both in the current year. Pay and working conditions: The proposed tax. charging 5.7% per annum on their loans changes will be the single greatest threat while the EFSF charges 6.05% per year. 5. What are the specific conditions? to pay, particularly that of lower-paid Semi State companies and competition workers during the course of the present policy: A review of the electricity and gas 3. How much will this cost us & what When the IMF gives a bailout of this type, recession, now entering its fourth year. sectors is to be completed by the end of is the impact on our public finances? it usually carries out reviews twice a year The minimum wage reduction will take this year. There will be a review of the LESSONSFR OHM ISTORY Versailles, the EU & the bondholders’ bequest By Padraig penal 5.7% interest rate on the experienced in the 1920s. Briefly, massive unrest verging on civil funds started to run out. Yeates EU-IMF bail-out might be reduced the Versailles Treaty of 1919 said war. This had the perverse effect of by even 1% suggests they are not the Germans started the First The hapless social democratic putting thousands of workers in AT the ICTU rally in Dublin last in listening mode. World War so they would have to government was deeply unpopular the victorious powers on the dole. November, Fintan O’Toole invoked Someone should send Angela pay for it. The original demand for and extremists on the far right and After all, what was the point of the memory of Versailles to alert Merkel and Jean Claude Trichet a 226 billion gold marks in repara - left threatened to destroy the dem - paying them to produce commodi - EU bondholders and governments link to the YouTube video ‘Hitler tions was reduced to 132 billion. ocratic foundations of the infant ties that Germany was supplying to the futility of holding the Irish comes to save Ireland’. It can’t Clearly the Germans had better Weimar Republic. None of this cut for nothing? people to account for the follies of make things any worse and there negotiators than us. But even this any ice with the victors. In desper - The Germans began ‘quantita - our leaders. is an eerie familiarity between reduced figure – equivalent to ation the Germans made repara - tive easing’ on an epic scale. The The frosty reaction to the what we may have to go through in €300 billion today – was too much tions with a mixture of raw materi - number of marks to the American modest suggestion that the current the near future and what Germans for Germany to pay. There was als and manufactured goods when dollar had risen from nine when Liberty 19 ECONOMY ECONOMY JANUARY 2011

Public sector employment as share of total employment %

TRUTH BEHIND TNetherlHands andO less thaSn aEge is 4 0%B. IGo utLperformI usE and thS e rest of Sweden, Belgium, France or 3.The Big Public Sector Lie: the developed world econom - Denmark – as well as our Public sector employment in ically. Their model is morally main trading partner the UK. Ireland is no more than the and economically superior to 2. The Big Taxes & Social average for EU member the ‘get rich quick’ model Security Lie: We are way states. We come in at the promoted by politicians such down the EU League in the same level as France and as Charlie McCreevy, Batt share of GDP that goes on slightly ahead of the UK and O’Keeffe and Mary Harney, tax and social security. the Netherlands, but well who have now headed for This is only 29% of GDP, below Sweden and Finland. comfortable and lucrative compared with between 37% Of course Nordic countries retirements. Batt O’Keeffe’s and 45% for the UK, have far superior public serv - parting gift was, of course, to Luxembourg, France, ices to us. They pay more tax implement the new National for them, but the rich pay Minimum Wage. Belgium, Sweden and Source: OECD and National Statistical Offices France. The Eurozone aver - their fair share. They also

economy – and in sharp contrast to the Government’s ill-founded opti - mism – the IMF’s assessment of the prospects for the Irish economy are at best wary and at worst gloomy. The IMF expresses concern that a weak private sector, drowning banks and a heavily-indebted Government are mutually reinforcing problems that could lead to a prolonged slump and much lower, long-term growth prospects. It urges caution in interpreting signs of stabilisation in the domestic economy. It believes that household savings may fall, but the fiscal adjustment, the writing down of large personal debt and persistent unemployment will keep consumption subdued for a considerable period. Exports will recover but it warns that income flows to Ireland will not accrue to the Irish economy to any great extent and the unemployment rate will not fall below 10% by 2015. The IMF paints a grim picture of a banking system almost entirely dependent on continued ECB support and unable to generate economic investment and growth. While the scale of the fiscal adjustment is “broadly” appropriate, the IMF assesses that the risks from austerity measures will be much greater than currently estimated by the Government. IMF representative Ajah Chopra (above and below right) 7. What happens if Ireland impact of limiting retail premises sizes by has granted Ireland an additional year to doesn’t meet its targets? the third quarter of 2011 and restrictive meet the target of a 3% deficit as a practises in the legal and medical share of GDP by 2015, the Irish If Ireland fails to meet the deadlines set by professions will be addressed. Government has chosen to stick by the the IMF, it has stated that additional 2014 deadline and spread the €15bn spending cuts will not be required. adjustment over just four years. dead - However, the great unknown that 6. Will it work? Can Ireland remains is whether EU member states will comply according to the IMF? Not only does the IMF not believe line and additional meas - that this target can be met by 2014, it ures would be needed to meet it. Far take a similar such view or attempt to ram Even though the European Commission projects that 2015 is too ambitious a from taking a rose-tinted view of the Irish through further austerity measures. Versailles, the EU & the bondholders’ bequest the war ended in 1918 to 22 by repayments extended over 59 than the Kaiser ever dreamt of, 1922. Inflation went into over - years. French troops withdrew revenge was exacted on the lead - drive in 1923. By July there were from the Ruhr in 1924 and the ers, not the people. 353,412 marks to the dollar and Weimar Republic entered a brief The Marshall Plan replaced by November 4.2 trillion. Beggars ‘golden’ era. The Wall Street reparations, the German economy refused any donation under one Crash ended all that. was rebuilt yet the last payment million marks. Germany entered a renewed on the Versailles debt was made At this point even the most period of economic crisis ending last October, two years ahead of vengeful Frenchman realised with Hitler’s seizure of power in schedule. Fintan O’Toole was there must be an easier way. In 1933 and another world war. asking, ‘Have those lessons been lengthy negotiations the overall On this occasion, despite far forgotten?’ The silence from amount was reduced by 17% and worse atrocities by Hitler’s regime Europe is deafening. Breeding extremism: German Freikorps troops take to the streets in the 1920’s 20 Liberty JANUARY 2011 ECONOMY ECONOMY IT’S GROUP DIRECTOR Dublin

A Director is required to establish and lead the work of the EIU and represent and communicate its policy positions. ISHMENT PUN SIPTU economist Older people Lorraine Mulligan The Congress Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), THE state contributory and non- examines how the vicious cuts a union-associated research body, has recently contributory pension remained announced in Budget 2011 been established to provide high-quality macro and unchanged at current levels – micro economic research and analysis to €230.30 and €219 per week impacted unfairly on two groups in support the achievement of equality and respectively However, the widows/widowers particular – older people & women fairness on the island of Ireland, to the benefit of pension, the carer’s allowance and workingpeople and their families. the blind person’s pension for Older people particularly rely on those under 66, as well as the This is a unique opportunity for an exceptional hospital and other care services and invalidity pension for those under will suffer from any curtailments to leader to direct a programme of research that has 65, were each cut by an average services. the potential to make a meaningful contribution of 4% impacting many who are Equally, there is a risk that grants towards the achievement of economic equality. close to retirement age. provided by the HSE to voluntary The supplementary allowance organisations working with older peo - As a senior economist, you will already have made for blind pension recipients was ple will fall. The Alzheimer’s Society of your mark through the development of high quality also reduced by 4% from 1st Ireland pointed out in its pre-budget analysis which presents plausible alternatives to January. submission that the waiting lists for While older people in receipt the dominant orthodoxy. dementia services increased by 33% of the state pension and/or other in 2010 and that funding is more vital social welfare payments have not You will possess a thorough knowledge of macro - than ever. been made subject to the new Budget 2011 made additional economic policy including taxation, fiscal policy, Universal Social Charge (USC), the incomedistribution and the operation of the labour funding of €14 million available for charge will apply, on a graduated older people in two areas – €6 million market, as well as a good appreciation of the basis, to an older person who has to support the Fair Deal for Nursing issues related to the global financial crisis and other income sources – 2% on Home Care and €8 million for the pro - Eurozone governance issues. amounts between €4,004 and vision of Home Care packages. €10,036 per annum, 4% on the The then Minister for Health stat - A degree in Economics with a post-graduate next tranche and 7% on sums of ed at the time that the increased allo - qualification, ideally to PhD level, and a strong more than €16,016. cation gave an extra 500 older people record of published research is a requirement. The maximum rate for income example, the loss for someone with a access to home care packages at any earners over 70 was capped at public service pension of €25,000 will one time or up to 800 over the course 4%. Ten years’ relevant professional experience in be €810 per annum. of this coming year. Moreover, Minister for Finance, The budget allocated to the Health This formulation is rather unclear either research management or a senior academic Brian Lenihan also announced that capacity is necessary as are good interpersonal Services Executive is falling by €683 and needs clarified. Crucially, it is Medical Card holders are limited million over the coming year. important to monitor whether the and people management skills. to an upper rate of 4%. While the overall savings in health upshot is that more older people are Under the revised proposals spending are aimed at areas such as given fewer hours care. The successful candidate will have the ability to from the Minister for Finance, self- drug costs, professional fees and pro - The addition for the nursing home communicate effectively and convey complex eco - employed people are to pay the curement, it will be extremely chal - funding in Budget 2011 was doubtless nomic concepts in a comprehensible manner, USC as above, along with a sur - lenging to avoid effects on frontline linked to increased demand rather along with a demonstrable empathy for the values charge of 3% on incomes of more services, especially given staffing than any real improvement for older and ethos of the Trade Union Movement. than €100,000. reductions arising from voluntary people who have to contribute to the It can be interpreted that self- redundancies. cost of their care. employed persons who are over 70 An attractive salary will be offered to the will also be subject to the extra successful candidate. The position will levy but this has as yet to be clari - be appointed on a five-year contract. fied. Women Unemployment: Women are losing jobs under the Community Employment The tax exemption limit for at a faster rate than their male col - Scheme will drive many women fur - Full details and job description are persons aged 65 years and over leagues [Live Register stats, Nov 2, ther into poverty. Furthermore, public available at www.ictu.ie/eiu. fell from €20,000 to €18,000 for 2010], particularly in clerical, admin - a single person and from €40,000 service staff redundancies (impacting istrative, protective and sales jobs. Applications including full CV should be sub - to €36,000 for a married couple. on health, education and social care) which are to average 3,300 per year mitted to David Begg, Chairperson, EIU at The age tax credit for persons Declining income: For thousands of will see a lot of women, many of [email protected]. of 65 years and over was reduced working women that occupy low paid by €80 to €245 for a single per - jobs in services and retail, the cut in whom are the sole breadwinner in the family home, lose their jobs. Closing date for receipt of applications is son and by €160 to €490 for a the National Minimum Wage is disas - married couple in 2011. 15th February 2011. Interviews will be held in trous. Add to that the reduction in tax Reduced support for childcare and This will be phased out entire - credits, the Universal Social Charge, Dublin on the 24th/25th February, 2011. families: Cuts in child benefits and ly over four years. the 4% cut in Maternity Benefits and the planned €8m cuts to grant-assist - Individuals currently on a pub - We are an equal opportunities employer. a very serious picture emerges of the ed programmes, eg: Community lic service pension of more than savage impact on low paid women Development Programmes which pro - €12,000 suffered an average workers. vide vital services in disadvantaged reduction of 4%. Pensions from communities will severely erode the €12,001 to €24,000 are being Depressed employment prospects : standard of living and create real cut by 6%, rising to 9% from Funding cuts in the Community and hardship for thousands of lower paid €24,001 to €60,000 and 12% for Voluntary Sector disproportionately sums above this amount. For hurt women who make up most of the and unemployed women and their employees. The pay rate cut of 4% families. Liberty 21 ECONOMY ECONOMY JANUARY 2011

Wages warning: ETUC’s John Monks

ETUC chief hits out at pay ‘diktat’ THE European Trade Union Confederation delivered to Dublin-based Institute of has met with EU Commissioner Olli Rehn International and European Affairs on after it was reported there had been January 19. direct intervention to cut salaries and John Monks also warned of the impact change agreed systems of determining strict new EU rules on fiscal governance pay in Ireland and Greece. will have on how member states manage General secretary John Monks had ear - their economies. lier denounced reports of what he called The rules, agreed at the EU Summit in ‘diktat pressures’ to cut minimum wages December, mean that budgetary matters and pensions, to reduce wage ‘rigidities’ relating to individual member states will and to make labour markets more flexible be discussed at Commission level months in both countries. before they are put before each nation’s In a letter to Commissioner Olli Rehn – parliament. and copied to other senior Commissioners – Monks pointed out such policies tram - LEVERAGE pled over ‘pious Commission statements Monks pointed out that though it won’t about the autonomy of social partners, be easy to co-ordinate varied economies the importance of social dialogue and the and political cultures, most of the lever - specific exclusion in the EU treaties of a age applied to individual states will be to European competence on pay’. cut deficits. He also described the reports as ‘an attack on Social Europe’ and in marked He also underlined how Ireland’s aus - contrast to the ‘relaxed, non-interfering terity programme – which once had been view on rapidly increasing levels of top hailed as “a model for others in trouble” pay, including bank bonuses’. by the European Commission – did not Under EU treaties, the Commission has stop it from being next in line after no capacity or competence to determine Greece. The lesson that was drawn was pay levels in individual member states. the original austerity model for Ireland The Lisbon Treaty specifically rules out did not go far enough. John Monks said: any such competence. “When Ireland had to go to the European Monks returned to the question of rec - Financial Stability Facility – more austeri - onciling ‘parliamentary autonomy’ with ty was required.” ‘European commitments’ in a speech Cuts agenda: Finance Minister Brian Lenihan shows off Budget 2011

Picture: ETUC SIPTU concern as receiver is FUEL POVERTY CONFERENCE appointed to Lynch Group hotels Dublin Castle SIPTU has expressed concern at the cuss the implications of the receivership appointment of a receiver to two hotels in for its members. Monday, February 7 & Tuesday, February 8, 2011 the Lynch Group. “There is obvious concern among staff Fuel poverty is a multi-faceted problem affecting a large number of Accountancy firm, Grant Thornton, at the hotels over their future. We have Irish households. It can only be tackled successfully through the have been appointed by Bank of Scotland been told that the two hotels will continue (Ireland) as receiver to the Clare Inn Hotel to trade but we have sought an urgent adoption of effective, co-ordinated policies by the various agencies in County Clare and the Breaffy House meeting with management to discuss the and interest groups involved. Resort in County Mayo. wider implications of this development,” There is a combined staff of 100 at SIPTU Sector Organiser, Pat Ward said. THE PRESS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. the two hotels. SIPTU, which represents The Lynch Group is based in Ennis, workers at the hotels, has sought an County Clare and operates five hotels, For further information contact: Padraig Yeates, urgent meeting with management to dis - mainly in the mid-West. PYE Comm, 01 828 4510 and 087 260 5297 22 Liberty JANUARY 2011 EDUCATION EDUCATION Two reports in a week DROP IN highlight inequalities NUMBER in third level education Asset Test for access to Higher Education OF POORER By Padraig Yeates It did not take the young large farms and businesses mand public confidence” farmers’ organisation, Macra na receive state supports, while • The grants system “must Feirme, long to put on the poor those from lower and middle become more streamlined mouth and attack proposals that income groups in the PAYE sys - and timely” STUDENTS family farms and business assets tem are ineligible for assistance. • “Grants must be delivered by should be taken into account “The State invests consider - a single agency” when deciding which students able public funding in means- • Such reform are “essential to should get state grants. The tested student grants for approxi - supporting equity of access proposal was made in the mately 40% of all full-time stu - to higher education and to National Strategy for Irish Higher dents’, the report states. wider social inclusion goals.” AT COLLEGE At present 89% of children from By Padraig Yeates Grants to 18 year olds entering Third Level Education farming backgrounds go to third level colleges, compared to The ‘National Plan for Equity of Access to between 50% and 33% of chil - Higher Education 2008-2013’, has expressed dren from families who pay tax concern that the number of students going to under the PAYE system. (See table) third level colleges from working class back - Well off families in the grounds is falling. The mid-term review farming and self-employed sectors, able to afford good states that targets for improving rates by 2010 accountants to minimise their tax are not being met. bill can then secure student While the proportion of Leaving Cert grants and other benefits. Not surprisingly, Macra’s National students going to College increased from President, Michael Gowing, has 44% in 2004 to 53% in 2010, those from condemned the report and says including farms and other assets families whose principal breadwinner was in in grant assessments is “ludi - a semi-skilled or unskilled manual occupa - crous” and “not in touch with tion fell from 10.8% to 8% over the same the economic reality for many Education. Macra’s National ‘However, the absence of any sole traders and farm families”. period. Students from other low income fami - President, Michael Gowing, said consideration of assets and He believes, “Irish farming ly backgrounds fell from 10.8% to 9.6%. farmers might have lots of assets wealth in the means test model operates on a rather unique busi - but no money – at least not when has limited the scope of the ness model” that “is not readily There has been an improvement in the it came to paying their way when State to target these scarce comparable to other business number of mature students, who tend to come it came to third level education. resources towards those students sectors” and should not become from working class backgrounds. These rose The report, compiled by a most in need of support.” “a soft target” for the taxman. group of experts chaired by econ - It concludes that: Many He seems to think they have from 10.9% to 13.5%, but this was still well omist Dr Colin Hunt, found the non-farm families “at lower plenty of other “soft targets” to below the target of 17%. current assessment model was middle-income levels” cannot keep them going among PAYE The report says more progress has been unfair and did not command afford to send their children to workers and their families. public confidence. Thousands of college The present system is made with some smaller disadvantaged students whose families own inefficient and “does not com - groups such as people with disabilities or Travellers, but access for students from lower income groups generally are still under resourced and ‘on the margins’ when it comes to strategic planning. Free speech, tenure, and pay in Irish universities under attack By Roland Erne

Just before Christmas, UCD, NUI Galway, and obligation to support the aims and objectives of the Irish University Association, (the IBEC of the the university management. This means that indi - higher education sector), revealed their Croke Park vidual lecturers would lose the freedom to pursue Agreement implementation plans. the truth in research and teaching as they see fit. The university managers’ proposals not only go This would be the end of academic freedom far beyond the concessions agreed in the Croke as intended in the Irish Universities Act 2007. It Park deal, but also subvert the provisions for aca - also means that lecturers who dare to challenge demic freedom and tenure in the Irish Universities the views of university managers, the Taoiseach’s Act 2007. Naturally, this has alarmed everybody department, or any other powerful interest group, who believes in the university as a community of such as the Banks, would be vulnerable to disci - independent scholars and a place for critical plinary action. If the central UCD management thinking. gets its way in relation to the proposed Croke Park According to the plan, our frontline teaching implementation plan, powerful interests would and research staff lose their right to free speech. have an effective tool at their disposal to silence The management proposals censor academic free - inconvenient truth in the future. dom, by making it subject to the “obligations set The aim of silencing critical thinking plays a out in the employment contract”, including the major role in relation to another demand of the Liberty 23 EDUCATION EDUCATION JANUARY 2011 THE HUNT By Ruairi Quinn TD REPORT...

AThe public atiomn of the Hunt Reiport,s which smuch tigheter controld and scruti ny forom a pDegree exapm. ortuHEA and bne lead by ai senitor puby lic ser - outlines a National Strategy for Higher revamped HEA and closer contact with Nevertheless, there are some positive vant. This is not a task for the Secretary Education in Ireland, comes three years the Department. While this has real poten - ideas. The focus upon the teaching con - General of the Department, as suggested and two Ministers after Minister for tial benefits, it will only work if the new tr acts and the balance between research, by the outgoing Tánaiste. Education Mary Hanafin TD, proposed board of the HEA is well con - teaching and engagement with the wider decided to establish a review of higher structed and energetically led. Recent community are welcome. Like all sectors education. experience does not give reason for opti - of the public service, increased productivi - It fails to recognise This delay is indicative of the lack of mism in this area. ty in our education system is essential if urgency within the Department of The discussion of the high dropout we are to prevent further pay cuts or that students already Education and Skills to confront a range rate among 1st year college students reductions in front-line services. of important issues. Over the last three across the whole sector is very welcome The consolidation of make a direct years, our higher education sector has and long overdue. the Institutes of Technology into financial contribution faced increased student numbers, less The Report is particularly vague on mutually supportive clusters of education exchequer funding and large reductions in the controversial issue of undergraduate which will maximise the efficient utilisa - for part time and staff numbers through the Employment fees. It fails to recognise that students tion of resources is a welcome and postgraduate courses Control Framework. The Hunt Report was already make a direct financial contribu - sensible recommendation. However, other an opportunity to set out a blueprint for tion for part time and postgraduate cours - than supporting the idea, the Report does not and that all higher education over the next 20 years es and that all undergraduates currently say how this should be done in practice. undergraduates but it is somewhat disappointing. pay a €1500 student charge, which will The next government will have to It puts on the record what many who rise to €2000 next September. make the decisions that Fianna Fail have currently pay a €1500 work in higher education have long sus - The proposal to introduce a student kicked to touch for three years. I believe it student charge, pected – loan system is simply unworkable in prac - will be a priority for whoever is the next “the current system is delivering above- tice. The report does not say where the Minister for Education and Skills. The which will rise to average outcomes at below-average fund - capital for these loans will come from and Hunt Report needs a follow up, step-by- €2000 next ing levels”. there is no awareness as to how badly bro - step implementation plan, similar to the As the effects of the recruitment moratori - ken the Irish banking sector currently is. way that the Culliton Report was imple - September. um deepen, it is not clear whether the The Report’s conclusions on this mented by the Moriarty Programme in the current quality standards in our colleges aspect of financing higher education are early 1990’s. Ruairi Quinn is the Labour Party Spokesperson can be maintained without fundamental vague, poorly described, not quantified in A dedicated team must be established on Education and Skills. During his period as reform. any manner and would receive a D mark if to this task over a three year period. This Minister for Finance, Labour succeeded in bring - Third Level education will come under submitted as an answer to a Commerce team must have single focus, report to the ing about the abolition of third level fees.

Free speech, tenure, and pay in Irish universities under attack university managers’ plan, namely the abolition of aca - Finally, the universities’ plans also impose further within them. The plans betray the promise of the Croke demic tenure. Tenure provides protection for the inde - pay cuts by scrapping the additional payments for exam - Park Agreement that there will not be any further pay pendence of university staff in their teaching and inations for tutors, small group teachers, and college cuts and no redundancies in the public sector. The aca - research by ensuring that they cannot be dismissed for lecturers; in other words precisely the junior academics demics organised in the SIPTU Education sector are par - the expression of critical, inconvenient, or novel ideas. who are the lowest paid. ticularly critical of the attack, made in the documents, Tenure also ensures that those among the academic This proposal beggars belief, not least because these on free speech, on the type of research prioritised, and staff teaching important technical, but not popular sub - cuts have been proposed by university managers who are on the implied dismissal of the professionalism of the jects are also protected; so that such learning is not eas - unwilling to pay back the €6 million of unauthorised staff. We also fear what effect the proposed measures ily removed from the university because of weak under - bonuses that they paid to themselves over the past will have on the educational experience of students and graduate student demand. Whereas tenure does not pro - years. the quality of Irish democracy. We see the effects of the vide absolute protection against dismissals, it means Over the past week, hundreds of academics across changes to contract and the introduction of easier dis - that staff can only be dismissed for “just cause”, such the country attended protest meetings organised by missal of staff as a creeping casualisation of academic as professional incompetence, financial corruption, sexu - SIPTU, the Irish Federation of University Teachers work in the university and as the further bending of edu - al or racial harassment or the abandonment of position, (IFUT), and independent academics. cational and research principles to the anti-democratic proved before a “fair and independent body”. This is Those at the meetings unanimously criticised the ethos that rules in the corporate world. hardly a revolutionary privilege, given Article 30 of the proposals laid out in the implementation plans drawn up European Charter of Fundamental Rights that demands by university managements. Roland Erne is Lecturer in Comparative and International that “every worker has the right to protection against The documents represent a reprehensible attack on Employment Relations, UCD unjustified dismissal.” Irish universities and on the work that their staff do 24 Liberty JANUARY 2011

By Niall SCrowley TAKE A CLAIM ON We live in a society characterised by high levels of income inequality. More than 28% of all income is earned by a mere 6% of the population. We know that societies characterised by income inequality experience signifi - cant health and social problems as a political system which were such a focus result. for the Claiming our Future event last Research has shown that income YOUR FUTURE October. inequality results in higher levels of men - It is the reason Claiming our Future tal health problems, violence and rates of called last November for an immediate imprisonment and lower levels of educa - general election – to respect the value of tional attainment, life expectancy and participation which was agreed as central social mobility. to Claiming our Future. One of the policy priorities to emerge The election offers an opportunity to from the Claiming our Future event last bring the values and policy priorities October was the need to achieve greater agreed for Claiming our Future into the income equality and reduce poverty national debate and into the perspectives through wage, tax and income policies of the political parties. that support maximum and minimum Claiming our Future will be publishing income thresholds. a statement of these values and policy pri - What are the policy steps needed to orities and seeking a response from all advance this priority given to income candidates to go up on the website. equality? How can we most effectively A crib sheet is being prepared to sup - make the case for these steps to be port people to question candidates that taken? come to their door about the policy priori - The next deliberation event for ties of Claiming our Future. Claiming our Future will focus on this A poster is also planned for wide dis - theme. tribution that would allow people to show If it is to work we need a broad cross- visible support for the Claiming our Future section of participants from all sectors of values of equality, environmental sustain - civil society – trade unions, community ability, participation, accountability and groups, environmental organisations and solidarity. more. The main drivers to bring forward the The plan is to hold this event in Claiming our Future agenda during the Galway on April 2. Watch out for the elections will be the local convenors and online debate to build up to this event on local groups that have formed around www.claimingourfuture.ie Claiming our Future. Now of course we have an election Local convenors are already organising coming down the tracks. events around the country to get people A devastating programme for nation - talking about the issues and to bring for - al recovery, a ruinous Memorandum of ward messages to the candidates. Understanding with the IMF and the A list of local convenors is on the web European Union and a cruel budget are www.claimingourfuture.ie , so get in touch all put in place and only then do they ask and participate. the citizens for their view. This captures the limitations of our New beginnings: Claiming our Future launch event at the RDS in October Picture: Malachy Browne

‘SNOTHING Pabout Tus withUout us’ champions le‘Chamapions’ dhave se curted hebers. G onwe are the adays wy here was adopted as a slogan of the improvements to work condi - it is acceptable for management disability movement across tions for members with disabili - to determine that a member is Europe in the early 1990s. ties. unfit to work as a result of a The message behind the Members with disabilities disability. slogan is clear to those of us range from those with arthritis “That is not to say it will within SIPTU that work with and fibromyalgia to those who not happen, but there is a members with disabilities. have disabilities arising out of process that must be gone These members don’t wish accidents and injuries sustained through.” for anyone to impose a solution at work or on the playing field. Members interested in or a ‘reasonable accommoda - Champion: Frank Jones Champion: Rhonda Donaghey Frank Jones claimed most training as Disability tion’ on them. of the HR departments they Champions or learning more These members want and Frank Jones undertook this from their employer to enable have dealt with were not aware about SIPTU’s involvement in deserve to be involved in training in an effort to be better them to remain in employment, of the rights of disabled mem - this field should contact processes that arrive at out - able to represent, and to under - to ensure that members with bers. the ‘Champions’ through comes that enable them to stand the needs of, our dis - disabilities are not discriminat - He said: “We have had to [email protected]. remain in employment. abled members. ed against and to ensure that advise management of their Rhonda Donaghey added: In recent months two The function of these disability issues are put onto rights and work with the mem - “We are especially interested in SIPTU officials have completed ‘Champions’ is to work with the agenda and more ‘main - bers and management to ensure discussing work-related issues their training as ‘Disability members with disabilities in an streamed’. that accommodations can be with members with disabilities. Champions’. effort to ensure that they may In the course of – and since put in place to ensure the con - This will be done on a strictly Rhonda Donaghey and secure the accommodations completing – their training, the tinued employment of our mem - confidential basis.” Liberty 25 JANUARY 2011

view end breaks ays or week ll your holid unts in fair For a rs and disco t special offe the lates d. ghout Irelan hotels throu irhotels.ie www.fa 26 Liberty JANUARY 2011 RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

WRHAT IS REDUNEDANCY? DUNDANCWHAT CAN YYOU DO IF YOU Redundancy occurs when DO NOT GET WHAT YOU ARE your employer decides they ENTITLED TO? no longer need a job or jobs. You can take a claim to If it is a ‘collective redun - the Employment Appeals dancy’, then, depending on Tribunal (EAT). However, the numbers involved, the you must do so within 52 employer may be obliged to weeks. (In exceptional consult with your (usually) circumstances this might union representatives. be extended to 104 The most important thing to weeks) The EAT can remember is that it is the job award you your redundan - which is made redundant, cy lump sum entitlement not the person. and also rule on disputes about service or whether Another thing to remember is your employer has offered that while many workers you ‘reasonable alterna - believe that the employment tive employment’ and has to close entirely before therefore doesn’t have to your job can properly be pay you at all. made redundant, there are in fact five ways under the law, for example, cutting down ARE THERE ANY OTHER the workforce and reorgani - THINGS TO WATCH OUT sation. FOR? Yes. If you are put on WHAT IS VOLUNTARY REDUN - Lay-off or Short -time, you DANCY? can claim your statutory This is where your employer redundancy lump sum off seeks ‘volunteers’ from your employer. However, among the workforce who they have the right to are willing to take redundan - counterclaim and if they cy, often for a financial can show that they can package which is in addition offer you not less than 13 to their ‘statutory’ (i.e. legal) weeks work not later than redundancy pay. Often this is 4 weeks after your claim a package which has been this may prevent your negotiated with the work - claim going any further force through the union or for the present. can simply be an offer of the employer. Also if you feel that you have been unfairly select - WHO IS ENTITLED TO CLAIM ed for redundancy by your THE LEGAL, STATUTORY REDUN - employer, for example DANCY PAY? because of your seniority, Under the law (Redundancy then you can take a claim Payments Acts 1967-2007) under the Unfair you have to be an employee Dismissals Acts 1977- of 16 years of age or over, 2007 to a Rights have 104 weeks or more Commissioner (if your continuous employment (ser - employer agrees) or to the EAT. In any event you vice) with your employer and WHAT ARE YOU ENTITLED TO? (‘ceiling’) of €600 per week. have been made redundant by Parts of a year are calculated must take the claim within 26 that employer. Note: There are If you qualify for statutory proportionately. You are also weeks (extendable in excep - special rules about insurable redundancy pay, you are enti - entitled to Notice, time off to tional circumstances to 52 employment and how you cal - tled to get a lump sum made up look for work and a weeks). of two weeks’ pay for each year culate service. You can have a Redundancy Certificate to show By Michael Halpenny. Permanent, Part-Time and, in of your service with your you have been made redundant. certain circumstances, Fixed- employer, plus a weeks’ pay, Purpose contract. but subject to a maximum Liberty 27 RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL JANUARY 2011 d a d

Global action on Mexican union rights i GLOBAL days of action are being damental change in the way ciation, including employer-domi - ical persecution against the planned later this month in a bid Mexico deals with trade union nated ‘protection contracts’ and Mexican Miners’ Union and the r to highlight the plight of Mexican rights.Unions are demanding of interference in union elections. Mexican Electrical Workers’ a d

trade unionists. the Mexican government that it: 3. Ends the use of force – by Union. Five years after the Pasta i Unions across the world will 1. Holds to account those the state or private parties – to de Conchos disaster, the bodies of l stage numerous rallies and meet - responsible for the notorious Pasta repress workers’ legitimate 63 of the 65 miners who died o ings as well as sending delega - de Conchos mine explosion that demands for democratic unions, remain buried in the workings. S tions to Mexican embassies. The killed 65 miners in February better wages and working condi - Trade unionists claim the

days of action – between 14th 2006. tions, as well as good health and Government has also failed to www.imfmetal.org/mexico2011 www.icem.org/en/5-Mining-DGOJP February and 19th February – are 2. Abolishes systemic viola - safety conditions. investigate or prosecute those www.uniglobalunion.org/MexicoAction GLOBAL DAYS OF ACTION to hammer home the need for fun - tions of workers’ freedom of asso - 4. Ends the campaign of polit - responsible. 14-19 FEBRUARY 2011 ITUC backs Tunisian

THE International Trade Union reaffirmed support for the ing widely to bring about a had already been lost and that unionConfedseration h as voaiced total fUGtTT wheich playedr a pivot al agenuinet demotcratic atransition. cthe “sukffering mus st stop support for its Tunisian affili - role in the mass protests that On 24th January, more immediately”. ate the UGTT after offices toppled the hated Ben Ali than nine in every 10 primary She added: ‘The opening belonging to the organisation regime. It is understood the teachers refused to return to of genuine, constructive dia - were attacked in six towns ITUC is to file an appeal with work after the government logue with the UGTT – instead across the country last week. the International Labour decreed that schools – closed of the attacks on our affiliate General Secretary Sharan Organisation over the violence during the previous weeks of that have appeared in the pro- Burrow slammed the dark meted out to trade unionists disturbances – should reopen. government media in the last forces behind the spate of in the North African nation. Many teachers joined few days – and with the rest of attacks. The mass of Tunisians are thousands of demonstrators the democratic forces in the She said: “These physical now calling on the transition outside the offices of the country is essential. attacks and the climate of government – set up after Ben Prime Minister in the Casbah “This is necessary to intimidation are inadmissible. Ali fled the country – to district of Tunis, calling on ensure a peaceful transition At a time when Tunisia is not resign. him and his ministers to towards true democracy that only full of hope but also full Demonstrators have point - resign. will protect fundamental free - of uncertainty, the UGTT ed out the interim regime is Criticising the violence doms, notably the freedom of stands as an undisputable packed with politicians who directed against demonstrators expression, and will ensure force of stability and progress served under Ben Ali. over the past month, Ms social justice and economic for the future of Tunisian soci - Trade unions are mobilis - Burrow said too many lives development for all.” ITUC chief Sharan Burrow: Voicing support ety.” Sharan Burrow again Was this Martin’s last act as Foreign Affairs Minister? IN one of his final acts as along similar paths with Minister for Foreign Affairs, Colombia.” Micheál Martin, wrote to Sharon In December, the then Cregan secretary of the Cork Minister met with a delegation of Council of Trade Unions (CCTU) to trade unionists, human rights explain why he could not agree to activists and lawyers and a her request that Ireland reject the Congressman from Colombia who proposed EU trade agreement argued that the trade agreement with Colombia. would allow the Colombian gov - Human rights groups includ - ernment to continue its policies of ing Justice for Colombia and sup - tolerating the campaign of assas - ported by the CCTU, SIPTU, Martin: Letter to the Minister sinations, and indeed provide Congress and many other trade international cover for it. unions across Europe have argued Minister for Foreign Affairs, his Comparing their request with that the trade agreement should reply to Sharon Cregan includes the illegal and unjust US led not be signed because of the the bizarre argument that he sup - embargo on the entire Cuban peo - Latin American country’s ports the trade agreement ple was either the height of cyni - appalling human rights record because of the experience of cism on the part of the Minister or including the high number of the“effects of the US embargo on one of his mandarins, or simply a assassinations of trade union the Cuban people.” unique display of ignorance. leaders and activists by pro- “I am aware that the situation Indeed, the Obama adminis - Government forces. in Colombia remains challenging, tration influenced by opposition Although Micheal Martin, particularly for human rights from Congress has been reluctant newly-elected Fianna Fáil leader, defenders and trade union mem - to endorse a trade agreement with has been rightly praised for his bers. It goes without saying that a Colombia precisely because of its stance on the rights of single death is one too many but human rights record and has Palestinians and his visit, in the having watched the effects of the been, however slowly, removing SIPTU General President Jack O’Connor with Colombian human rights face of intense hostility from US embargo on the Cuban people the restrictions on trade and other lawyer Lina Malagon, pictured at a special meeting in Dublin to mark Israel, to the Gaza strip while I cannot envisage proceeding dealings with Cuba. Human Rights Day on December 10 Picture: John Chaney 28 Liberty JANUARY 2011 SPORT LETTERS Discontent grows over ‘one-size-fits-all’ ban ONE of the most topical issues in Gaelic for a closed season on medical grounds, of the Gaelic Players’ Association last of a ‘floating’ closed season, to suit each games over the winter has been the GAA’s there is a growing consensus that the November but no agreement was reached, county’s own agenda. controversial collective training ban which is ‘one-size-fits-all’ model currently in place primarily due to the staggered nature of the This model would see counties introduce in place for November and December. simply doesn’t suit most counties. GAA season. the two-month break during a period that Opposition to the moratorium is growing The ban has also been perceived by However, following a period of extended suits. For example, if a county exited the championship in July, the moratorium could annually among players and managers, many players as a cost-saving exercise on consultation with the wider GPA membership, be introduced during September and October particularly as the inter-county season the part of county boards who don’t have to the players’ body has called for the allowing squads to regroup in advance of the commences so early in the New Year. While pay travel expenses to players during the November/December ban to be reviewed by the GAA and has advocated the introduction provincial competitions in January. there is widespread support among players period. The matter was discussed at the AGM By Sean Potts

By Sean Potts essential assistance to players with their It’s game onsear ch fofr emplooyment. r For self-employed players, the GPA CULTURE change might be all the rage has introduced a mentoring programme to within organisations at present but for the help them develop their businesses while Gaelic Players Association the change in also hosting seminars to encourage devel - its organisational culture since reaching opment and networking. an agreement with the GAA a little over Players can also avail of up-skilling 12 months ago has been fundamental. programmes and communications training Historically considered a loud and to improve their job or promotional often brash campaigning body for player prospects, all free of charge under the rights, the GPA, under the direction of Player Development Programme. CEO Dessie Farrell, has rapidly trans - the GPA Impartial financial planning and tax formed itself into an effective provider of advice is also available to players regard - key development programmes for inter- less of their background. county hurlers and footballers. In the area of health, inter-county The rationale behind the GPA’s long- players who experience personal difficul - time campaign was that inter-county play - ties in their lives can now access a net - ers were deserving of welfare support in work of experienced counsellors on a recognition of their central contribution to nationwide basis. the commercial success of the GAA and, by extension, the wider Association itself. SCHEME CHALLENGE An enhanced injury scheme has just been introduced which will provide addi - Accepted by the Croke Park adminis - tional loss-of-earnings payments as well tration, the GPA was recognised officially as extra medical and dental expenses. by the GAA at Congress 2010. With the A cardiac screening programme is GPA’s goal realised, the challenge now also due to be set up early in 2011. was to deliver a first-class welfare service The GPA’s Benevolent Fund provides which would bring tangible long-term critical financial support for players and benefit and support to players. past players who have fallen on hard Official recognition brought funding times. for the GPA – €1.35m for the period of This aspect of the GPA’s programme an interim arrangement – which enabled is expected to be developed significantly the GPA to initiate critical services for its with the recent establishment of a GPA players in the areas of education, career Past Players Advisory Group, chaired by development, health and wellbeing, per - former Dublin footballer, Tony Hanahoe. sonal and benevolent support. Implementing such an ambitious pro - During this interim period, the GPA gramme in such a short period was an and GAA also developed a long-term enormous challenge for the GPA which recognition protocol which essentially has grown its operation and staff to meet fleshed out the temporary agreement and the expanding demands of the Player will enable the GPA to plan strategically Development Programme. Strict gov - for the next five years. ernance and financial controls have Central to this process was the been introduced as well as an annu - enshrining of the GAA’s amateur status in al joint review process with the GAA. the GPA’s constitution. Significantly, the GPA has con - Having launched its Player tinued to assert its independent Development Programme in March last voice on player-related issues while year, nearly 700 players have already the protection of the principle of engaged with the programme to date, pri - Government funding for players marily through the educational and career remains a cornerstone of GPA poli - development components. cy. Students, who make up nearly a third The challenge for the players’ of the inter-county playing body, were Leading role: GPA chief Dessie Farrell, inset, has transformed a traditional body in 2011 is to build on the supported through an extensive scholar - campaigning body into an effective provider of development programmes success of the initial implementation ship programme with more than 320 of its new services and to ensure that an An educational advice service was increasingly scarce, career development receiving financial assistance. increasing number of inter-county players Players returning to education also implemented to assist players in choosing has been central to GPA activity over the engage with the Development received support, while two scholarships the appropriate path through college or past year. Programme, tending to their lives off the for the prestigious Executive MBA further education. Career Advisor, Mairead Griffin, has field as efficiently as they do on it. Programme in Dublin City University were With the economy in such a wretched led this service to date with great success handed out to former players. condition and employment opportunities despite the current difficulties, providing Sean Potts is GPA Head of Comminications Liberty 29 SPORT LETTERS JANUARY 2011 ELECTIONS

THE peoiple emngaged in thee Comm unitty anod Volun tary c€o208.00n. sider ytions? ur vote Sector throughout this country provide a service that is This is hitting at the very heart of our communities 3. Why is the Government apparently willing to con - critical to the very survival of those very same communi - and hitting some of the most productive, though vulnera - done breaches of the Payment of Wages Act by deciding ties in which they work. They are engaged in such activi - ble, in society. SIPTU is still progressing complaints on the reduction of the rate of pay and refusing to engage ties as childcare, drug rehabilitation, youth care, etc. under the Payment of Wages Act 1991 on behalf of many with the affected parties and their union? It is a disgrace that they are not properly recognised of these workers. for the work they do, by the leaders of our country, and – As we now face a general election, it is time that we 4. Why are departments of Government not prepared in particular – the Fianna Fail/Green Government that is should consider who we would like to see in power. to honour Labour Court recommendations where they now about to face the electorate. It is time to consider the questions we require apply to the Community and Voluntary Sector? We have had the crazy situation where Community answers to from the parties and candidates standing for There is no accountability within Government where Employment (CE) participants, for example, have had election. The following are some of the questions to the Community and Voluntary Sector is concerned. It is their wages unilaterally reduced and no-one at which all those employed in the Community and time that all those engaged in the sector demand answers Departmental level will take responsibility for that deci - Voluntary Sector should demand answers: from those seeking a vote in the forthcoming election. sion. 1. Who took the decision to reduce the wages of CE This means that CE Participants on a basic wage Participants? Use your vote wisely. have had their weekly rate cut from €228.70 to €216.00 2. Why did the funding bodies not engage with the Eddie Mullins. in 2010 with the rate again being cut in 2011 to Unions on cost saving measures other that wage reduc - SIPTU Sectoral Organiser.

Dear Editor, For an old leftie like me, the most dispiriting aspect of the emerging election cam - In election 20112011 paign is the zest with which those on the left are attacking each other while Fine Gael sails serenely towards a glorious blue horizon. There is no point going into ‘who started it’ as this would only exacerbate the row. Make your mark Labour, Sinn Fein and the United Left Alliance can continue to indulge their appetite for infighting or refocus on the real enemy. A truce may be frustrating for some, especially those who see easy meat by poaching for equality and each others voters but even they should remember that cannibalism is not a very viable, or indeed appetising, menu in the long term. human rights One thing is certain. If the left insists on devouring itself in public the media will pro - vide the knives and forks. Yours etc., Padraig Yeates

‘National Day of Shame’ Protest at Dáil, Tuesday 1st February, from 8:30am – 11:00am A broad based coalition of trade unions and civil society organisations will stage a protest at the Dáil on Tuesday 1st February to mark the implementation of the cut to the minimum wage.

The “Day of Shame” protest will begin at 8.30am ERO’s from politicians in the next government. and has the following objectives: SIPTU members from the hotel sector, contract cleaning and meat industries will be joined by • To publicly mark the cut to the minimum wage representatives from Mandate, the MRCI, the and the impact it will have on the lowest paid Poor Can’t Pay Campaign and the Community workers, especially women, migrant workers and young people Platform. The message will be simple- “Put hard working families first-or they’ll put you for a stronger equality and • To flag the serious threat to workers pay and last!” conditions for up to 300,000 workers in the human rights infrastructure. planned review of Employment Regulation The protest will conclude with a Roll of Shame Orders’s (ERO’s) and the Joint Labour naming those politicians who voted to reduce the Committee system minimum wage followed by the launch of a pledge card seeking politicians to commit to reverse the • To remind TD’s of their political commitments cut to the minimum wage and protect ERO wage to reverse the cut to the minimum wage and to rates. seek new commitments/pledges to protect the 30 Liberty JANUARY 2011 The SIPTU Basic English Scheme (1990-2011) is still here in NOTICES Liberty Hall for members needing help with • reading • writing • spelling • form filling • note-taking SIPTU Basic • FETAC • English for Foreign Members SIPTU an English Scheme For more information ring: Katherine Dowds 01-8586311 organising Right Here, Write Now

USIPTU isn an orgianiosing n Union. It aims to organise employees so that together they can use their individual and collective voice to secure good pay and condi - tions of employment, with real respect, equality and MEMBERSHIP dignity at work, in a safe INFORMATION & and healthy work environ - SUPPORT CENTRE (MISC) ment. It also provides guidance on organising other employees into active participation in SIPTU so that they too can have the advantages and benefits of union organisa - tion. 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday 20 The reason organising is so important to SIPTU is to ensure that the Union is strong enough to exercise decisive influence on behalf www.siptu.ie of its members in individual employments, in broad sectors of the economy and in its dealings The SIPTU Basic English Scheme (1990-2011) is still here in with Government on issues of major Liberty Hall for members needing help with concern to workers such as taxa - • reading tion, childcare, social welfare, • writing housing, and education. • spelling • form filling • note-takin g • FETAC • English for Foreign Members

For more information call: Katherine Dowds 01-8586311

Political Change and People Power Migrant Rights Centre Ireland is a national organisation working ‘New Political Possibilities in Ireland for all Left-Wing Parties in Partnership with Civil Society’ to promote justice, empowerment and equality for migrant workers Saturday, 5th February 2011 and their families Gresham Hotel, Dublin For more information on our work & campaigns Contact: Tom O’Connor visit our new website: www.mrci.ie

Mobile: 086 2462176 Contact: 01 889 7070 / [email protected] / 55 Parnell Square West, Dublin 1 Liberty 31 NOTICES JANUARY 2011

QUIZ James Tr Ever Answer the six questions below correctly and ade Union ett to G ist overnme you can win a weekend away for two in one 1917 nt Ministe by John-1951 r Kenna of Ireland’s Fair Hotels with €500 to spend. 1. How many Irish workers are covered by Employment Regulation Orders? 2. How many home owners are expected to be in negative equity by the end of 2011? James Everett 3. How many people are believed to be Trade Unionist to Government emigrating each week from Ireland? Minister 1917-1951 4. In a worst case scenario what is the The author John Kenna presents a clear and well written likely final bailout cost of Anglo-Irish Bank? account of the odyssey on which one sincere and committed leader of the Labour movement embarked. 5. What is the official title of the recent Hunt Report on third level Education? For more information about the book contact: [email protected] 6.Who is the chief executive of the Gaelic Players Association?

Answers by e-mail only to [email protected] A4 Painters Flyer:Layout 1 26/01/2011 12:27 Page 1

Atlantic Corridor Irish National Painters’ & Decorators’ Trade Group - S I P T U

STEM Conference On the centenary of his death on 3 February 1911

The Atlantic Corridor STEM Conference, which focuses on how science, technology, Commemorate the life and work of Dublin born painter and decorator engineering and maths are taught in our schools and colleges, takes place in March with a keynote speaker of international quality. Dr Ben Goldacre M.D. is an author of the Robert Noonan Guardian newspaper’s weekly column called Bad Science. His website Author of the www.badscience.net is devoted to satirical criticism of scientific inaccuracy, health scares, pseudoscience and quackery. It focuses especially on examples from the mass Ragged Trousered media, consumer product marketing, problems with the pharmaceutical industry and its Philanthropists

relationship to medical journals as well as complementary and alternative medicine in Britain. Chair - James Coughlan INPDTG – SIPTU

In its third year, the conference gives industry professionals such as teachers, lecturers Speaker - Charles Callan and anyone connected to the education sector the opportunity to examine the quality an illustrated talk on in the way in which certain subjects are taught in our schools and colleges. It examines Noonan’s life and work how young the children should be when introducing them to STEM subjects as well as followed by a discussion

methods used to teach. The conference examines alternatives to this and give educators an opportunity to help make a difference to the existing curriculum. The conference will Connolly Room also host over 100 Transition Year students who will be challenged to give their honest 7 pm, Thursday, 3 February 2011 First Floor, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 views on the subjects.

The students will then deliver the results to those attending the conference.

The conference takes place on 10th March 2011 in the

Tullamore Court Hotel. To book your place at this event please visit

www.eventelephant.com/atlanticconference2011

Other speakers at the conference include Sarah Baird from the Arizona Centre for STEM Education, Prof. Patrick Cunningham Chief Scienti!c Advisor to the Government, Dr. Thad Starner Founder and Director of the Contextual Computing Group in Georgia Tech and Paul Carroll from CPL.