WORKERS RIGHTS CENTRE 8.30 A.M

November/ Vol.14 No. 7 December 2015 ISSN 0791-458X Saving the public Fighting for the Battle water service undocumented for Brazil Page 8 Page 16-17 Page 26 Call to end ‘if and when’ contracts

by Scott Millar SIPTU is seeking action from the Government in relation to so-called ‘if and when’ contracts which have been highlighted as a major concern for precarious workers. Researchers at University of Limerick (UL) found that ‘if and when’ contracts have evolved to undermine protections in Irish law against the imposition of ‘zero hour contracts’. The contracts circumvent existing legislation by, in theory, giving employees the option of refusing to work hours allocated to them at short notice. The contracts were found to be particularly prevalent in the accommodation, food and retail sectors as well as in occupations including nursing, community care and third level lecturing. Writing in Liberty, the Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash, commits to tackling this new form of precarious employment, stating that; “Too many workers go to bed on a Sunday night not knowing how many hours they will work that week, what their take- home pay will be or how they are going to organise family life around work. I am determined to tackle this.” Christy Moore singing with Clerys workers in Liberty Hall on Friday, 16th October. See page 4. He said: “Tackling precarious work practices is a priority for me and (Photo: Derek Speirs ) the Labour Party, and is a key element of the dignity at work agenda I have been promoting since becoming Minister.” 5 6 3 4 1 2 Nash has called on stakeholders to make submissions based on the 8 7

UL study, which will inform recommendations on creating greater job Brexit Crossword 10 Tackling 9 security that he will bring to government early in the new year. 13 Page 31 11 12 1211 danger 14 precarious SIPTU will be presenting an extensive submission to the minister 16 15 17 on the UL study and on what legislative changes should be imple- Page 5 19 work 18 mented to provide workers with greater job security. 21 20 Page 13 Continued on page 2 WORKERS RIGHTS CENTRE 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday wrc@siptu.ie [email protected]

2 Liberty In this month’sLiberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 News

Polska Edycja Liberty Irish Water workers ballot for industrial action Page 6 Workers in Irish Water began level agreement and enforce up to to expand the number of private balloting on industrial ac- 1,500 job losses among front-line contractors working for the com- tion on Monday, 9th Novem- water service workers. pany which will accelerate the ber. SIPTU Organiser, Brendan creeping privatisation of this public utility.” The decision to ballot for indus- O’Brien, said: “The company has The ballot is scheduled to be trial action by SIPTU members re- not explained who would carry out the essential work of any em- counted on Friday, 20th sults from an attempt by ployees made redundant. It can November. (see page 8) management to break a service only be deduced that the plan is Liberty View Liberty Page 11 View Labour Court intervention in Irish Rail dispute SIPTU has agreed to a re- said: “SIPTU will be presenting its hearing.” quest by the Workplace Rela- case that the management of Irish In deference to the WRC re- tions Commission (WRC) to Rail must honour its commit- quest, SIPTU agreed to suspend a Supporting Quality: refer the dispute at Irish Rail ments in relation to past produc- work stoppage by train drivers, Odlums and Pfizer to the Labour Court. tivity, which were agreed in 2014, which was scheduled to take place SIPTU Organiser, Paul Cullen, at the forthcoming Labour Court on Friday, 6th November. Page 18-19 Rent controls needed to stem rising homelessness Dancing with Paddy Behan A well-designed system of lessness, long-term mortgage ar- the adoption of a system modeled rent controls must be intro- rears, home repossessions and on the best practice in other coun- Page 22 duced immediately to stem shortages of social housing and tries. the rising tide of homeless- private rental accommodation all O’Connor added: “Many other ness, according to SIPTU intensifying in severity,” he said. European countries have had such President, Jack O’Connor. The SIPTU President said that the systems in place for many years, “Ireland is experiencing a hous- Government needed to go much indeed decades, and have seen ing crisis that is worsening each further than proposals that solid and sustainable investment Ending the Cuban week with spiralling rents, home- emerged in early November in rein the rental sector at the same blockade lation to the issue. He called for time.” Page 25 Proposed banking changes an attack on the elderly The 1916 Rising Proposals by the Bank of Ire- Moran, . Under the propos- “This amounts to an attack on generation land to restrict cash transac- als, Bank of Ireland is at- older people, many of whom find Page 28 tions in branches amount to tempting to force customers ATMs and computerised interac- an attack on the elderly ac- who are dealing in amounts tion extremely difficult, if not im- cording to the National Sec- of less than €700 to only use possible, and do not own home retary of the SIPTU Retired automated or internet based computers,” Moran said Members Section, Paddy banking systems.

1916 - the sporting year Page 30 Deal to bring Dublin Fire Brigade numbers up to safe level SIPTU members have ac- safe minimum manning lev- Dublin City Council that numbers cepted a Workplace Rela- els within an agreed time- in the DFB should be brought up tions Commission proposal frame. to 963, in line with the agreed safe on a plan that will see num- The main provisions of this manning levels that have been in bers in the Dublin Fire agreement, which was concluded place since 1991. Brigade (DFB) brought up to in October, is a commitment by Editor: Frank Connolly, SIPTU Head of Communications Journalist: Scott Millar Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU), Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) & William Hederman Continued from page 1 — Call to end ‘if and when’ contracts Publications Assistant: Deirdre Price Administrative Assistant: Karen Hackett SIPTU Services Division Organ- the consultation process with the what is expected of them. Produced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labour. iser, Ethel Buckley, said: “Our intention of ensuring that the Other proposals include a mini- Printed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin. members will regard the publica- measures to be adopted will fully mum shift of three continuous Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views. tion of the UL report as an oppor- protect the interests of workers hours work for employees and, if If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: tunity to deal with the abuse, and their families.” not, that the worker should be [email protected] misuse and manipulation of vul- Among the proposals put for- paid for three hours. There is also Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 nerable workers in Irish society. ward in the UL report to assist a recommendation to legislate for SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor • Vice President, Gene Mealy• “We note the commitment by precarious workers is a recom- a 72 hour notice period for any General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn the minister to bring forward mendation that employees re- request to undertake work or Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, measures to handle this type of ceive, on day one of a new job, a cancellation of work, or compen- Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: [email protected] mistreatment by some employers contract which includes working sation for not meeting this mini- and the union will engage fully in hours that are a true reflection of mum notice. Liberty 3 News NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Irish Water workers ballot for industrial action SIPTU: securing pay increases and growing membership

WORKERS at most of lot of employments in the private Ireland’s leading companies sector, particularly in manufactur- are organised into SIPTU, a ing, of up to 4.5% to 5% in some fact which critically under- employments where they have the mines claims that unions are ability to pay. In others it might be of the past or against 2% to 3%.” progress, SIPTU General Sec- O’Flynn said the fact that work- retary, Joe O’Flynn, has ers still understood that organising claimed. in a union is relevant to the quality “There is a lot of perception of their lives was clear from the today that unions are no longer rel- increasing SIPTU membership that evant and we are not really repre- was beginning to recover from the sentative in terms of employment losses it had suffered during the and are not organised in the big US recession. multinationals,” he said address- “We have organised 16,000 new ing 400 delegates gathered at the members since 1st January,” he City Hall, Cork, on 7th October. told delegates. “We expect that by “However, if you take the top the end of the year we will have 100 listed companies in terms of over 20,000 new members. There employees, 72 are SIPTU-repre- have been losses but for the first sented and that includes the likes year in six we will have more new of Pfizer and Apple.” members than people who are Addressing delegates on the leaving due to the loss of their progress of the union in 2013 and jobs.” 2014, O’Flynn pointed to the scale O’Flynn’s address to delegates of pay increases that were being confirmed this year’s biennial con- achieved by members. ference as marking the start of a “The improving economy hasn’t new period for SIPTU - one in impacted positively on everyone which members strive to win back General Secretary Joe O’Flynn yet,” he said. “But we have started what was lost during the recession delivering upbeat address to and push on to build a better coun- SIPTU’s biennial delegate to advance workers pay and condi- conference tions over the last two years, try for workers. PICTURE: Jim Weldon particularly in the private sector. l For full conference report We are securing pay increases in a see pages 14 and 15 Gardai ‘focusing on migrant fishermen – not unscrupulous employers’ By Scott Millar Gardai have been accused of workers to be provided with a pe- a submission to a new high-level focusing on charging undocu- riod of reflection after making inter-departmental taskforce set mented migrant workers themselves known to the authori- up by the Minister for Agriculture rather than abusive employ- ties. This period would allow them Food and the Marine, Simon ers following revelations to decide how best to regularise Coveney, to examine the issues about widespread exploita- their status and, if required, to pro- identified in the recent Guardian tion in the Irish fishing in- vide evidence for the prosecution report. of employers for gross violations Fleming added: “This is also an dustry. of human and employment rights. issue in Northern Ireland and Scot- International Transport Federa- Fleming continued: “The intro- land. However, there is a degree of tion (ITF) coordinator for Britain duction of such a period of reflec- effective police action in those ju- and Ireland, Ken Fleming, told Lib- tion is essential if we are to tackle risdictions.” erty: “The arrest of a young Egypt- this issue at its source, that is em- He believes the largest number ian fisherman in west Cork for ployers who will inflict any degree of undocumented migrants work- failing to produce identification of suffering on workers in order to ing in the industry are from the and a work permit indicates that increase profits. Egypt and the Philippines with Ken Fleming, International Transport gardaí are still failing to tackle the Federation (ITF) co-ordinator for Britain “The ITF has been demanding smaller numbers from other coun- cause of this problem which is and Ireland. government action to end exploita- tries including Ghana and Indone- PICTURE: Courtesy Irish Examiner non-compliant, exploitative em- tive practices in the industry for sia. ployers.” several years but there was no ef- SIPTU Divisional Organiser, On Thursday 5th November, Mo- fective response. Gerry McCormack, said: “SIPTU is hamed Elfallah (23), was charged than 1,000 migrant workers are range of abuses suffered by work- “A report was produced in 2009 calling on the Government to im- with a breach of the Immigration currently being exploited within ers, including low pay, no pay, outlining many of these problems. mediately move towards the intro- Act at Bandon District Court after the Irish fishing industry. The scale withheld pay, workers being forced I met various departments and duction of a legal framework that he was unable to produce a valid of the problem was confirmed by to work long hours, suffering ex- ministers concerning the issue, would provide for decent pay and passport or equivalent identifica- an in-depth investigation by the treme sleep deprivation and a lack had talks on quay walls with gardaí conditions, proper training for tion to gardai at Union Hall pier in Guardian newspaper published in of mandatory basic training. but the whole thing was a waste of workers and an appropriate inspec- Cork on the previous day. early November. SIPTU and the ITF are calling for time as nothing was done.” tion system to ensure compliance Fleming said he believes more Guardian reporters uncovered a exploited undocumented migrant The ITF has been asked to make in the fishing industry.” 4 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Clerys concert

Susie McGowan addressing the audience Pictures: Derek Speirs

Clerys workers joining Christy Moore on stage for a rendition of Molly Christy Moore Malone with The Workers Republic Solidarity in song at Christy’s Clerys gig By Scott Millar song a powerful polemic against cluded with an emotional rendi- to discuss future plans for the site. the Irish political and business tion of Molly Malone with the Since the Liberty Hall gig the HE Justice for the elite written by singer-songwriter Clerys workers joining Christy on Clerys workers have also widened Clerys workers cam- Mick Blake. stage. their protest campaign to include paign has continued During the concert, SIPTU Presi- Lord Mayor of Dublin, Críona Ní a weekly picket outside the De- to gather strength in dent Jack O’Connor presented Dhálaigh, Tánaiste Joan Burton, partment of Jobs, Enterprise and T Christy with a copy of the new Sinn Féin Vice President Mary Lou Innovation in Dublin 2, in a bid to recent weeks with a solidarity concert by singer Christy SIPTU publication The Workers Re- McDonald, Junior Minister Aodhán highlight the need for a change in Moore and a growing number public. There was also a powerful Ó Ríordáin, and People Before the law to ensure no other workers of politicians offering their performance of an extract of the Profit TD, Richard Boyd Barrett at- can lose their jobs in a similar support. play Rebel, Rebel by drama group tended the concert. manner. The concert took place in a sold- ANU. Before taking their seats the ICTU General Secretary, Patricia out Liberty Hall Theatre on Friday, “We’re not just fighting for elected representatives expressed King, has attended the picket out- 16th October. During the perform- Clerys workers, we’re fighting for support for the Clerys workers’ de- side the department alongside or- ance, Christy warmly recounted all workers,” former Clerys worker mands for fair treatment and ganisers and members from his own memories of Clerys and Susie McGowan told the audience backed a meeting with the direc- several unions including SIPTU, the important part it played in in a speech from the stage. tors of Natrium – the consortium Impact and the PSEU. Proceeds Irish life. She said that the workers would that bought the store in June – so from the concert were given to the He performed rousing favourites now be intensifying their fight they could be quizzed about why it Carrickmines Tragedy Fund, the including Ordinary Man, Connolly with a series of protests in the run was decided to liquidate the busi- Christy Moore Rise Foundation and the Clerys Was There and Oblivious – the last up to Christmas. The night con- ness with the loss of 400 jobs and Workers Fighting Fund. Arnotts plan backed by workers PROPOSALS by the new family who also own Brown owners of Arnotts to main- Thomas. tain and develop the busi- SIPTU Organiser, Teresa ness have received support Hannick, told Liberty: “Our from SIPTU members work- members in Arnotts are pleased ing at the iconic department with the positive news that the store in Henry Street, new owners are planning to Dublin. further upgrade and develop the retail store.” Robbie O’Connor and In early November, the store Aisling O’Meara of ANU was purchased by Wittington There are 45 members of SIPTU Productions performing PICTURE: Properties and Selfridges, which working in Arnotts from a total of RollingNews.ie at Clerys gig are controlled by the Weston 500 direct employees. Liberty 5 News NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Brexit would hit Irish workers hard

A UK exit from the European having received concessions or a Union (the so called “Brexit”) fudged agreement from our EU would have a hugely negative “The proposal of a partners. “This could lead to the dumbing- impact on the Irish economy, Brexit could have down of employment rights and the in particular on the agricul- a detrimental possibility of social dumping... ture and food & drinks sec- It is clear the British prime minister tors, the head of SIPTU's impact on David Cameron cannot be trusted Manufacturing Division has when it comes to workers’ rights.” warned. workers’ rights – Pointing out that Ireland is the Gerry McCormack, whose divi- even if the UK only country in Europe that has a sion has 37,000 members directly land border with the UK, employed in the manufacturing in- decided to stay McCormack said living and working dustry, was addressing a seminar in on both sides of the border “may October on a possible “Brexit”, or- within the EU become extraordinarily difficult for ganised by the Charter Group. having received workers if based on the worst-case He said trade union led economic scenario involving border controls predictions suggested Ireland could concessions” and work regulations”. lose up to 3.1% of GDP in a worst- McCormack called on the Irish case scenario and 1.1% of GDP in a Government and its various State best-case one. mack said it was clear the UK also agencies to take immediate steps to “The total value of agriculture, had “an enormous amount to lose protect Irish jobs and employment food & drinks exports is in the rein terms of its exports to the EU rights. gion of €10.5 billion, and exports Gerry McCormack: called on and to Ireland . . . It is therefore dif- “The Government should engage the Government to take ficult to foresee how a Brexit would in this sector have grown by 45% immediate steps to protect Irish with its UK counterparts to ensure from 2009 despite the recession,” jobs and employment rights. be in the UK’s economic interest.” the minimum impact to both McCormack said. “Our biggest mar- Picture: Laura Hutton/RollingNews.ie McCormack said SIPTU was also countries’ economies and social ket by far is the UK where over 40% concerned that the proposal of a structures. The Irish Government of all goods are exported with a porters could face border controls, Noting that the two-way trade be- Brexit could have a detrimental im- should also reject any attempts by total value of over €4.2 billion.” customs and excise duties, tariffs tween the Republic and the UK is pact on workers’ rights – even if the the UK Government to water down In the event of a Brexit, Irish ex- and other regulations, he warned. worth €1 billion a week, McCor- UK decided to stay within the EU, workers’ rights at EU level.”

The SOLUTION for Your Next Conference. Newly renovated Meeting With Our Compliments and Guest Rooms (based on 24 hour rate) Located on Dromoland Castle Estate Upgrades to Premier Rooms for 10% of Delegates Accommodating up to 220 Delegates Room Hire for one Breakout 4 Breakout Rooms Room Located Junction 11, M18 Entertainment in our Bar on Day Delegate Rate from one night €30 per person sharing 2 Night Stay voucher for booker 24 Hour Rate from €105 Half Day Outdoor Activities for per person sharing Group

Contact our Sales Department on 061 368161 or email: [email protected].

Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare, Ireland. 95 EPF5. T: +353 (0)61 368 161, W: www.theinnatdromoland.ie 6 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 News

NEW! POLISH SECTION If you have any colleagues from Poland in your workplace, you may show them the new Polish section of Liberty. We start small but aim to Liberty Hall to host talks expand. Keep an eye on the next issue and share with your Polish colleagues. You might also ask for their opinion or feedback. by working class loyalists POLSKA EDYCJA LIBERTY A SERIES of lunchtime talks Hutchinson (Thursday, Novem- featuring speakers from ber 19th), East Belfast-based working class loyalist Irish language activist Linda Drodzy czytelnicy, SIPTU zamierza prowadzić osobną kolumnę w Liberty w communities in Belfast will Ervine (Thursday, November języku polskim, skierowaną przede wszystkim do polskich członków związku. be held at Liberty Hall, 26th), historian Philip Orr Mamy nadzieję, że będziemy ją prowadzić wspólnie z Wami. O czym Dublin, during November (Thursday, December 3rd), PUP and December. chcielibyście przeczytać, czego chcielibyście się dowiedzieć? Prosimy o member Julie-Anne Corr The five Our Friends From (Thursday, December 10th), and wszelkie sugestie. Piszcie na adres: [email protected]. A na początek Belfast talks were organised by ex-UVF prisoner and playwright a group of peace workers, com- przedstawimy trójkę Polaków, którzy pracują w SIPTU. Polaków w SIPTU jest Robert Niblock (Thursday, De- ponad 7000 i mamy nadzieję, żę będzie okazja żeby i o nich opowiedzieć. munity activists and trade unionists from Dublin as part cember 17th). of an effort to build bridges and Each talk begins at 1.00 p.m. AREK MUSZYNKI dispel myths. and will be followed by Speakers include Progressive questions and discussions. ORGANISER, THE STRATEGIC ORGANISING Unionist Party leader Billy Entry is free. DEPARTMENT, w SIPTU od 7 lat

Moja przygoda z SIPTU Siptu pomagam pracownikom rozpoczęła się, kiedy podjąłem zakładać związki. Mając pracę na odlewni aluminium w doświadczenie w miejscu pracy NCI pay deal: cuts reversal Limerick. Zapisałem się do gdzie nie było zwiazków związków i szybko przekonałem zawodowych dobrze wiem jak się o korzyściach - siła w jedności, łatwo jest być wykorzystanym i mozliwość reprezentacji i realna czuć się tylko numerem w for SIPTU members szansa na zmianę. To miejscu pracy. Wspólnie spowodowalo, że zacząłem mozemy to zmienić! Pamiętaj, By Jonathan Lambert Arek Muszynki aktywnie działać w pracy i nikt za Ciebie zmiany nie zostałem wybrany Shop zaprowadzi, ale nasza pomoc SINCE 2008, SIPTU members additional days, bringing annual Stewardem. Teraz pracując w się zawsze przyda! at the National College of leave entitlement up to 26 days Ireland (NCI) in Dublin have annually for non-academic grades had to endure significant cuts and 36 days for academic grades. to their salaries, a freezing of The new agreement will also see JOANNA OZDARSKA their pension schemes, and a the updating of the current annual halt to incremental salary review processes, with the intro- ORGANISER, SERVICES DIVISION, w Siptu od 8 lat progression – all in the name of duction of a more balanced and fairer annual review system which Reprezentuję członków związku Was związków, skontaktuj się z sustainability and job security. Over this period, SIPTU will provide members with w sprawach grupowych. nami, pomożemy Ci je założyć! another opportunity for progression Prowadzę negocjacje zbiorowe Bez wsparcia związków w members in NCI have been in pay. dotyczące podwyżek, zmian miejscu pracy nie mamy dużej involved in a continuous struggle A large number of lower-paid warunków pracy. Negocjacje są szansy wpływać na warunki to reverse these cuts, at times NCI staff, who previously were not łatwiejsze z grupą pracowników, pracy! DZIAŁAJMY RAZEM! having to resort to official part of the incremental system, którzy wzajemnie się wspierają. Jeśli nie teraz to kiedy? Dzielmy industrial action to compel man- will now enter into the new pay Ważna jest ilość ludzi w się informacją i pozytywnymi agement to honour many agree- progression system. This will see związkach i ich aktywność. Jeśli historiami z naszego życia by ments that had been sanctioned them placed on to increased salary jesteś członkiem SIPTU, inspirować innych i pokazać że and proposed through the Labour bands and benefiting from all Joanna Ozdarska zachęć swoich kolegów i włącz jest inna droga do osiągnięcia Relations Commission and the się do działania. Jeśli nie ma u spokoju i swoich praw! Labour Court. aspects of the new model. After eight years, October 2015 The new pay progression model has seen the final elements of will also be applied to senior BARNABA DORDA these cuts reversed, with a executive management bands with proposal on a new model of pay no alternative awards of pay progression outside the scope of the ORGANISER, WORKERS RIGHTS CENTRE, progression being overwhelmingly accepted by SIPTU members. new model. This new model of pay W SIPTU od 10 lat The new agreement will provide progression has been built and developed with members firmly Zajmowałem się ich na spotkaniach members with pay band reviews every two years – as a way to en- aware of past occasions when organizowaniem związków dyscyplinarnych, w sądach SIPTU members have had to zawodowych w najróżniejszych prawa pracy. Indywidualne sure that pay keeps up with infla- tion and the general cost of living. endure the unilateral withdrawal miejscach w Irlandii. Wiem, że osoby opłącające składki of negotiated pay agreements. to wyzwanie by założyć silne członkowskie otrzymują od nas Each year will see percentage increases in members’ current salary, It is also being built with our związki zawodowe, ale jest to pomoc prawną, ale pamiętajcie, eyes focused on the future and the jak najbardziej możliwe. że największa korzyść z bycia w with these increases being based on a percentage tiered system, significant growth forecast for NCI Wymaga to wytrwałości i uporu. związkach to siła płynąca z over the coming 10 years. Od roku pracuje w Centrum działania grupy. Zorganizowani, resulting in a larger percentage increase on the first portion of a The new agreement firmly Barnaba Dorba Praw Pracowników w SIPTU, działający wspólnie wywalczycie commits NCI executive manage- gdzie udzielamy porad o wiele więcej niż ja przed member’s salary, with slightly reduced percentages on the next ment, unambiguously, to the prawnych indywidualnym sądami pracy w sprawach sharing of this growth with union członkom, reprezentujemy indywidualnych! higher portion of salary and so on. In addition, the new agreement members and all staff through pay will result in a significant increase progression. Zapisz się do związku! Chcesz wiedzieć więcej, zadzwoń: 1890747881 in annual leave entitlement for all Jonathan Lambert is SIPTU shop steward members. This adds up to five and committee chair at NCI Liberty 7 News NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

Pay deal at Musgraves SIPTU members in Musgrave accepted the same pay deal. Retail Partners Ireland SIPTU Organiser, Teresa Han- (MRPI) voted overwhelmingly nick, said: “This two-year agree- during October to accept a ment that will expire on the 30th 24-month pay deal. June 2017 is the first time since Workers in the company’s ware- the National Wage Agreements houses in Fonthill, county Dublin, that MRPI has had a national pay Kilcock, county Kildare and in Cork increase across its sites around the city accepted a 2% basic pay in- country. crease backdated to 1st July 2015 “The deal was negotiated by the as well as a further 1% basic pay in- MRPI National Negotiation Com- crease from the 1st July 2016. Driv- mittee with the assistance of the ers in Fonthill and Kilcock also Workplace Relations Commission.” Fire audit of properties needed SIPTU HAS called for an ur- inaction by the relevant authori- Edenderry court decision must gent and wide-ranging fire ties, including the Health and safety audit of properties Safety Authority, alongside the due to the number of seri- so-called ‘light touch’ regulation ous regulatory breaches of construction projects has al- across the country. lowed a situation to develop not lead to compulsory lay-offs where risks for the public and Defects have been found in fire service personnel have been many buildings, including significantly increased. A RECENT High Court deci- schools and apartment com- “Immediate action is now re- sion to overturn planning plexes such as Longboat Quay in quired to address this situation. permission for the continued Dublin and Riverside Walk in The authorities must act deci- operation of the Bord na county Meath. sively now and not wait until Móna power plant in Eden- SIPTU National Retained Fire- after another fatality has been derry, county Offaly, must fighter Organiser, Con Casey, told caused due to the failure to iden- not result in compulsory re- Liberty: “A culture of silence and tify existing defects.” dundancies. SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, who is secretary of the Bord na Móna Group of Unions, made the Workers accept proposals call in response to the October 27th decision. PICTURES: RollingNews.ie He said: “The decision of the lodged and we expect it to be ap- “However, if there is a rejection to end Bellanaboy dispute High Court to overturn the judg- proved next year. of this second application the po- ment of An Bord Pleanála to allow “The success of this planning ap- sition of the Bord na Móna Group SIPTU members have voted to ac- threat to impose unilateral job this plant to continue operation is plication should secure all the jobs of Unions remains that no compul- cept proposals to end a dispute losses and reduced hours resulted concerning. However, there is a in Edenderry Power and its sur- sory redundancies will be accepted involving security officers at in a 12-hour work stoppage by second planning application rounding operations. at the semi-state company.” Shell’s Bellanaboy Bridge Gas SIPTU members employed by the Terminal, county Mayo. security contractor, Senaca Group, The dispute which arose from a on 19th October. Competitive boards risk wage race to the bottom THE Irish Congress of Trade EU Commission HQ Unions has expressed “deep PICTURE: Sebastien? Bertrand (CC BY 2.0) concern” at new EU proposals to establish National Com- ADADVICE,VICE, SUPPORT AND HELP petitiveness Boards that of social partners in collective bar- CONFIDENTIAL gaining and wage setting. Such a would “inform the wage set- mechanism is unacceptable to EXPERT ting processes” in all euro- workers and their trade unions.” zone member states. The proposal to set up the Com- SIPTUSTPI WORKERSSREKROWU RIGHTS CENTRETNECSTHGIR ERT Congress General Secretary Patri- petitiveness Boards across the eu- cia King has sought an urgent rozone, which emerged from a meeting with An Taoiseach, Enda meeting of the EU Commission on Kenny, on foot of the EU Commis- 23rd October, has already drawn 18901 0891 0747774474 8818 188 1 sion proposal in order to “express strong criticism from the European our strongly held view on this se- Trade Union Confederation 88.30 a.m. to 5.3003.5ot.m.a03. p.m., Monday -yadnoM,.m.p - FridayadirF- y rious matter.” (ETUC). Patricia King: [email protected] She said: “The proposed boards The ETUC has called for the plan could infringe upon the autonomy to be shelved. ‘unacceptable’ 8 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Irish Water The plot to privatise WATER

By Scott Millar OR decades, SIPTU waste water services to the pub- doing which is the maintenance agenda in water services back to treatment plant, and the more that members have ensured lic”, said Stephen. “Following the work,” said Tom Floyd, a water the introduction of Design, Build goes out there in waste the better that fresh, clean water election of Fine Gael it then had a treatment plant worker, “Private and Operate (DBO) water treat- for them as their price goes up.” flows from the taps of mandate to bring in what was contractors seem to be the pre- ment plants in the 1990s. “These PRIVATISATION AGENDA Fhomes and businesses around called a water board to run water services on a national basis. Since On the wider privatisation the country. However, now the then it has become clear that this agenda in water provision, Conor more than 4,000 workers who organisation, Irish Water, is set on said: “It introduces opportunities provide water services are going down the road of privatisa- for profit-taking. When you bring locked in a fight to protect the tion which will have a detrimental a contractor in to work on a job he very existence of this public effect both on the public service doesn’t look at how that problem service. and the public.” interferes with the rest of the sys- Liberty discussed the looming IRISH WATER BUSINESS PLAN tem. When a contractor comes in threat of the privatisation of water the first thing they think is ‘where Paddy Beirne, a water and sew- services with frontline water is there money to be made in erage caretaker in Co Laois with workers following a meeting of the this?’, if something goes wrong Irish Water National Dispute Com- more than 20 years' experience of Members of the Irish Water National Dispute Committee, from left to right: Tom Floyd, Paddy Beirne, Conor O’Toole, elsewhere it is another opportu- mittee in Liberty Hall in October. providing water services, explains Stephen Kelly and Denis Reen. Picture: Scott Millar nity for them.” how the proposals by Irish Water WHAT IS AT STAKE The workers believe the only in a “business plan” published in Monaghan based waste water lasting defence against the privati- caretaker Stephen Kelly outlined early October to reduce numbers ‘This is a campaign to fool the sation of water services is a refer- what was at stake in the battle to of frontline staff will assist the general public and the taxpayer endum, which enshrines their ensure Irish Water respects a Serv- creeping privatisation process. public provision in the Constitu- “This is a campaign to fool the ice Level Agreement and does not that savings are going to be made tion. succeed in enforcing 1,500 redun- general public and the taxpayer They also accept that having a dancies among frontline staff. that savings are going to be made by reducing staff numbers’ by reducing staff numbers,” Paddy nationwide aspect to water serv- said. “In fact, they will now use ices does have benefits. private contractors to do the same “There was a void there before ferred option.” jobs. Reducing the number of pub- were constructed and are run on budgets,” said Conor, “Under ‘There is no way The workers believe the reason lic sector workers and increasing using public money but are oper- the local authority system if you they can run the the number of contractors is not Irish Water management is seek- made savings, all it meant was that ing to make local authority work- ated by private companies,” he going to make water any cheaper you got less money the next year water services ers redundant is that it is part of a said. to the general public, and it may The claim made by private con- so there was no incentive for effi- make it dearer.” wider drive to push down terms with 1,500 less and conditions of employment sultancy companies hired to pro- ciency. Now with Irish Water if you BRINGING IN PRIVATE and also to avail of an accountancy duce reports for Government was can make a justification for money jobs... they will CONTRACTORS trick. that there was a lack of expertise to be spent locally it will be spent; use private It is a view supported by Denis “They budget local authority to run public water treatment the best illustration of this is Reen, a non-domestic water meter workers as a cost of running the plants and that DBO plants would Roscommon. There was a void contractors to installer in Kerry who has worked network but they put down the end up costing less. The reality is there and something was needed in water services for 40 years. He cost of private operators as a capi- that DBO plants have cost more for but the problem is that the animal do the same said: “There is no way they can run tal investment,” says Conor local authorities to finance, and in- you’re getting isn’t what you troduced inefficiencies into the the water services with 1,500 less O’Toole, a waterworks caretaker in need.” system. The same consultancy jobs’ jobs. They are just going to have to Co Mayo, “So even the terminol- He added: “It does not need to bring in private people to do it.” ogy they use is misrepresenting companies advised on the setting up of Irish Water. be a national utility – you could “We have the private operators the facts.” have national regulatory and tech- creeping in week by week in Paddy adds: “You don’t have “The background to our dispute DBO: PUBLIC MONEY - people interested in the beginning nical guidance. They didn’t neces- is that originally the local authori- county Clare, and they are doing PRIVATE OPERATORS sarily need to form an organisation the exact same job we should be and the end of the pipe. At the be- ties provided both water and Paddy traces the privatisation ginning of the pipe you have the as big as they did.” Liberty 9 Economy NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Inequality is about more than income

less unequal than the OECD aver- age. Not quite Scandanavia, but far By from Latin America. Vic Duggan So, did the crisis make Ireland more equal? S IRELAND a particu- There’s a difference, of course, larly unequal country to between being more equal and live in? Well, it depends being better off in absolute terms. I who you ask, what you Almost everyone in Ireland took a measure, and relative to financial hit during the crisis. It what. seems plausible that those who Many developing and emerging had the most to lose took the economies are vastly more un- biggest hit. Many property devel- equal than Ireland, with a narrow opers lost their metaphorical oligarchy controlling the bulk of shirts, for instance. many countries’ wealth and power. For the most vulnerable people For reasons of historical and colo- in society, however, loss of a job or nial legacy, Latin America remains even a small drop in income, can particularly unequal. put you on the wrong side of the breadline. So, even if statistical measures suggest a decrease in inequality, as seems to have been the Budgets since case in Ireland since the crisis, this 2011 have may not be the best indicator of hardship. Indeed, measures of rel- taken a more ative poverty and deprivation tell a regressive very different story. approach, And then there’s the impact EQUALITY relying more of government policy... Since 2008, the ESRI estimates heavily on that Government-imposed auster- spending cuts ity has been broadly progressive, meaning budgets over this period, that have a when looked at overall, have taken bigger impact most from those that had the most to give. This is largely thanks to the on the poorest reliance by the Fianna Fáil-led Gov- ernment on much-derided tax A women begs on the street at the Central Bank of Ireland in Dublin. PICTURE: Rollingnews.ie hikes and public sector wage cuts. A better point of comparison for Painful? Certainly. But at least they are calculated. lower than would otherwise be the Ireland is countries at a similar were designed to impose the case. Increasingly, there is a reali- stage of economic development. biggest burden on those with the Having said that, initial analysis Pre-distribution sation that inequality is about The OECD, a group of 34 mainly broadest shoulders. suggests that the overall impact of more than income. Thomas Piketty advanced economies, distin- The same ESRI analysis notes those 2016 Budget measures will is at least as and others have helped highlight guishes between market income that budgets since 2011 have taken not significantly benefit those on important as the importance of wealth inequal- and disposable income, then uses a more regressive approach, relying the lowest fifth of incomes, de- a range of measures for income in- more heavily on spending cuts that spite restoration of the Christmas redistribution, ities, while inequalities in well- equality. have a bigger impact on the poor- bonus. meaning being outcomes – such as health, est. Similarly, the first post-auster- education and job quality – are also coming more sharply into focus. ity budget for 2015 prioritised the Looking to the future, investment So, how does What this means is that what Ireland compare? middle-income floating voter, how should we prioritise rather than those on the lowest in- in better has been termed pre-distribution When you look at the distribu- tax and welfare reform? comes. is at least as important as redistri- tion of market income, before Interactions between the tax and infrastructure, bution. taxes and benefits are taken into welfare system for those on low in- high-quality This means investment in more account, using what policy wonks What about Budget 2016? comes need to be examined closely and better infrastructure to im- commonly refer to as the GINI The ESRI jury is still out on the so as to eliminate unemployment healthcare, child index, only Chile is more unequal full distributional impact of last and poverty traps. Boosting take- and elder care prove connectivity with isolated than Ireland among OECD coun- month’s pre-election budget, but up of the Family Income Supple- areas, as well as high-quality tries. the Fine Gael-Labour Government ment, and reducing the rate at healthcare, childcare and eldercare. However, even after years of aus- may well have broken their duck which it is withdrawn as income In short, it means investment in terity, taxes and benefits reduce in- by bringing in their first progres- increases, would be a good place to troduced. While there will be clam- – as well as improved efficiency of equality in Ireland by more than in sive budget, particularly when ac- start. ours to reduce them, these should – public services to reduce the any other OECD country. This count is taken of the €1.5bn On the tax side, capital gains and be resisted, both on the grounds need for tax and welfare to redis- means that when you look at dis- supplementary spending for 2015, inheritance taxes have increased that they are progressive wealth tribute incomes. posable income – what people re- which enters into the baseline significantly since the crisis, while taxes, and because they allow for It means giving people real ally care about – Ireland is actually from which 2016 Budget measures a progressive property tax was in- the income tax burden to be kept equality of opportunity. 10 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Housing crisis

Co-ordinating Ballyfermot homeless group meets SIPTU group set up By David Connolly seeking the union’s help in sup- to highlight the issue and is work- implemented, one year on the porting and organising a protest to ing along with a broad range of position is significantly worse with MEMBERS of the Dublin Dis- A PROTEST organising highlight the current housing and community and voluntary organi- more than 80 families a month group on housing has been trict Council, including chair- sations, political activists and trade homeless crisis. becoming homeless. In addition, formed bringing together a person Jack McGinley, David The Ballyfermot initiative was unions. (Protest details below). the number on the waiting list for range of trade unions, vol- Connolly and campaigns or- set up last year to respond to the The December date is significant untary and campaign ganiser, Karan O’Loughlin, increasing problem of rough sleep- as it will be the first anniversary of social housing stands at over groups as well as represen- met with a delegation from a ing in the area and to offer support the death of Jonathon Corrie, a 100,000. tatives from parties linked new voluntary community to families faced with losing their homeless man who perished in a Meanwhile, those in private to Right2Change. doorway on Molesworth Street initiative, Ballyfermot Help 4 homes. rented accommodation in Dublin SIPTU District Council, A large number of local residents just yards from Leinster House. have experienced continuous Mandate, Unite, Housing Action the Homeless, on Monday have become involved in providing This death led to the convening hikes in rent as well as cuts in rent Now, Focus Ireland, the 2nd November. hot meals each day and warm of an emergency summit on home- Merchants Quay project, and Three representatives from the clothing as well as other supports. lessness in Dublin by Environment subventions, in particular hitting the Peter McVerry Trust are group, Keith Troy, Evonne Byrne The group has called for a Dáil Minister, Alan Kelly. those on low pay and welfare among the organisations in- and Anne Marie Gleeson, were protest on Tuesday, 1st December While some initial actions were payments the most. volved with the initiative. At a meeting on Wednesday, 4th November, the group agreed a number of key demands to resolve the homeless crisis. These include rent capping in the private rental sector as well as fixity of tenure and increased Housing crisis rent subvention. The homeless and housing crisis coalition group has also demanded substantial public investment in a major programme to build social and af- 19th October meeting in Liberty Hall fordable housing. in the capital PICTURE: Teresa Hannick SIPTU Dublin District Council also highlighted. City councillors has hosted a well-attended pointed out that despite Environ- Flowers mark the spot on meeting on the housing and ment Minister, Alan Kelly, confirm- Molesworth Street where ing that significant funding was Jonathan Corrie died homeless crisis – a national PICTURE: Photocall Ireland problem that is increasingly available for house building, the ex- impacting on members of the perience in Dublin was that senior officials in his Department had con- union and their families. tinuously rejected and frustrated The meeting in Liberty Hall on proposals put forward by the City October 19th was addressed by Rory Hearne of TASC and John Bissett of Council. Housing Action Now, to which the It was decided that SIPTU Dublin District Council is affiliated. Des District Council would convene a Derwin spoke to the meeting on be- meeting of representatives drawn half of the Council. from the various unions with mem- Two city councillors were also bers involved in housing and home- present – Dermot Lacey of Labour less provision – including and Daithí Doolan of Sinn Féin who construction, rent subventions, is Chairperson of the Dublin City housing allocation and homeless Council housing committee. services – with a view to jointly in- A range of issues were identified, fluencing current policy. including the increasingly unafford- The meeting also agreed to com- able private rented sector, the lack pile an analysis of the impact the of social housing provision, and the problem had on SIPTU members in scale of the housing waiting list in Dublin and to expose the activities Dublin. of senior civil servants withholding Particular difficulties faced by funding and blocking urgent provi- older workers unable to afford pri- sion of social and affordable hous- vate flats on their retirement were ing in the city. Time for action to end the Tuesday 1st December HOMELESS CRISIS PROTEST MARCH & VIGIL Convene at 5.00 p.m. at the GPO and march to Molesworth St where a vigil will be held outside the Dáil • Public investment in a major construction programme to build social and affordable housing • Private sector rent cap • Fixity of tenure and increased rent subvention Liberty 11 Liberty View NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Liberty By JACK O’CONNOR SIPTU General President View Threat of single party Fine Gael government looms

It is clear from the most recent political opinion the way for outsourcing of good jobs on an Of course, many people on the ‘Left’ wouldn’t polls (Red C on 1st November and Millward industrial scale. necessarily see a single party monopoly Fine Brown on 8th November) that we are on the Gael government as a bad development. In way to electing a monopoly, single party, Fine Fine Gael also committed to raise €10 billion their view, this would galvanise support for a Gael government - unless a significantly through the sale of state assets. This would viable left alternative in the long run. We do not greater number of voters decide to support have meant the sale of virtually the entire Labour. portfolio owned by the Irish people – including The political right has long since the ESB and our ports and airports. Thankfully, learned how to concentrate misery Even without further momentum between now because they didn’t get an overall majority, the on a minority – thus guaranteeing and election day, Fine Gael is on about 30% of privatisation agenda has been minimised. The party also declared its intention to tender out themselves the support of a permanent majority. This would enable it to place their every single bus route in the country – not just second candidate ahead of the 10% of them. agree. The political right has long since learned Labour person in most constituencies On the employment rights front, the party said how to concentrate misery on a minority – and sweep into power on transfers, it would “review” the Joint Labour Committee/ thus guaranteeing themselves the support of with the support, if required, of a Employment Regulation Order (JLC/ERO) and a permanent majority. number of right wing Independents. Registered Employment Agreement (REA) mechanisms which underpinned the threshold Moreover, we shouldn’t forget the lessons of the first preference vote. This would enable it of decency. In other words, it would have the last time the Right achieved a monopoly of to place their second candidate ahead of the spared certain elements among the employers power. It happened in 1997 when the so called Labour person in most constituencies and the trouble of having to go to the courts to have Progressive Democrats (forerunners of today’s sweep into power on transfers, with the Renua) edged themselves into Government support, if required, of a number of right wing Fine Gael also committed to raise with Fianna Fáil. They inherited a dynamically Independents. €10 billion through the sale of state growing and sustainable economy and went on to ruin it. Their remnants were still in Many people believe this wouldn’t represent much assets. This would have meant the Government to introduce the tragically ill-fated change from the way things are at present. sale of virtually the entire portfolio bank guarantee on 30th September 2008 – which Nothing could be further from the truth. If Fine owned by the Irish people – including was enthusiastically supported by Fine Gael from Gael had managed to pull off the overall majority the ESB and our ports and airports. the opposition benches. Indeed it was opposed which they came within a few seats of last time, by only one party in the Oireachtas on that they would have gone on to implement the full them struck out. Instead, we were able to get tragic day – Labour. agenda as outlined in their manifesto. It’s worth new legislation enacted to reinstate the main revisiting it. The party declared that it would elements of them. Moreover, we were also able We should have learned by now that single have cut the gap between the amount the State to get a new law to strengthen collective party government has never been good for collects in taxes and the cost of providing public bargaining rights for workers. Indeed, it was working people or those who depend most on services to 3% of GDP by 2014. Moreover, it noted at the recent annual meeting of the public services. The emergence of the ‘Right to said that it would eliminate the difference by general council of the International Trade Change’ platform is unquestionably a poten- cutting the amount spent on public services by Union Congress that Ireland is the only country tially positive development for the future. How- 73% and only raising 27% through taxes. If that in the world which has legislated to support ever, it will not be part of the make-up of the policy had been implemented it would have collective bargaining rights since the global next government. Meanwhile, an overall Fine meant at least €2.2 billion more in cuts. That in collapse of 2008. This is during a period when Gael majority must be avoided at all costs. turn would have entailed savage cuts in the they have been under sustained attack even in basic rates of social welfare (which have not Europe – in Greece, Spain, the UK and in been touched). It would also have rendered it Finland which we once envied for its respect impossible to conclude the Haddington Road for workers’ rights. Agreement in the public service – thus opening 12 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Comment

Change in the air: Podemos rally in Spain in January. Claiming Our Future’s inaugural conference, right, in 2010 Pictures:Daniel López García (CC BY 2.0); COF Shifting values and winning change

society has always been a problem. Claiming Our Future was formed By back in 2010 with an express goal Niall Crowley of creating a space where civil society could overcome this fragmentation. Clearly, we find it hard to CROSS civil society overcome. There is a lot more we we want change. We need to do on this front as we look have always been at the alliances that have shifted A clear about what we politics so dramatically in Greece, don’t want when it comes to Spain and Portugal. change, and we have had a lot There is another barrier in that of that in the last few years. the tactics and actions we use to We have struggled but made seek change might no longer be ef- progress in defining the change fective. The context for our de- that we do want. However, we mands has changed radically, yet seem to be less clear as to what our tactics for pursuing change tactics or actions might work in ac- have remained the same. There is tually achieving that change. a challenge to look more critically Claiming Our Future and a range at what is needed to make change of civil society groups have de- happen in the current context. cided to promote some delibera- This has been a concern for tion on this. Claiming Our Future since its inau- The polls are out again. Fine gural event when more than 1,000 Gael is up a bit, Labour down, Sinn participants deliberated on and Féin and Fianna Fáil are static. The agreed the shared values of equal- media makes its own news with ity, sustainability, solidarity, ac- poll after poll. Pages of analysis, countability and participation. breathless reportage and not a lot This stimulated thinking on the of change would be the best sum- Syriza supporters celebrate power of values and the role of val- mary. victory at the polls in Greece Picture: Michalis Famelis (CC BY-SA 2.0) ues in achieving change. Popular Strange that there is not a lot of demand for a more equal, inclusive change despite the hardships of and sustainable Ireland will only austerity and the long-term issues work has set out a comprehensive equalities, and ensure the protec- emerge as dominant values in so- that are now emerging due to the Popular demand agenda for an inclusive, sustain- tion of the planet and its natural ciety shift and new values are ac- lack of investment in public serv- able and equal Ireland in their Fu- resources. corded priority by people. This is ices and infrastructure. for a more equal, ture Perspective. This sets out the These are universal goals that new ground and we don’t yet have Agendas for change have been inclusive and policy directions they want to see apply to all countries including Ire- the tactics to engage effectively developed. The emergence of the taken, under the values of eco- land. The Sustainable Develop- with values in society. Right2Change has been important sustainable nomic equality, social inclusion, ment Goals are an official agenda There will be an election in with the agenda they have devel- Ireland will only social justice, dignity, participation that civil society can easily sign up 2016. The polls suggest it will not oped off the Right2Water protests. and sustainability. to. The danger is that, at the mo- be a year of substantial change. This covers broad proposals on emerge as The UN has even chipped in ment, they are as likely to get im- 2016 could be a year for change in jobs and decent work, housing, dominant values with their Sustainable Develop- plemented as the Future how civil society organises itself health, debt justice, education, in society shift ment Goals agenda that Ireland has Perspectives of the Community and the tactics it uses. democratic reform, equality, sus- just signed up to. The global justice Platform or the Right2Change To this end, Claiming Our tainable environment and national and new values and environmental sectors, in par- agenda. Future, along with a wide range of resources. Usefully, it is under- are accorded ticular, have espoused this agenda. There is the obvious barrier that civil society organisations, is pinned with a fiscal framework There are 17 goals with 169 tar- civil society lacks power. It is planning to host a deliberation that shows how it can be paid for. priority by people gets agreed at a global level to end equally clear that we disempower event on these issues in the first The Community Platform net- poverty and hunger, combat in- ourselves. Fragmentation in civil quarter of 2016. Liberty 13 Comment NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

OO many workers go to bed on a Sunday night not knowing The study by how many hours they Twill work that week, what University of their take-home pay will be or Tackling precarious Limerick also how they are going to organise family life around work. I points out how am determined to tackle this type of precarious work which ‘if and when’ gives too many workers sleep- and low-hour less nights worrying about whether their wages will meet work is my priority contracts are their bills. As a result of a study I commis- prevalent in the sioned on behalf of the Govern- ment, we now know that zero-hour accommodation/ contracts as we know them are actually not used extensively in food and retail Ireland. sectors, and However, the University of Lim- Some employers erick report, 'A Study on the Preva- in certain lence of Zero-Hour Contracts are resorting to 'if among Irish Employers and their occupations in Impact on Employees' shows a new and when' contracts type of insecure work has emerged education and – “if and when” contracts. to get around Such contracts have evolved as a health result of some employers trying to protections for get around the protections afforded to zero-hour contract workers. workers on zero- While a worker on a zero-hour contract must make themselves avail- hour contracts. introduced this summer. able for work, someone on an “if Many of these recommendations and when” contract is not obliged The Government seem reasonable to me. However, I to make themselves available. In am conscious that neither employ- essence, employers offer work if is looking at new ers nor worker representatives in- and when it is available and an em- cluding SIPTU have seen the report measures to combat in full until now. Therefore, I would urge all interested parties to these practices, submit their views on the UL find- ings and recommendations. While a worker Ged Nash: commissioned a writes Ged Nash I will then consider those sub- study which found that zero- missions in conjunction with UL’s hour contracts as we know them on a zero-hour are actually not used extensively comprehensive report and bring in Ireland. Picture: RollingNews my own recommendations back to contract must Government early in the New Year. make them- Tackling precarious work practices is a priority for me and the selves available tion which provides that employ- tract on day one of a new job, Labour Party, and is a key element ees on zero-hour contracts must be which includes working hours that of the dignity at work agenda I have for work, paid for either 25% of the time they are a true reflection of what is ex- Too many been promoting since becoming someone on an were required to be available or 15 pected of them; a minimum of workers go to Minister. hours, whichever is the lesser. three continuous hours’ work for Alongside the Collective Bargain- “if and when” There are no such protections for employees, and if not, the worker bed on a ing legislation I have mentioned, workers on “if and when” con- should be paid for the three hours; the re-introduction of the REAs, new Employment Regulation contract is not tracts. and 72 hours’ notice of any request Sunday night Orders I signed last month which The independent study by UL to undertake work or cancellation obliged to make will see 50,000 contract cleaners also points out how “if and when” of work, or compensation for not not knowing and security workers receiving a themselves and low-hour contracts are preva- meeting the minimum notice. how many pay rise, the new rate of the Mini- lent in the accommodation/food UL also suggests that employer mum Wage which will take effect available organisations and trade unions and retail sectors, and in certain oc- hours they will from 1st January, and the promo- cupations in education and health which conclude a sectoral collective work that week, tion of the Living Wage Campaign, such as community care, bank nurs- agreement should be able to opt this Government with Labour at its ing, general practice nursing, third- out of some of the suggested provi- what their heart is delivering and will con- ployee can, in theory, agree or re- level lecturing, school caretakers sions – thus using a carrot approach tinue to deliver for working people. fuse to take up the work if and and secretarial staff. to encouraging both sides to ham- take-home pay Ged Nash is Minister of State for when it suits them. UL also put forward a range of mer out a deal under the Collective Business & Employment and Some employers are avoiding recommendations in order to Bargaining and Registered Employ- will be tackle precarious work. These in- ment Agreement/Sectoral Employ- Labour Party TD for Louth/East having to pay compensation to Meath workers under the current legisla- clude employees receiving a con- ment Order (REA/SEO) legislation I WORKERS RIGHTS CENTRE 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday [email protected] 14 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 SIPTU Biennial National Delegate Conference 2015

SIPTU BDC 2015, Cork Packed agenda as SIPTU charts path ahead

MORE than 350 delegates attended four days of discussions at the SIPTU Scott Courtney. He spoke about his role as the Organising Director of the Biennial National Delegate Conference in City Hall, Cork, from Monday, 5th Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the success of the ‘Fight October to Thursday, 8th October. for 15’ campaigns for wage increases for low-paid workers in the US. During The conference debated motions on the economy, the housing crisis, the conference the 1913 Lockout Tapestry, which in 30 panels recounts the health, pensions, public transport and international issues among others. story of this defining event in Irish trade union history, was on display in Guest speakers who addressed the event included US trade union leader City Hall. Union drive for decent work SIPTU President, Jack O’Con- ing all political parties to include a nor, announced that the commitment to fair employment union is to organise a major rules in their forthcoming election campaign against low wages manifestos. and exploitative work prac- “As well as continuing with our tices and contracts. work to win pay increases across In his opening address to the Bi- the economy, we will be launching ennial Delegate Conference, a new campaign for decent work. O’Connor said that the campaign This will go on for as long as it for decent work will include lobby- takes,” he said. Political fund to be reviewed FOLLOWING a debate on a cal connection between the union motion proposing a review of and the Labour Party” the emer- the union’s political fund and gence in recent years of a number one calling on disaffiliation of other Left-wing parties meant from the Labour Party, dele- that the union should now work General President Jack gates overwhelmingly voted towards building political unity be- O’Connor addresses BDC not to change the operation of tween these groups “based on Pictures: Jim Weldon the fund before an extensive agreed values and objectives”. consultation with members. Proposing the motion calling for SIPTU NEC member and Com- the immediate disaffiliation of the Make creation of munity Sector activist, David Con- union from the Labour Party, nolly, said the NEC had “set up a SIPTU Education Sector delegate, political strategy subcommittee to Kieran Allen, said he was calling state of Palestine undertake a fundamental reassess- for the union to implement a ment of the future political en- “level playing field” for all Left- a reality in 2016 gagement and priorities of the wing parties. Delegates voted to union.” Connolly added that defer a decision on disaffiliating SIPTU National Executive “while there is a long-term histori- from the Labour Party. Council member, Jack McGin- ley, proposed a successful Maggie Ronayne calls on motion calling for an Easter delegates to support equality Rising centenary campaign by campaign at NUI Galway trade unions, progressive civic groups and political organisations in support of a Palestinian state. McGinley said that the “most fit- ting way to commemorate” the anti-imperialist principles of the 1916 leaders was to “call on the Dr. Mona El Farra speaks about suffering of Gazan children. Irish Government to fight for the Delegates, below, show their support for Palestinian cause liberation of the Palestinian people.” On Wednesday (7th October) delegates had heard details of the NUI Galway equality campaign backed horrific suffering of children living DELEGATES unanimously mittee member, Maggie Ronayne, in Gaza from Dr. Mona El Farra, the voted in support of an emer- said: “As a result of the conference projects director of the Middle East gency motion supporting the decision, the SIPTU National Children’s Alliance. SIPTU NUI Galway Equality Executive Council will be closely At a conference fringe meeting Committee’s campaign against monitoring the situation at NUI in Connolly Hall, Cork, hosted by Galway. the SIPTU Global Solidarity Net- all forms of discrimination at work, Dr. El Farra said: “Children the university and calling on “The union will be formally con- tacting NUI Galway President, under five have lived through management to attend concil- Jim Browne, to insist that three military attacks by Israel on iation talks with unions at the management attends the WRC for Gaza. All Gazan children suffer Workplace Relations Commis- conciliation talks with the unions from signs of trauma; tens of thou- sion (WRC). on discrimination problems at the sands show signs of severe SIPTU NUI Galway Equality Com- university.” trauma.” Liberty 15 SIPTU Biennial National Delegate Conference 2015 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

Packed hall and a packed agenda... From left to right: SIPTU Vice-President Gene Mealy, SIPTU General President Jack O’Connor and SIPTU General Secretary Joe O’Flynn

Backing for once-off migrant regularisation DELEGATES voted unani- ence: “Undocumented workers are She added: “The majority of un- mously to support a motion overwhelmingly represented in documented workers are resident proposed by the SIPTU Equal- low and minimum wage jobs in in Ireland for over five years. It is ity Committee calling on the the services sector such as hospi- time that their position is regu- tality, security and cleaning. A reg- union to support a once-off, larised both to protect the human ularisation scheme with fair and rights of these workers and to pre- time-bound regularisation transparent criteria will encourage scheme for undocumented workers out of the shadows and vent the further erosion of condi- migrants in Ireland. enable them to enjoy the protections for all workers employed in SIPTU Services Division Organ- tions which should be available to precarious sectors.” NEC member Jack McGinley at the Cuba Solidarity stall iser, Ethel Buckley, told the confer- all workers in Ireland.” See pages 16-17

Delegate Brian Condra makes his point clear

Review call on workplace violence DELEGATES voted unani- terrents, protections and support mously to support a motion for staff are in place and suitable calling for a comprehensive to meet their needs.” review of policies designed to SIPTU Health activist, Donie protect staff experiencing vi- Doody, told conference: “Health olence and aggression in the workers are particularly vulnerable workplace. to violence and aggression in the SIPTU Health Division Organ- workplace. The evidence of in- Health Division delegates iser, Paul Bell, said: “This review creasing attacks on workers in this outside the City Hall must consider if the necessary de- sector is stark.” 16 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Justice for undocumented workers Why justice for undocumented workers benefits all SOME FACTS... By Scott Millar MAGINE being unable to visit home following the death of a close family Imember. Imagine having to accept exploitative working conditions in silence. Imagine seeing your inability to assert your rights in the workplace being used to undermine the terms and conditions of other workers. This is the situation that up to 25,000 undocumented migrant workers find themselves in every day in Ireland. It is an unacceptable situation in both humanitarian and workers’ rights terms that the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland (MRCI) aims to end with its Justice for the Undocumented campaign. MRCI spokeswoman, Helen Lowry, explains that the campaign has brought together many migrant workers with the aim of urg- ing the Government to implement a once-off “fair and transparent” regularisation scheme for the undocumented migrants that have been living in Ireland for more

Most undocumented migrants have entered the country PHILIPPINES CHINA MAURITIUS BRAZIL PAKISTAN legally and have been working and living here for many “Most undocumented migrants ing employment rights and im- undocumented workers. One well- have entered the country legally Bringing irregular proving working conditions in known chain of pubs in Dublin is, years. To date, little and have been working and living migrants into low-paid sectors.” in some cases, only paying these has been done to here for many years. To date, little formal employment She added: “Ending the exploita- workers €6.60 an hour. has been done to respond to the tion of undocumented workers is “In other cases, workers are not respond to the situation of undocumented mi- will help to roll back crucial to ending the race to the getting paid at all for some shifts. situation of grants.” the grey economy, bottom in sectors of the economy When workers complain, they undocumented At the SIPTU biennial confer- such as hospitality, cleaning and have been told directly by manage- ence held in Cork in October, del- strengthening the security. That is why it is crucial ment: ‘get your visa, then you get migrants... egates unanimously backed a position of [both] that SIPTU members get behind your money’.” motion supporting the Justice for this campaign.” Currently, the Justice for the Un- the Undocumented campaign. migrant and Irish The day-to-day impact of the ex- documented campaign is focusing Service Division Organiser, Ethel ploitation of undocumented work- on lobbying the Minister for Jus- than four years. workers... Buckley, said the success of this ers and its impact on the assertion tice, Frances Fitzgerald. “Broad-based schemes with a campaign was important not only of employment rights by all are “We are calling on SIPTU mem- low barrier in terms of application forceable employment rights. for migrants but for all workers in confirmed by SIPTU Organiser, bers to contact the Minister stating offer the advantage of bringing the Bringing irregular migrants into Ireland. Joanna Ozdarska. why they think it is important that largest portion of the undocumented formal employment will help to “A migrant working irregularly “In the restaurant sector I am the situation for undocumented population back into the managed roll back the grey economy, in Ireland has no legal contract of currently dealing with several migrants is regularised,” said migration system,” said Lowry. strengthening the position of mi- employment and therefore no en- grant and Irish workers in access- cases of extreme exploitation of Helen Lowry. Liberty 17 Justice for undocumented workers NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

NOW DO YOUR BIT...

• THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE LETTER – IT IS STRONGER IF YOU PERSONALISE IT AS MUCH AS SOME FACTS... POSSIBLE • YOUR LETTER CAN BE TYPED OR HAND WRITTEN – JUST MAKE SURE IT’S READABLE

• IMPORTANT - DO NOT GIVE THE FULL NAME AND ADDRESS OF

AN UNDOCUMENTED PERSON – Marites, left, with Service Division Organiser Ethel IF YOU ARE REFERRING TO Buckley and Priya SOMEONE YOU KNOW JUST USE THEIR FIRST NAME Marites Priya SAMPLE LETTER

Ms Frances Fitzgerald T.D. “I came to Ireland to support my children “I am undocumented. I am a mother of two Minister for Justice and Equality back in the Philippines. I work as a carer in teenagers who are happy in school here in Department of Justice and Equality a private home here in Ireland. I am undocu- Dublin. My husband and I came from Mauritius St Stephen’s Green Dublin 2 mented. I came to Ireland nine years ago. over six years ago and have made a life in YOUR ADDRESS HERE Since then I have always worked caring for Ireland. My husband works in the restaurant TODAY’S DATE HERE children and families in the private home. I sector and I work as a cleaner. I work hard SAMPLE TEXT have four children back in the Philippines. cleaning offices and homes every day. It’s The youngest is 17 now and my eldest 22. I tough work. I have to travel sometimes long Dear Minister, haven’t seen them in nine years and this is distances early in the morning and late in the the single hardest thing about my life here in evening to jobs, the hours are long and the 1. TELL THE MINISTER WHY YOU ARE WRITING AND THAT YOU’RE A VOTER Ireland. I like my job, the work is hard but the work is hard. Being undocumented is very family I work for are good people. I am lucky, difficult for me and my family. Our futures I am writing to you as the Minister for Justice and Equality in relation I know many undocumented childminders are very uncertain and we could get a knock to the urgent situation of undocumented migrants living and working and carers who have really poor working on our door any day from Immigration. We in Ireland. As an Irish citizen and voter in the next general election I conditions. The first thing I would do if I got cannot travel home to see our families. My am fully in support of the introduction of a regularisation scheme as proposed by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland and SIPTU. I think my papers is go home to see my beautiful mother is getting old and her health is not undocumented migrants living and working here in Ireland should be children and my family.” good. It breaks my heart to tell her I won’t given the opportunity to regularise as part of a scheme. see her again this Christmas.” 2. WHY YOU SUPPORT UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS – ANY FRIENDS/COLLEAGUES YOU KNOW WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED?

I believe many undocumented migrants and their families are making a valuable contribution here in Ireland and deserve the opportunity Shay to get their immigration papers in order. Without their papers undocumented migrants are more likely to be living in poverty, are at greater risk of exploitation in the workplace, and their children face deeply un- “I worked for many years in the security industry. The work was hard because it meant being certain futures. I don’t believe we can ignore this situation any longer. away from my family for long hours, overnight and it’s tough work because you have to handle a 3. SUPPORTING A SOLUTION – CALL FOR A lot of difficult situations. I now work in the restaurant industry as a sous chef. It’s very risky work, REGULARISATION SCHEME – END WITH COMMITMENT because I’m always afraid I’ll be discovered. I have to take this risk and I have to put up with these conditions to provide for my family. I have to work hard for my wages and they are half of what I Minister I would be in full agreement with the introduction of a regular- should be getting. A regularisation scheme would make all of the difference in the world to me isation scheme in the lifetime of the current government to give undocumented people in Ireland an opportunity to come forward and as a worker. I could say no to working conditions like this. My children’s future would be more regularise their status under agreed criteria. Taking decisive action for secure. We could support them to go to college.” the undocumented in Ireland will surely aid our efforts to do the same for undocumented Irish citizens in the United States.

Yours sincerely YOUR NAME HERE 18 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Supporting Quality SIPTU workers keeping flour mill oven best

By Scott Millar day. tive products including their Bake Current Odlums CEO, Nigel Your Own range of bread and RELAND’S oldest and Odlum, told Liberty: “The new mill scone mixes which have been wel- best-loved baking was built in 1978. The technology comed by time-pressed baking en- WHY QUALITY COUNTS brand, Odlums, cele- behind the control systems operat- thusiasts. The latest additions to LIMERICK native Ena Carroll now lives to be tested. We aim to ensure that the brates its landmark ing it have been continually up- Odlums range, due to hit the mar- in Naas and has worked at Odlums for flour always bakes products of the same I dated. However, the basic ket shortly, include Irish Stout the last eight years. quality.” 170th anniversary in 2015. Odlums has estimated that it technology at the centre of the Bread, Focaccia Bread Mix, Multi- “I started in the mixing and packing has milled enough wheat to milling process is largely the same grain Bread Mix and Multi-seed plant in Mulhuddart in Dublin,” she told Michael Gallagher has worked at Od- make over nine million tonnes as it has been for centuries.” Scone. Liberty, “From day one I have worked lums for the past 27 years. “I came in as of flour since it was set up in Market research shows an in- Speaking about the rise of home as the Quality Manager. I did a degree a casual worker looking for part-time 1845. crease in the total Irish flour mar- baking, Odlums Brand ambassa- in food science in University College work,” he said, “and have been here The business was originally es- ket of 11%, most of which is being dor, Catherine Leyden, said: Cork. I have responsibility for overall ever since.” tablished when William Odlum driven by Odlums which has “Home baking has undergone a re- food safety and quality, right through “A brother and two nephews also opened the first mill in Port- recorded a 10% increase in the vival in recent times as people look from the raw material to the finished work here. It is a family-run business laoise. This formed the basis for value of its sales in the last year. to bake from scratch and gain a product. and they always hire people from the lo- the present business which Odlums has been at the heart of sense of achievement at having “One of the biggest challenges we cality where possible. I operate the flour today operates the Republic’s Irish baking for generations and is made something that looks and have every year is the wheat harvest. silo in the plant transferring the flour to last commercial flour mill in the official sponsor of The Great tastes good. It’s also a great oppor- What we are looking for is consistency the packing machines. Portarlington, also in county Irish Bake Off on TV3 for a third tunity to share time-honoured in the finished product. In order to en- “I keep a check to ensure everything Laois. The mill currently em- consecutive year. skills with children.” sure that, I visit several wheat stores is functioning properly. There has been ploys 30 people and is in produc- The brand has responded to con- Odlums has a wide variety of around the country to select the best major change over the years. Everything tion 24 hours a day for five days sumers’ appetite for home baking recipes which can be viewed on wheat. I take samples from the various used to be manual work but now it’s a week and 16 hours on a Satur- by introducing a variety of innova- www.odlums.ie wheat stores and bring them to the lab forklifts, palletisers and computers. “I’ve been the shop steward here for the last two years and before that served on the four-person workplace Brendan McCann: ‘mill hugely important to Portarlington’ committee for 12 years. We always work as a committee and we have worked well with management, although we of course do have our disagreements.”

LIKE Michael, Brendan McCann, an Od- lums veteran of 26 years, is a local man. “I’m from just about two minutes walk down the road. My father worked here back in the 1960s and 1970s as a lorry driver, my uncle worked here as well. “I like working here. I get on with everybody and they all get on with one another so it’s grand. I work from 6.00 a.m. till 2.00 p.m. or 2.00 p.m. until 10.00 p.m.. I’ve seen huge changes over the years. With new machines coming in, production has been increased. My ma- chine packs two-kilo bags, 54 bags a minute. The mill is hugely important to the town because all the other local fac- tories have closed.”

IT’S also a family tradition for Odlums employee Michael Smith. He said: “I have worked here nearly 20 years. My father worked here for nearly 40 years. I got in here to do summer work and gradually worked my way up to become the Mill Operator. I look after the running of the roller mills that break up the wheat and make the flour. “Seven-and-a-half tonnes of wheat an hour are milled here. There is in excess of 800 tonnes of wheat milled here each week. “You have your ordinary flour and then your wholemeals, which is where the bran is mixed with the flour to give it a tougher texture for baking. There are 24 different types of products produced here. Many a family has been Left to right, Linda Rogers, lab reared through people working at the Michael Smith: ‘I worked my way Michael Gallagher: shop technician and Ena Carroll, mill. I’m happy, that’s why I’m still here.” up to become Mill Operator’ steward at the flour mill quality manager. Liberty 19 Supporting Quality NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

Pfizer plant in Pfizer looks Ringaskiddy to future by developing new products By Scott Millar HR Director Mike Crowley (left), Supporting Quality director Fabia Gavin and SIPTU Sector Organiser Alan O’Leary HARMACEUTICAL manufacturer, Pfizer, began its operations P in Ireland in 1969 and since then has invested in developing manufacturing, commercial, shared services as well as research and development operations across six sites. There are currently more than 3,200 people employed by the company in Ireland. In the last two years, the company has invested over €300 million in its Grange Castle and Ringaskiddy plants in Cork. Such large-scale investment ensures that the company will continue manufacturing quality medi- cines in Ireland for global export. The Ringaskiddy site was Site Lead Seamus Fives: Pfizer’s first manufacturing facil- Pfizer ‘hiring key roles’ ity in Ireland. Commencing man- ufacture of citric acid more than 40 years ago, it currently pro- Island plants in Cork. The posi- is hiring. These are key roles ments for cholesterol, diabetes and deal with some of the most dev- duces many of Pfizer’s newest tions being filled include opera- within the organisation and play some of Pfizer’s newest oncology astating and difficult diseases. and most complex products for tors, engineers, chemists and an important function in the man- drugs. Recently, Pfizer opened a The investment was wel- global export. quality control analysts. ufacturing and delivery of medi- New Product Technology Labora- comed by SIPTU Pharmaceuti- Pfizer Site Lead at the two cines to patients worldwide.” tory at the Ringaskiddy site. In October, Pfizer announced cals, Chemicals and Medical plants, Seamus Fives, told Liberty: Products made across the two This investment enabled the fa- plans to hire a further 40 work- Devices Organiser, Alan O’Leary, ers at its Ringaskiddy and Little “We are delighted to say that Pfizer sites include small molecule treat- cility to begin making products to who said: “In 2013, a business case was jointly formulated by the union and Pfizer manage- Product lines returning because of our quality of work ment to protect jobs. “The transformation agreement SIPTU member Owen Condon has been at Pfizer PROCESS operator and SIPTU Shop Steward, Barry provided the right environment to O’Leary, has worked at Pfizer for 15 years. He said: “My for 14 years, having previously worked in electron- secure new investment. The Pfizer job is to mix the raw materials, which are processed to ics after studying mechanical engineering. colleagues demonstrated the high- He told Liberty: “Like most of the people here create the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Pfizer est levels of performance, flexibil- I’m from Cork but there are some from outside the products. We ship the active ingredients abroard where county. I work as a process operator and trained it is made into tablets. The site is in production 24/7 with ity and commitment which has on the job. International competition has threat- a short break around Christmas. We work four days on added value and created business ened jobs in the plant. and four days off. opportunities. “However, over the last 14 years I’ve seen numer- The site was under competitive pressure but it is now “The company reversed a ous changes as we have developed different plans expanding again and actively bringing back product lines decision to move production of to be made in-house. and strategies to work us through the external Pfizer’s cholesterol drug out of pressures on the plant. We are now getting product I have been a SIPTU Shop Steward for 13 years. The Ireland and it has also invested lines back to be produced here. This is because of biggest challenge we faced was the restructuring of 2012 the quality of the product that we produce due to when we were facing job losses but we changed the way in the new ultra-modern the quality of our procedures, input materials, our we did our business and we came out the other side and Research and Development water – it is all regulated to the highest degree.” are now actively employing. The plant is very much on facility to assist in the develop- the up again.” ment of new product pipelines.” 20 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Supporting Quality

Supporting Quality is Recruiting New Brands for our Campaign IF YOU WANT YOUR BRAND INCLUDED PLEASE LET US KNOW... contact [email protected] or your Organiser for moree infoinffoo

SUPPORTINGTROPPSU NGIT QUALITYQ LUA YTI PROTECTINGTCETOPR QNIT QUALITYLAUG JTI JOBS IBOY INN IS IIRELAND!DNALERN !D If evevery hreIf householdd spendsslohseuoy s anadnepd es extrartxn a €4 onon goodsgg4 manufacturedmdoon d inierutcafunas IIreland enalern each week,wad itikeech t canc, c createcrat uputaen tote 6,0006p 0 nnewn00,o je0 jobs inibow Ireland!Is !dnalern

a jointjoa tin initiativeevitaitnii www.supportingquality.ieww qgnitroppus.ww ei.ytliauq

THE PPOWEROTHE WER UNION proud partnerparpr tneroud Liberty 21 Climate change NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Call for massive turnout at Dublin climate change rally ENVIRONMENTAL campaign group Stop with those who are taking part in support “by bringing as many members Climate Chaos is to stage a rally in marches in cities around the world, as possible” to the November 29th Dublin on November 29th as part of a demanding the political action that is protest. worldwide series of events to coincide necessary to avoid the worst impacts of Meanwhile, the International Trade with the start of the UN Climate Summit climate change. Union Confederation has issued four key in Paris. “Bring your supporters and friends to demands in advance of the Paris summit. Organisers have called on individuals, Dublin to help make this the largest ever A number of NGOs, charities and families and groups to join the protest gathering of people calling on Ireland to environmental groups have signed up to “for climate justice, community energy play its part in tackling runaway climate the Stop Climate Chaos campaign, and a carbon free future” at the Custom change.” including AFRI, Trócaire, Concern, House at 2.00 p.m. Organisers have also called on trade Friends of the Earth and Oxfam. A Stop Climate Chaos spokesperson unions, community groups and civil said: “Please join us in Dublin and stand society organisations to pledge their

Letter to the Editor Burning more fossil fuels cannot be the answer Dear Editor vere restrictions on existing The introduction to the report THE GOVERNMENT has an- fields. hailed the prospect of “over 100 nounced changes in the tax Also, much has been made of years” of hydrocarbon self-suffi- regime for future oil and gas ex- so-called technological progress, ciency in the new oil and gas re- ploration off Ireland and a higher which supposedly makes drilling serves off Ireland. percentage of any future prof- in previously difficult areas a lot Many climate organisations itable fields will go to the state. safer now. argue that nowadays, when it The changes were strongly crit- However, environmental cam- comes to defending jobs and job icised by the oil and gas industry. paigners are quick to point out creation, trade unions need to Others have welcomed a tighten- that the biggest ever accidental look at the big picture. ing of a regime which was previ- marine oil spill in history took The climate crisis means that a ously seen as something of a place just five years ago. Eleven swift transition to renewables is workers were killed in an explo- essential. (One recent study as- Climate crisis means swift transition giveaway to the industry. to renewables is essential In media treatment and discus- sion which caused a spill of al- serts that 100% of the world’s en- PICTURE: David J (CC BY 2.0) sion of the issue, little – if any – most five million barrels into the ergy could be supplied by consideration was given to the Gulf of Mexico. renewables by 2030). climate crisis and the wisdom of Despite the latest technology, Renewable energy creates In advance of the Paris climate ground, and a transition to 100% actually starting to exploit new it took BP 87 days to stem the clean jobs, and more jobs per conference, which starts at the renewable energy. flow of oil, by which time unit of energy delivered than fos- fields. And yet, three-quarters of end of November, organisations In Ireland, Stop Climate Chaos, the increase in human-produced 1300km of coastline had been af- sil fuels. The International such as 350.org are calling for a coalition of 27 civil society CO2 over the last 20 years has fected. Labour Organisation estimated demonstrations around the come from the burning of fossil SIPTU produced a report in that five million such jobs had world to bring pressure to bear organisations, is calling on Irish fuels. 2011 on the regime applicable to been created by 2012 – without on the conference negotiators. people to take to the streets on There is consequently a grow- Irish discoveries. Part of the doc- anything like the push which They are calling for a halt to all November 29th. ing movement calling for an end ument alluded to the danger of will be required for a major tran- new exploration, for 80% of ex- Noel Ward to all new exploration, and se- releasing more CO2. sition. isting fuels to be left in the Paris Trade unions set agenda on refugee crisis By Yvonne O’Callaghan SIPTU Global Solidarity ac- currently taking place on the addressed was the right to work to could be developed both to dispel nated trade union policy regarding tivists have attended an ICTU ground across the Balkans was ensure that refugees were not sub- misrepresentation of the facts and the European Union’s position. meeting on the theme of de- given by Caoimhe Butterly. jected to exploitation in the infor- raise awareness of the response To deliver refugee solidarity, par- veloping a ‘Trade Union Re- During the meeting, trade union mal economy. It was recognised from unions. ticipants agreed that unions build sponse to the Refugee Crisis’. members considered how they that trade unions can play an im- Given both the international and on their existing coalitions with could best support humanitarian portant role in providing support European dimension it was agreed The 16th October event was ad- the NGO community, develop a co- dressed by representatives of the aid efforts, build coalitions to and information on employment that trade unions need to bolster ordinated policy response to gov- Syrian community, refugee advo- shape public policy as well as help rights to these vulnerable people. their links with national trade cates and Direct Provision activists refugees arriving in Ireland. With an increasing racist and union centres in the countries ernment and collaborate on as well as the European Network It was agreed that ensuring so- xenophobic approach to the crisis, dealing directly with the flow of fundraising initiatives for human- Against Racism (ENAR). cial inclusion was of primary con- it was proposed that educational refugees, to help the humanitarian itarian organisations on the A poignant account of what is cern and that the key issue to be material for trade union members response and to ensure a co-ordi- ground. 22 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Paddy Behan

Veteran trade unionist Paddy Behan warns young people they Union stalwart Paddy need to unionise steps up again ... but this time as a dance star By Scott Millar

WELL-KNOWN figure within the trade union movement for A decades, Paddy Behan, has now been introduced to audiences across the globe as one of the stars of an awarding-winning dance film. The Area by Ríonach Ní Néill and Joe Lee, which involves professional dancers and members of the Macushla Dance Club, has been shown at international festivals in more than eight countries including the US, Netherlands and Turkey. The film has won three international awards for its unique perspective of the connection between Paddy, right, outside ITGWU conference in 1989 the members of the Macushla Dance Club, who range in age from 50 to their 80s, and their native Paddy Behan, right, is joined by Paddy has a singalong north inner city Dublin. Jim Reddington and Brendan with the family in a Choreographer and founder of Lyons as he takes a mannequin scene from The Area. for a spin in The Area ? the the Macushla Dance Club, PICTURE: Ciotog? PICTURE: Ciotog Ríonach Ní Néill, said: “The club which was established in 2007 and Paddy and the “love of my life” May is based in Dublin 1 supports older together. As he recalls: “I met May people’s contribution to Dublin’s in 1959, I used to do a bit of work Paddy, with ‘love of my life’ May vibrant and diverse dance scene. for mentally-handicapped children. “The Area looks at club members’ They used to do a raffle at the relationship with their Dublin city Thursday night dance at the Metro- neighbourhood and how the streets pole and I was selling raffle tickets. are a kind of diary for them which “I asked this girl, who I knew to holds memories from the 1940s, see, if she wanted to buy a ticket. 1950s to the present.” Her name was May Blair. She said, Music and dance have always ‘I don’t carry much money with me been central for Paddy who was at dances’. I gave her a ticket any- born in Ringsend, Dublin, in 1938. way and asked her if she would “I was born the eldest of eight. save me a dance before the end.” My father worked in Skelly’s box By the time the couple began factory in South Lotts Road all his tain his vigorous union activity. rearing their own family they were working life. He was a trade union Now in his late 70s, Paddy is still living in the north inner city of activist and was elected as shop dancing and active in the union. He Dublin, a community in which steward for the ITGWU,” he said. believes both are crucial for a full Paddy still plays a very active role in “There was always a piano in the life. While dancing is still important various social organisations and house. On Saturdays, my father to the young, Paddy fears the union would go into Fitzharris’ for a few community campaigns such as the Swan Youth Service, Dublin City- is not. pints on his way home from work. “Myself and May’s standard of He would often come home with a wide, St. Agatha’s Hall Community, living wasn’t great when we started neighbour for a few bottles of stout Matt Talbot Committee and the Ma- cushla Dance Club. out together but improved signifi- and a sing-song.” Paddy, left, with Jack McGinley and Down the years, the family used Dublin was in the middle of a President Michael D Higgins. cantly over the years. I am ab- second-hand pianos until Paddy’s major housing crisis in the 1960s solutely convinced we would not father secured a compensation pay- and Paddy and his young family ini- have made this progress if it were ment for being knocked down and tially squatted in a flat in Mountjoy evictions, and protest marches and President, delegate to the Dublin not for the trade union movement. injured by a car. Square. As Paddy remembers: “It demonstrations of all kinds.” Council of Trade Unions and a “The union, however, does not “As soon as he got the money, he was because of this that I became Paddy had joined the ITGWU as a member of the SIPTU National Ex- appear to mean much to a lot of the politically active. I joined the 16-year-old ‘van-boy’ while working went into Clerys in O’Connell ecutive Council. From 1967 to 2000, current generation – but unless Street and bought a brand new Dublin Housing Action Committee for the Swastika Laundry in Balls- Paddy worked as a porter for the they wake up and get organised piano for £800. This piano is in the and the Labour Party. There was a bridge. His drive to better the lives old family home in 33 Pembroke housing crisis at the time and we of working people would see him Bank of Ireland branch on Talbot their standard of living will disim- Cottages to the present day.” were involved with occupations of play a leading role within the Street, a job that allowed him to reg- prove rather than get better. That is It was dance that had brought vacant buildings, prevention of ITGWU and later SIPTU as a Branch ularly visit Liberty Hall and main- a statistical fact.” Liberty 23 International NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

By Michael Halpenny From freak show politics to E’RE at that point in the US political cycle when every W day is Halloween, as a freak show of Republican presidential hopefuls parade the catwalk for the benefit of hopeful signs for progress the party faithful. The personalities and the policies range from the positively frightening to the frankly “whack miliar name, that of Justin job”, as potential candidates vie Caricature of Republican Trudeau, son of former Prime Min- with and savage each other in a po- hopeful Donald Trump ister Pierre Trudeau. litical race to the bottom. ILLUSTRATION: DonkeyHotey (CC BY SA 2.0) The Liberals clicked with the vot- One of the leading hopefuls, ers, offering to double investment billionaire Donald Trump, who is campaigning to “Make America in infrastructure, raise taxes on the great again”, decided one way to top one per cent and reduce taxes progress his presidential qualities for middle-income earners. was to tweet an image of rival Jed They also committed to new cli- Bush wearing a swastika and a mate change targets, the legalisa- sombrero. tion of marijuana and a public However, leaving aside the un- inquiry into missing and murdered doubted entertainment value of indigenous women. Since winning this ongoing spectacle, it would be power they’ve also produced a gen- a grave mistake to underestimate der-balanced cabinet. the determination of the Republicans In contrast, regrettably the for- and the interests that they repre- tunes of the trade union-backed sent to re-capture the Presidency National Democrats waned, revert- and with younger candidates like Mario Rubin erode still further the ing them to third party status as position of working people and voters appeared to be convinced those dependent on public services. that the Liberals not only had bet- Meanwhile, in the calmer waters ter policy choices on offer than the of the mirror exercise under way in former ruling Conservatives, but the Democratic Party, the US’s only septuagenarian) Jeremy Corbyn. Canadian opposition leader to lose believed they were committed to avowedly democratic socialist sen- What possibly gives some slight The political his own seat since 1878. implementing them. ator, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is hope, however, is the recent im- However, just over 200 weeks As the British magazine, New cutting more than a dash and in pressive outing in polls north of pendulum can later, the Liberals resurrected Statesman, recently pointed out the process moving the debate the border where Canada’s “pro- swing fairly themselves in a manner rivalled there is a lesson there for defeated (and prime contender, Hillary Clin- gressive” Liberal Party won power only by Lazarus and a decent car- left-of-centre and “progressive” ton,) to the left. in the House of Commons, ending quickly in favour penter from Nazareth. parties. The political pendulum 10 years of Conservative rule. Their 19% share of the vote and It is probably too much to hope can swing fairly quickly in their that he can achieve much more Unceremoniously dumped by of the Left if they the resulting meagre 34 represen- favour – if they make the right than that, though parallels have the electorate four years ago and make the right tatives were transformed almost been drawn between the perform- finishing behind the left-wing New overnight into a thumping 184 choices (and the electorate believe ance of this septuagenarian and Democrats, their then leader, choices... seats and a 39.5% vote share. They they have a realistic chance of giv- that of British Labour’s (not yet Michael Ignatieff, became the first also brought back with them a fa- ing them effect). SIPTU contribution rates unchanged These contribution rates for SIPTU members have not changed since 2008. There was no proposal at the biennial conference for any increase in rates which will therefore remain as currently applied.

Wage (per week) Class/ Dispute Mortality Retirement Contribution Benefit Benefit Benefit (per week) (per week) Over €500 A1 - €200 See Rules See Rule 165 €4.70 155-161 Over €325 and up to A2 - €200 See Rules See Rule 165 If you would like to purchase and including €500 €4.00 155-161 a copy of ‘The Workers Republic’ Over €200 and up to A3 - €150 See Rules See Rule 165 please contact [email protected] and including €325 €2.80 155-161 or Tel: 01 8588217 Over €127 and up to B - €1.90 €115 See Rules See Rule 165 and including €200 155-161 Cost is €20 for paperback versions Members earning €127 per C See Rules and €40 for hardback versions. week or under will pay contri- 149-153 butions at a rate of €1 a week During October, Oliver Downes was presented with a badge in accordancewith the provi- and scroll to mark 50 years membership of SIPTU. Oliver Cost of post & packaging is an sions of Rule 157 and benefits additional €10 for delivery within will be paid on a pro rata basis worked in Bank of Ireland - Output Production, Cabinteely, Ireland. Books can also be collected Unemployed members D - €0.30 See Rules Dublin. Pictured Oliver (left) with SIPTU Organiser, Peadar from Liberty Hall, Eden Quay, Dublin 1. 155-161 Nolan. 24 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 International Turkey — Poll shock puts Erdogan back in driver’s seat

By Kurdish HDP. the 10% threshold to gain represen- The AKP’s promise of strong lead- tation in parliament. Although the Yvonne ership, security and stability seems failure of the Kurdish peace process O’Callaghan to have struck a chord with an elec- and the escalation of PKK violence torate deeply worried about Turkey have presented significant chal- IN June this year for the first spiralling into violence in a volatile lenges for the HDP, the party man- time in 12 years, the AKP Party region. aged to clear the threshold again, of Turkish President Recep The AKP used the five-month albeit with significant losses. The Tayyip Erdogan lost its run-up to the snap elections to HDP gained more seats than the far- single-party majority. crack down on trade unions, oppo- right Nationalist Action Party The party has managed to rule sition NGOs and businesses, to take Turkey for the last five months over critical media, as well as intim- without sharing power with the op- idating journalists and opposition The [election] position, with the exception of a 25- figures. This strategy seems to have day term when it had two Peoples produced significant gains for Erdo- results could Democratic Party (HDP) ministers. gan. push the AKP After a five-month intermission it The most brutal blow to the elec- took a gamble and held parliamen- tion campaign came at the begin- further towards tary elections on 1st November for ning of October when two IS authoritarian a second time to win the election suicide bombers killed more than and once again lead the govern- 100 people at a peace rally in excesses and ment. Although the AKP has failed Ankara. The rally was called by reprisals against to win the super-majority needed to trade unionists and leftists for an unilaterally impose an executive end to fighting between the govern- the opposition presidential system tailor-made for ment and Kurdish militants. Rather Erdogan, the party regained a clear than shocking people into a unified mandate to rule Turkey for the next stance, the attack seemed to exacer- (MHP), making a pro-Kurdish party four years. bate bitter divisions. the third-largest party in the Since the June elections, Turkish Turkey’s fragile ceasefire with the Turkish parliament for the first politics has been marred by intimi- Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, time in history. The AKP Party may dation and violence carried out by crumbled in July. The PKK had ac- be jubilant with a landslide victory the Turkish state, the Kurdistan cused the Turkish government of that no pollster saw coming. Workers’ Party (PKK) and Islamic colluding in a suicide bombing that The results, however, could push State (IS), leading to hundreds of killed more than 30 people who the party further towards authori- casualties. were organising an aid delivery to tarian excesses and reprisals against Erdogan seems to have ridden the Kobani, a town inside Syria that the opposition. If the AKP contin- After election gamble, President Erdogan now holds Kurdish fighters took from IS ues on its path to undermine wave of mayhem back to power by Turkey’s future in his hands for the next four years taking the votes of Turkish nation- PICTURE:Presidencia de la Republica? Mexicana (CC BY 2.0) earlier this year. Turkey’s rule of law, and media free- alists away from the far-right MHP The HDP was the first pro-Kur- doms, the country is facing into and of religious Kurds from the pro- dish party in Turkish history to pass greater authoritarianism.

Israeli violations: 13th Sept - 31st Oct Monitoring group details Israel’s tally of shame TYPE OF VIOLATION WEST GAZA TOTAL BANK STRIP In the six weeks since the latest unrest began in Palestine, the majority of incidents have taken place in the occupied West Bank or East Jerusalem, with an overall death toll at the end of Killings 56 17 73 October of 72 Palestinians and 11 Israelis. Israel says 43 of the Palestinians were carrying out attacks when they were killed. Amnesty International has documented four cases of what it Injuries (since October 1st) - - +2,250 (Source: Palestinian Ministry of Health) describes as “extrajudicial killings” of Palestinians. Raids 752 10 762 IN THE past year, Israeli occu- against worshippers and have pro- the Palestinian civilian popula- pying forces have further in- hibited their entry to the holy tion’s entry and exit throughout Detentions 1179 59 1238 tensified their provocations mosque. Occupied East Jerusalem. and attacks against the Israeli incitement and attacks The table, right, summarises Al-Aqsa Mosque compound carried out by the State of Israel some of the aggression Palestini- Temporary Detentions 503 3 506 in Jerusalem by allowing against the Palestinian population ans have endured at the hands of and its leadership undermine all Israeli forces and settlers over the Israeli extremist settlers free Flying Checkpoints 813 - 813 rein to storm the holy site in efforts to create two independent past month alone (between Sep- an attempt to change its states based on the 1967 borders. tember 13th and October 31st status quo. As the Israeli government con- 2015). Israeli Gunfire Attacks 1189 121 1310 According to the Islamic Endow- tinues its belligerent occupation, It also highlights examples of Is- ments in Jerusalem (Al-Awqaf), be- oppression and apartheid policies, raeli violations (classified by type) Home Demolitions 8 1 9 tween January 14th and September the Palestinian population is sub- throughout the West Bank, includ- 15th of this year alone, Israeli oc- jected to extrajudicial killings ing Occupied East Jerusalem, and Destruction/ Confiscation cupying forces, and extremists while protesting in defence of its the Gaza Strip. Since September 143 7 150 under their protection, carried out rights. Meanwhile, the interna- 13th, Israel has killed 73 Palestini- of Properties a total of more than 450 attacks tional community remains silent. ans and, according to Amnesty In- against the holy site and against On October 15th, the Israeli oc- ternational, some of the recorded Settler Terrorism/ Violence 312 - 312 Palestinian civilian worshippers. cupying forces placed cement cases amount to “extrajudicial They have used live ammunition blocks and checkpoints restricting killings.” Source: Palestinian Monitoring Group (PMG) Liberty 25 International NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

By Justine Carner

RELAND should host an international conference on Cuba to help bring an Ireland should host conference I end to the US blockade and build stronger political, economic and trade links with the Caribbean nation, Independent TD Maureen to help end US blockade of Cuba O’Sullivan told a recent gathering in Liberty Hall. Ireland has already developed good links with Cuba through soli- Ambassador Hermes darity work ranging from the Herrera Hernández at a health sector to organic farming, press briefing in Liberty Hall Pictures: Rollingnews.ie and further links should be ex- plored, it was explained at the briefing on the continuing blockade of Cuba – economic, commercial and financial – which took place in Liberty Hall on Friday, 23rd October. Organised by Cuban Ambassador to Ireland, Hermes Herrera Hernández, along with SIPTU and the Cuban Support Group Ireland, the briefing was held in advance of the 27th October UN vote on the illegal blockade. Despite the ease of the diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US, initiated by President Obama, the embargo has not been lifted. Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan “We need to continue the fight Irish companies do not comply exploit”. against the blockade [which is] still with the illegal blockade main- She said that only the US Con- 100% intact, and 100% effective”, tained by the US. “The purpose of gress can lift the trade embargo Simon McGuinness, Cuban Sup- an embargo is to punish a govern- against the island, and claimed port Group national coordinator, ment, but the blockade in Cuba is that Ireland ought to put “diplo- explained. at the expense of ordinary people,” matic pressure on Obama” as “he He cited the example of the said Labour MP Joe Costello who can do a lot with Congress”. €1.66 billion fine that was im- added that it is a “major obstacle to In a nutshell, the press confer- posed by the US on French bank development.” ence highlighted the on going real- Credit Agricole on 21st October, “It is high time for the blockade ity of the blockade in spite of the because it was trading with Cuba. improvement in diplomatic rela- He also explained that no donation to be lifted”, Maureen O’Sullivan told the meeting. tions between Cuba and the US. All could be sent to Cuba, as Irish speakers agreed that there is still a Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan ac- banks were ordered to close the ac- lot to be done to bring an end to knowledged the steps taken by counts of Irish solidarity groups, in the embargo while Cuban ambassa- response to a directive from US in- President Obama to ease relations dor Herrera Hernández welcomed between Cuba and the US and said stitutions. Ambassador Herrera Hernández with world wide solidarity with his coun- McGuinness also said that the SIPTU General President Jack O’Connor that there was “a window of oppor- try, including from Ireland. Government should ensure that tunity with Obama that we need to Historic vote at UN call for stop to US sanctions ON Tuesday, 27th October, the US have re-established diplo- fully and completely imple- tatives: “The embargo is a fla- the United Nations General matic relations, the United States mented. grant, massive and systematic vi- Assembly voted by 191-2 in continues its 54-year blockade “Ten months after the olation of human rights of all support of a resolution call- which the Cuban Foreign Minister, announcements made on Cubans. It is contrary to interna- ing for the end to the US Bruno Rodriguez, claimed had cost December 17th 2014, no tangible, tional law... It has been described the island US$833.8 billion over substantial modification has been blockade of Cuba. as an act of genocide.” Only the United States and Is- the last five decades. introduced in the implementation Cuba’s report contained many rael voted against all 191 other Although in his speech to the of the blockade. member states of the United Na- UN Rodriguez praised US Presi- “Barely a week ago, a $1.116 bil- examples of patients being de- tions, in what marked the largest dent Obama for efforts to build re- lion fine was imposed on the nied medical treatment because majority in favour of Cuba in the lations between the two countries, French bank Credit Agricole, of blockade laws including the 24-year history of the annual votes he said that not enough had been which adds to the $1.710 billion case of children waiting for heart against the blockade. done either by the President or fine imposed on the German operations at the William Solar Although the vote is non-bind- Congress to end the blockade bank, Commerzbank, in March Paediatric Cardiology Centre who which remained firmly in place. this year for doing transactions ing, it sent a clear message to the had to “undergo open-heart sur- US government that it remains He continued: “And facts show, with Cuba and other States.” Cuban Foreign Minister gery, with greater risk of compli- isolated from the rest of the world crystal-clear, that the economic, Rodriguez also focused on the Bruno Rodriguez addresses in its policy towards Cuba. commercial and financial block- human cost of the blockade in the UN General Assembly cations and mortality, and higher Picture: UN Photo (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Despite the fact that Cuba and ade imposed against Cuba is being Cuba. He told Assembly represen- costs.” 26 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 International

The Brazilian Trade Union Congress gave this update on the political and economic situation in its country at the International Trade Union Congress in São Paulo in October

HE politics of South America’s largest state, Dilma – under The conservative majority in pressure from elites Congress has attempted to take Brazil, are currently of the Right Tmired in corruption advantage of the crisis and move allegations and accompanied to privatise a weakened Petrobras, by sporadic street protests as which currently institutes an ex- the traditional elite attempt to 2.0) BY (CC Senado ncia ploration-sharing model, which push President Dilma Rousseff ̂ entitles it to take part in all energy from power. projects and ensures that 75% of Central to the struggle is the po- royalties are earmarked for public sition of workers in a society riven investment. with divisions derived from its Progressive forces in Brazil are long history of slavery and more responding to the attack on the left by developing new alliances. recent decades of right-wing mili- Pereira/Age Jonas Picture: tary rule. Rousseff, a member of These include the Brazil Popular the Brazilian Workers’ Party and a Front, which has brought together former left-wing political prisoner, left-wing parties, trade unions, took over from her party colleague, student, peasant and urban move- Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva, in 2011. ments. Historically, Brazil has always The CUT states that, “The Front had presidents from the tradi- urges structural political and tax tional white elite. Only with the reforms, the regulation of the election of Lula in 2002 did the media and other sectors. It also country for the first time have a has a short-term agenda as a way president from a working class out of the economic crisis, which background. Lula’s government is the protection of jobs and in- implemented public policies to comes, strengthening of the do- fight poverty and income inequal- mestic market, preservation of ity through a real minimum wage social investments, interest rate increase; conditional cash trans- reductions, taxing fortunes and in- fers (Bolsa Familia); health, educa- heritance, profits and dividends, tion and housing improvements. and the need to fight tax evasion. These policies contributed to “The struggle for social justice con- the economic development of tinues and the solidarity of com- Brazil and took more than 40 mil- rades of the international trade lion out of poverty. In addition, union movement is crucial to there was a significant increase in The battle for Brazil strengthen this fight.” wages and over 22 million jobs were created. Although there was a substantial improvement in income dis- seen unemployment, which at the an estimated value of more than Three main global issues for tribution during Lula’s end of 2014 stood at 4.6%, reach US$8 trillion. action by trade unionists during leadership, many political and tax The elite’s more than 8% this year. The current corruption allega- 2016 were endorsed at the 15th reforms were never secured re- According to the Brazilian CUT tions centre around the overpric- meeting of the International sulting in economic and political mood has been (Central Única dos Trabalhadores), ing of contracts related to the Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) power remaining mainly in the described as the country’s leading trade union operation of Petrobras with the General Council in São Paulo, hands of a white business elite. confederation, the struggle is proceeds used to finance electoral Brazil from 10th – 12th October. bringing to the fore class conflict campaigns. Rousseff won a bitter presiden- “Dilma cannot The issues endorsed were in a society where the transfer to Ongoing investigations have tial election in October 2014. The climate justice and industrial be elected; if “full democracy never took place led to the arrest of construction second round of voting was transformation, taming corporate fiercely contested and flagged up effectively.” industry executives and some power in supply chains and clearly the differences between elected, she The CUT argues that the conflict politicians. Also, heavy construc- eliminating slavery. the sides: the neo-liberal pro- should not come has empowered “a conservative tion companies have been gramme of the main right-wing agenda that aims to cut the age of banned from public contracts. The meeting opened with a party, the PSDB, and the redistrib- to power; if imprisonment, to limit freedom of This has led to a standstill in the message of solidarity with the expression, to attack indigenous utive policies of the progressive sector, which has impacted on the victims of the bombing that day inaugurated, peoples’ and other minorities’ bloc of the Workers’ Party and its labour-intensive naval and steel in Ankara, Turkey, in which more rights and even to allow supervi- allies. Rousseff won by a 3% mar- she should not industries. Most of the jobs lost than 100 people were killed when gin. sion of school curricula by reli- a union-organised peace rally was gious and multi-national in 2015 come from these sectors. However, voters also elected be able to rule.” Although several parties have targeted by terrorists. the most conservative Congress educational institutes.” received money from companies since the end of the military dic- The conservative attack on Rou- The Council also marked the implicated in the Petrobras cor- tatorship in Brazil in 1985. Cur- self and the Workers’ Party now award of the Nobel Peace Prize to rently, the Workers’ Party has come to power; if inaugurated, she focuses on a long running investi- ruption allegations, so far the the Tunisian “Quartet”, and was only 62 of the 513 seats in Con- should not be able to rule.” gation into corruption allegations Workers’ Party has been the main briefed by General Secretary of gress, which is divided between a The mainstream media pushes a at the Brazilian state owned energy target of legal action. Sectors of the UGTT Houcine Abassi, one of total of 29 different parties. discourse of hatred against the company, Petrobras the federal police, prosecutors the Quartet members. The oil and gas sector accounts and the judiciary have even The traditional ruling elite, left, the black population and mi- The meeting was chaired by ITUC for 13% of Brazil’s GDP. Petrobras – claimed that funds received which dominates the country’s ju- norities while sections of the mid- President João Felicio and South America’s largest corpora- legally by the Workers’ Party are diciary, media and military, has re- dle class have taken to the streets attended by 130 representatives fused to accept Rousseff’s victory. tion – has been the centre of polit- corrupt in origin, but similar to join protests to revoke Rouss- from ITUC affiliates in 54 The elite’s mood has been de- eff’s mandate. This attack has oc- ical interest and attack since the funds received by opposition par- countries. scribed as “Dilma cannot be curred during a period of discovery of huge deep-water oil ties and from the same sources elected; if elected, she should not economic turbulence which has reserves off the Brazil coast with are lawful. Liberty 27 News NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

SIPTU participates in Higher Education Forum

SIPTU was represented by Ed- Presentations at the event will McGinley said: “We await the ucation Sector Committee and inform the Expert Group on Fu- final document from the Expert NEC member, Jack McGinley, ture Funding for Higher Educa- Group with both expectation and tion which has been established angst. To ensure the sustainabil- at the Higher Education Fund- by the Department of Education ity of higher education we need ing Consultation Forum held and Skills to identify funding ap- to spend a further €750 million in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin, proaches that can provide for the to €1 Billion per annum.” on 30th October. continuing expansion of higher education while protecting its quality.

Limited edition Robert Ballagh print

This limited edition print by zen Army and was a pivotal event in For further details please contact: Robert Ballagh of one of the the lead-up to the 1916 Rising. Aidan Lambert at 087 6202680, Letter defining events of modern Padraig Pearse’s speech at the grave- [email protected]. Postal address: Irish history is available side is seen today as one of the National Graves Association, PO Dear editor, through the National Graves most significant speeches in Irish Please allow me a little space to congratulate all the team who Association. history. Box 7105, Dublin 2. produced the wonderful musical show ‘Beyond the Barricade’ The funeral of Fenian Jeremiah There are 175 copies, numbered Proceeds go to the National in Liberty Hall in October with such sprit and gusto, well done. O’Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin and signed, at €295 plus postage. Graves Association 1916 project to Cemetery on 1st August, 1915 was The image size is 41cm X 81cm. restorate and improve the St Paul’s Prints can be bought online at Jim O’Brien seen as a show of strength by the 1916 plot in Glasnevin Cemetery. Navan Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citi- www.nga.ie/shop.php. 28 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Review The Rising generation and its squandered legacy

1916 The Mornings After – From the Courts Martial to the Tribunals By Tim Pat Coogan Published by Head of Zeus Ltd 2015

WHILE in no way diminishing the stature of the remarkable revolu- tionaries who led the 1916 Rising, noted journalist, historian and commentator Tim Pat Coogan takes the reader on a journey through the history of our island in the ensuing years. And, like the ghost of Christmas Past in Charles Dicken’s A Christ- mas Carol or Clarence the proba- tioner angel in It’s a Wonderful Life, he occasionally shows us things which may be less than comfortable in this trip down memory lane. A master of the subject on which he has written extensively, he marks out the condition of post- Famine and “pre-Revolutionary” Ireland as one restrained by two forms of colonial straitjacket – British rule and the influence of “Mother Church”. To a large extent, much that has happened subsequently has been as a consequence of or in reaction to those two prevailing forces. Indeed the examination of the period comes down to how much Ireland Éamon de Valera in full flight on the steps of Ennis Court House, Co. Clare, would change and just over a year after the Rising how much it would PICTURE: NLI Flickr; no known copyright restrictions stay the same in the years to come Of the Rising itself, If Collins’ and in passing recalls that when there was something to get his Ultimately it was viewed by he (probably correctly) blessing was that the Irish banks were asked to sup- teeth into. It was, as Coogan says, many, if not most, nationalists in terms it a “protest in the Gods loved port a national loan to keep the the zenith of his powers. the six counties as abandonment arms”, the potential of him better than state running, they refused. Post World War II Ireland on the to the cold house of the new which would be re- anti-Treaty ir- And the labour movement? other hand was marked by unem- Northern State where they would alised not so much regulars in west Coogan repeats the oft-quoted ployment and emigration. If there have to wait for two generations through Irish efforts as Cork, Dev’s claim that Connolly marched it was any common ground between and the burgeoning civil rights through British actions curse was that into the GPO from which it never both establishments North and movement to have the light shone and errors. he was long emerged. If the book has a weak- South it was one of relief at the de- on its darker corners. And so it came to pass lived and had to ness it lies in a lack of analysis in parture of so many who would Coogan is at his most trenchant through gratuitous exe- craft his own legend. this area. take their economic burden and when dealing with the way in cutions, mass arrests and deporta- After the “glory days” of the War If de Valera has questions to an- their political aspirations else- which the legacy of the 1916 gen- tions, such that prisoners who had of Independence, came the bitter- swer about the period prior to where. eration has been squandered. In been shipped as criminals to Fron- ness of the Treaty debates and the 1939, redemption lay in his han- The complexity of the North is his penultimate chapters he deals goch POW camp in North Wales Civil War. dling of the “Emergency” and the well dealt with by the writer who with a state corrupted, whether Republic’s neutrality. were feted as heroes on their re- Here again the author illumi- knows his subject better than through abuse in Roman Catholic In the previous seven years he turn for Christmas 1916. nates the reality on the ground for most. He also exposes the ambiva- Church-run institutions, “Golden had been tinkering with the levers Conversely, the fortunes of the both sides, with the spotlight still lence of southern politics, even Circles” or in a “moral sickness” firmly on Dev’s actions (and inac- of constitutionality, trying, some- hapless John Redmond and his among the revolutionary genera- pervading the establishment. His tions). He also points up the enor- times by sleight of hand to mas- Irish Parliamentary Party plum- tion, including Collins and Dev, to- anger and his analysis are well jus- meted almost to oblivion. mous economic challenges faced sage into existence a wards the subject of Partition. tified. Replacing them in life and death by the new Free State government “republicanised” Free State. Now For far too long the ‘powers that was the great political and rival be’ in both partitioned states were “double act” of post-Rising poli- concerned with comforting the tics –Michael Collins and Eamon Coogan is at his most trenchant when dealing with the way in de Valera. Here the author hides no comfortable and afflicting the af- light under a bushel and by any which the legacy of 1916 has been squandered ... he deals with a flicted. It is timely that the warm yardstick Dev does not come out of state corrupted, whether through abuse in Church-run institutions, glow of patriotism should be punc- this well. tured by the righteous anger of a Both men cast long shadows on ‘Golden Circles’ or in a ‘moral sickness’ pervading the establishment. historian and public intellectual of contemporary Ireland – one from His anger and his analysis are well justified the stature of Coogan. It keeps us the grave and one through decades all in balance. of political life. Michael Halpenny Liberty 29 Obituary NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

OBITUARY John Delmer An activist of steely determination OHN Delmer of Pairc ployed and the disadvantaged. He Mhuire, Newbridge, who John will be was also a member of the Kildare died on August 3rd, was a Trade Union Joint Oireachtas Com- committed trade unionist remembered as a mittee and assisted in the negotia- tions to fund the centres. Jand community activist. loyal trade union John also became a voluntary co- John spent his working life with activist and a wise ordinator for the five Resource Cen- Irish Ropes Ltd in Newbridge, Co. tres established by the Kildare Kildare, producing both ropes and and loyal counsel. Trades Council under the auspices carpets. The company was then the Wherever there of the ICTU and was subsequently largest employer in Kildare, with appointed full-time co-ordinator, more than 1,000 workers at its was a dispute or based in Newbridge. peak, all of whom were members of Following retirement from his the ITGWU and subsequently protest, he was full-time position with the Re- SIPTU. always there source Centres, he continued to act John was a shift shop steward for as voluntary treasurer on behalf of the ITGWU and a member of the under the banner the Kildare Trades Council. Kildare Branch Committee. He was ‘Ni Saoirse go He will be remembered as a loyal a founding member of the Kildare trade union activist and a wise and Trades Council and Kildare Net- Saoirse Lucht loyal counsel. work of Resource Centres and also Wherever there was a dispute or a volunteer member of MABS. Oibre’ protest he was always there under On first impression, John was a the banner “Ní Saoirse go Saoirse gentle giant. However, as a trade Lucht Oibre”. unionist and community activist he elected a steering committee to es- On this, the 30th anniversary of had a steely determination to tablish a network of Resource Cen- the Miners’ strike in Britain, we achieve the best terms and condi- tres to meet the challenging needs will always remember his unwaver- tions of employment for his mem- of the unemployed in accessing ing commitment in support of the bers and was committed to training and work. John was one of miners. community activism. the founding members in establish- John is survived by his wife During the recession in the mid- ing a network of resource centres Frances and sons John, Des, Ron- 1980s, the Kildare Trades Council across Kildare to assist the unem- nie, Brian and Justin. Billy Cox remembered A FIRST anniversary Mass will be held for Billy Cox on Friday, 27th November at 1.00 p.m. in the Camino Rest Church in St James’ Hospital, Dublin. Billy worked in St. James’ Hospital for 24 years and was an active member of SIPTU. During this time he was employed in several areas, including Accident and Emergency and in recent years as a darkroom technician in the X-ray department.

Pictured Alisha Mary (6) and Dominic Berry (6) joined hundreds of travellers and their supporters to protest outside Leinster House in Dublin on Wednesday, 28th October. The protest against poor conditions on halting sites and for recognition of their cultural rights followed the tragic deaths of ten travellers at Carrickmines, Co Dublin earlier in the month. Picture: Rollingnews.ie 30 Liberty NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 Sport 1916 — Not quite sport By were unable even to enter a team Matt into either the football or hurling championships, which were won Treacy respectively by Wexford and Tip- perary. Both finals had to be put back until late December and Jan- T WOULD appear that uary. The main Dublin GAA per- every dog and its mother has a 1916 book out sonality to be caught up in the already in anticipation of events was Harry Boland, former I Dublin player and chairman of the the 100th anniversary next year. So in the absence Dublin County Board. He had also of any major events on the refereed the 1914 hurling final. horizon, and not wishing to A footnote to sport and the Ris- contribute to the navel gazing ing took place in Frongoch intern- that followed Ireland’s igno- ment camp in Wales in late 1916 minious exit from the Rugby where Dublin and Wexford played World Cup, I decided to look one another, apparently with more at some of the sporting first choice players than would events of that year. have been available back in Of course 1916 happened to be Ireland. the bloodiest year of World War I Local pride: and many of the leading sports Waterford events had been postponed for hurlers in 1916 Picture: NLI; no known that reason. Foremost among them copyright restrictions GAA people are often suspicious was the Olympics which had been of change, but do enjoy a good scheduled to be held in Berlin that argument. On that basis, next summer. year’s Congress debate on Phil Collins once described The main Dublin Director General Padraig Duffy’s sport, and specifically the GAA personality to Olympics, if I recall correctly, as proposals to change the games “war without tears”. Well, there as the last filly to win the Derby Soccer was organised on an all- be caught up in the calendar will be interesting. was a real war on so more civilised Ireland basis before partition and and the last horse to win the Derby events was Harry The most significant changes are means of earning bragging rights and the Oaks in the same year. the Irish Cup had been won by were not required. In Ireland, sport by and large Linfield, who beat Glentoran in a Boland, former to move the senior hurling final Professional association football escaped both the impact of the Eu- replay at Grosvenor Park in Belfast, Dublin player and to mid-August and to have the had also fallen victim in all of the ropean War and the Easter Rising. three weeks before the Rising. chairman of the football final on the first Sunday participant countries. Horse racing, The Grand National of that year Linfield also won the Irish League in September, and to have extra perhaps it was indeed the ‘sport of is best remembered as having taken that year. Dublin County time in all drawn games. There place on the day the Rising began Gaelic games were inconve- kings’, by and large survived. Al- Board. He had also will also no longer be semi-finals though the British Grand on Monday, April 24th. It was won nienced, not least by the number in Division One of the football National was not held, the Epsom by All Sorts who, because of the dis- of players who were interned refereed the 1914 Derby went ahead. It was won by ruption caused, then had to walk all following the Rising. Dublin had hurling final. league. the way home to Longford. lost so many players that they Fifinella, who is remembered now The other significant changes proposed are to do away with the Under 21 football championship and create a new grade of Under 17 for both hurling and football. The objective is to reduce the number of games in order to address the problem of ‘player burnout’ and the fact that club schedules are often greatly disrupted by the length of the inter-county season. That is fair enough, but I would have some reservations about the extra time rule, purely on the selfish basis of missing a possible repeat of the 2013 hurling final, or even this year’s football replay between Dublin and Mayo. Blitzed: Abbey Street and Sackville Street (O'Connell Street) in rubble after the Rising Picture: NLI; no known copyright restrictions Liberty 31 Liberty Crossword NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 PRIZE DRAW TO WIN TWO NIGHTS FOR TWO Liberty PEOPLE IN ONE OF IRELAND’S 1916 — Not quite sport Crossword FAIR HOTELS 1 2 3 4455 6 ACROSS DOWN 7 8 7 Chinese martial arts (4,2) 1 Ancient Christmas festival (4) 8 Puzzle (6) 2 Young swans in a fable (4,9) 9 10 9 Impose, as a tax (4) 3 Radical American folk singer (7) 10 Transporters of goods (8) 4 Sporting or music (5) 111211 12 13 11 Praise (7) 5 Central to recent equality debates (5,8) 14 13 Traditionalist Christian community (5) 6 To lock up (8) 15 16 15 Needed for rivers and money (5) 12 One day more (4,4)

17 16 New edition of an old book (7) 14 English soldier (7)

18 19 20 18 Extremely clean (8) 17 Apprehensive feeling (5) 19 Farsi-speaking land (4) 20 "___ Lang Syne" 21 Symbols which are worn (6) 21 22 22 Historic Scottish county and sock pattern (6)

*Correctly fill in the crossword to reveal the name and address and you will to be entered into a hidden word, contained by reading the letters prize draw to win two nights for two people in one The winner of the crossword competition in the shaded squares from top to bottom. of Ireland’s Fair Hotels. in the September edition was Email the hidden word to [email protected] or post to The winner of the crossword quiz will be Hugh O Domhnaill, Galway Communications Dept., Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 along with your published in the next edition of Liberty. Answer: Loophole *Terms and conditions apply. Jim Larkin Farrell’s photo shots Credit Union If you are interested in joining the Jim Larkin Credit Union Tel: 01 8721155 or email: [email protected]

The Credit UUtiderCehTUtiderCnioi nno ffoforo all SllarSIIPT Dublin photographer, Eamon Farrell, has captured many of the moments that memb UTPU ebmemersrrss and tdnat have made the late Charlie Haughey a subject of such deep fascination (and ffafamiliesa in theheireh ier dislike) for the Irish media and public over four decades. Farrell was present imil ise tneh Dublin Region during the rise and fall of the enigmatic politician including the immediate n oig e R nilb u Daftermath of the 1989 general election when Haughey failed to win a majority and after which he was forced into coalition with the Progressive Democrats led by his arch rival, Des O’Malley. The expression on the politician’s face, Opening Hours:sruoHgninepO : and perhaps more dramatically, on the face of his back seat passenger, friend and advisor, music promoter, the late Jim Hand says it all. Thursday 7.00 p.m. - 8.1551.8-.m.p00.7yadsruhT p.m..m.p Saturday 9.30 a.m. - 12.000.21-.m.a03.9yadrutaS 0 noonnoon0 The Jim Larkin Credit Union is The exhibition of Eamon Farrell’s photos of Charles Haughey regulated by the Irish Financial Services continues in the Gallery of Photography, Meeting House Square Regulatory Authority (IFSRA) until Sunday 22nd November. Tel: 01 6714654