PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS THEUNION POST NEWS YOU CAN USE JULY 2009 CONGRESS BDC CONFERENCE13 PAGES OF REPORTS & SPECIAL TRALEE 2009 PICTURES FROM TRALEE STRAIGHT TALKING BEGG TELLS COWEN

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FULL STORY BEAT SLUMPP2/3 Subscribe FREE at [email protected] UNION POST CUTS AGENDA Time for unions to WON’T SOLVE CRISIS seize the moment 4

CONGRESS general secretary David Begg has warned the Taoiseach there is “only a certain dis- tance” the trade union movement can go with government in dealing with the economic crisis. Attack on every In responding to Brian Cowen’s address to the Biennial Delegate Conference on July 10, he said Irish worker 9 the trade union movement did not believe savage public spending cuts and wage deflation was the way to beat the recession. He told him, “no country in history has deflated its way out of a crisis”. Mr Begg also described as “disturbing” a recent proposal by top IDA official Barry O’Leary for a 15 per cent wage cut for employees working for multinationals, and dubbed it a “nonsensical proposition”. Why Breen ruling He claimed such views were being put foward “at every hand’s turn” as solutions to the prob- is a crucial victory 14 lem of competitiveness, but pointed out you would not “get a dead cat’s bounce” from cutting wages against the backdrop of a global trading General secretary David Begg turns to Brian Cowen and collapse. Protestors outside BDC 09 as Peter gives his considered response to Taoiseach’s address Mr Begg added: “Most economists if they’re Bunting bids farewell to Taoiseach honest about it would recognise that wages are a small part of the competitive position of the cians saying they had taken action only at the end country.” CONFERENCE PICTURES of a long process and in defence of their union, KEVIN COOPER [email protected] Cowen’s vision for recovery And he insisted: “ We are not going to sign up following a concerted campaign against accepted for a deflationary policy – that would be irrespon- industrial relations’ structures by some employ- sible.” utional justice” and putting in place a “progressive ers. IN HIS address to conference, Taoiseach Brian happy to announce that the government has INTO blasts Batt’s Cowen told delegates he had “great respect for Mr Cowen had earlier addressed 800 delegates taxation system”. Welcoming the publication of new legislation published today the Employment Agency Regu- classroom cutbacks 25 Mr Begg said: “What we need is a comprehen- and belief in the trade union movement in Ire- lation Bill, 2009 which addresses a significant and observers at BDC 09 in Tralee, the first time on agency workers, Mr Begg urged quick passage land”. sive system of taxation which will supply the rev- legislative commitment under Towards 2016. he has done so. of the long-delayed Employment Rights’ Compli- He said the economy had been hit by “some “This Bill will modernise the legislative provi- enue necessary to keep the country running.” Some protestors raised placards in opposition ance Bill. of the most seismic events in our living history” sions in this area, providing an appropriate reg- to education and health cuts, but did not disrupt He added that cuts in the public service were He said its provisions – if they had been en- and needed “all of our focus, determination and ulatory framework with effective redress the Taoiseach’s speech. attacking the wrong target, given that “our prob- acted when promised – would have addressed continued co-operation” to pull out of the reces- mechanisms.” In his wide-ranging response, Mr Begg noted lem is not the size of our public service, but the some of the key issues in the electricians' dispute sion. On public services, he said: “This unprece- the 150-year sentence handed down to US fraud- collapse of our tax base”. Talking of the governmentʼs “vision for eco- dented crisis calls for an unprecedented and and claimed it would have prevented “renegade nomic recovery”, he claimed its goal was to de- ster Bernie Madoff and asked whether the Mr Begg referred to comments made by the imaginative response” and asked delegates to employers” dragging the TEEU through the velop “a critical mass” of innovative firms to “reflect on the need for change in that context”. Taoiseach could organise the sentencing for “even Minister of Fiance earlier this year that if any courts. provide well-paid jobs “for this and future gen- Turning to Europe, he claimed it was the gov- 150 weeks” of those “who have wrecked our fi- other country had attempted such cuts in the erations”. In conclusion, Mr Begg drew parallels between ernmentʼs view that the Lisbon Treaty was nancial system”. public service, “there would be a revolution”. The Taoiseach told delegates he believed jobs Proud to wear the the situation faced by Mr Cowen and former “good for workers” especially with the coming He reminded Mr Cowen of what he called the He told the Taoiseach: “We must know from were central to economic recovery and “sup- Taoiseach Sean Lemass when the latter saw his into force of the Charter for Fundamental Rights 33 the events of this week that a revolution is a bit porting jobs was at the very heart of the govern- Red Hand badge “the threshold of decency” and listed the mini- efforts to reform the state’s industrial relations if the referendum is passed. mum wage, social insurance contributions, pen- of political overstatement but certainly a break- mentʼs approach”. machinery frustrated by an aggressive local capi- He confirmed that further resources were to Mr Cowen added: “At the European Council sions and support for children with special down of stability in industrial relations is entirely talist class and the heavy hand of the Department be applied from “less urgent spending” to the last month and in response to Irish pressure, UNION POST was produced by Brazier Media possible if this gets out of control.” for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions educational needs as areas that “shouldn’t be in- of Finance. jobs agenda. our European partners adopted a Solemn Decla- He criticised the composition of the so-called terfered with”. He told him: “If you are a disciple of Lemass – Mr Cowen added: “There should be no doubt- ration on the importance the EU attaches to Bord Snip Nua and observed: “Nobody on that workers' rights. Irish Congress of Northern Ireland Committee Mr Begg also attacked the “cutbacks commen- and I believe you are – my advice to you is follow ing the scale and depth of my commitment and Trade Unions Irish Congress of Trades Unions committee will suffer as a result of the cutbacks that of the government to the jobs crisis.” “That declaration sets out in a single, simple tariat” whose only solution to the crisis was to your instincts and you’ll get the support of the 31/32 Parnell Square 4-6 Donegall Street Place they propose” noting some on the committee Emphasising the governmentʼs commitment text the importance the European Union at- Belfast BT1 2FN slash public service provision, pointing out that Dublin 1 people and we will have a more sustainable and to protect employment standards, he said: “As taches to a Social Europe – and makes clear Ireland Northern Ireland “those people must have ice in their veins”. had a “long history of antipathy to the public just society at the end of your tenure as further clear evidence of this and of ongoing de- that growth and competition are not ends in Tel: +353 1 8897777 Tel: 02890 247940 Rather he insisted the way ahead lay in “distrib- service”. Mr Begg defended the striking electri- Fax: +353 1 8872012 Fax: 02890 246898 Taoiseach.” livery with the Towards 2016 framework, I am themselves.” Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.ictu.ie Web: www.ictuni.org THE THE WEB EDITION OF THE UNION POST IS SAVED IN A3 LANDSCAPE FORMAT DESIGNED & EDITED BY BRAZIER MEDIA Email: [email protected] UNION POST Get it in IF YOU WANT A4 EMAIL YOUR REQUEST TO [email protected] 2 UNION POSTA4 July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 3 Gilmore pledge to enshrine in law protection

Outgoing ICTU president Patricia McKeown received a standing ovation from podium and floor after addressing conference of workers as Now is time to seize moment priority in govt and change world for better

TRADE unions have reached a defining point in moral standards”.Though acknowledging social ular now leaves this society on the edge of the LABOUR leader Eamon Gilmore has pledged to for concentrating on only one aspect – banking. union movement was that jobs should be at the their history and must now “seize the moment”. partnership had brought some benefits, she abyss.” Flagging up how Irish unions had often introduce a legal right to collective bargaining for He said: “There is the banking crisis, the fiscal centre of any strategy to deal with the slump. The call came in a rousing speech from outgo- pointed out the current government was wedded risen above “rightful self-interest” to focus on the workers when his party returns to government. crisis, and the jobs crisis. Each of them is linked. ing ICTU President Patricia McKeown at the to the neo-liberal model and were in thrall to needs of others, Ms McKeown spoke of that He voiced support for Congress attempts to Tuesday morning session in Tralee. what radical thinker Noam Chomsky called the other crisis - the food crisis - sweeping the globe. Speaking on the first day of the Biennial Dele- How each is dealt with, affects the others. agree a job protection and creation plan with She told delegates the financial crisis had meant “virtual senate”. She told delegates: “As we meet here this week gate Conference in Tralee, he vowed to: “Mishandling of any will, make the others even government as it made absolute sense to priori- “old certainties” and old ways of doing business These were the lenders and investors who, over one billion people on the planet are living in Protect the rights of agency workers more difficult to address. So they must be dealt had been “swept aside”. pushing for increased privatisation across all sec- tise the retention of jobs and not to "throw in extreme poverty and are facing starvation, malnu- Ensure the Posting of Workers Directive with simultaneously.” “More than ever people in and out of work tors, reduced people to “the status of consumer, trition and early death.” the towel" on this crucial issue. does not undermine existing workers’ rights in Mr Gilmore pointed that for a solution to be need their unions. They look to us for leadership.” rather than active citizens”. Underlining how links had been forged with the “We have shared the analysis – the common Claiming it was time to “set the path” for Irish Ms McKeown said it was time to go on the of- trade union movement internationally, she added: Ireland “economically, socially or politically credible”, it sense – that if we are to deal with the banking trade unionism for the rest of the century, she fensive and paid particular tribute to the Visteon “Now we must build solidarity with the op- Ensure the legal right to adequate represen- could not be inflicted on any one group “at the added: “We have before us the chance to shape a workers who had “refused to be put out”. crisis and the fiscal crisis, we must also deal with pressed.” tation of employees in their place of work expense of others”. more just and equal society but only if we seize She also pledged the full support of the confer- Referring specifically to oppression in the Oc- the jobs crisis.” the moment.” ence to the TEEU and its members and dismissed Make it illegal to discriminate against an em- He added: “In particular, we cannot allow those cupied Territories, Ms McKeown claimed the issue Addressing the question of links between Turning to the thousands across Ireland who “with contempt” claims their action would dam- ployee because they are a member of a union, and who created the problem to impose the burden had “engaged people on this island in a way which Labour and trade unions, he pointed out that only had lost their jobs in recent months, Ms McKe- age the economy. Pass the Industrial Relations Bill to protect on those who can least afford to bear it. Yet al- own said: “In the Republic, one quarter of a mil- Turning to equality, Ms McKeown highlighted no other has done since our involvement in the six out of 55 unions affiliated to ICTU had formal anti apartheid struggle in South Africa”. vulnerable workers in the hotel, catering and con- ready those mistakes are being made.” lion people are unemployed and almost half a the role women within the trade union move- affiliation to the party. million people are on the live register. ment played in moving key issues up the agenda In particular she highlighted Congress’s humani- struction industries. Mr Gilmore claimed that to date the govern- “For them, prosperity is over. For many of them and how that should be used as a template to tarian appeal for Gaza and the €100,000 donated He told delegates: “The Labour Party in govern- ment had been primarily concerned with prob- Mr Gilmore added: “But our most important it never started. In the North, almost one-third of tackle the growing challenges – economic, social through Irish Medical Aid to Palestine. ment will also commit to giving domestic effect to lems in the banking sector and public finances but bond is not what is written in the rule book. It is the population is classed as economically and political – that lay ahead. Addressing delegates, Ms McKeown acknowl- the common ideals and principles that we share.” edged an uncertain future lay ahead but added the principles, including collective bargaining en- had neglected what he called “real economy... of inactive. She said: “The Irish government embraced with Stressing to delegates that areas of tensions be- “They are ignored by government and left to fervour an economic and financial system which is she was confident that through “your generosity shrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, jobs lost and businesses closing”. subsist at the margins of our society. No peace predicated on the absence of rights. of spirit and the determination of our members which will become European law if the Lisbon He told the conference that already attempts tween Labour and union was “inevitable”, never- dividend for them. There is no one else to stand “No coincidence then that when times got we can change this world for the better”. Treaty is passed.” were being made to impose the burden “where it theless he added “only a government with Labour up with them but us, the trade union movement.” tough it made its first brutal spending cuts in the When she had finished her speech, there was Mr Gilmore pointed out a three-fold crisis now should not be laid”. Mr Gilmore said the instinc- at its heart can drive the kind of reforms that Ire- Ms McKeown claimed these people were facing equality and human rights agenda. spontaneous applause from the conference floor the consequences of a “capitalist system bereft of “Its hostility to socio-economic rights in partic- and a standing ovation. faced the country and slammed the government tive approach from the Labour Party and trade land needs”. Ryan Report challenges us all Kids made crisis ‘scapegoats’ TUI President Don Ryan told was using children as scape- Johnny Fox condemned the DELEGATES have overwhelm- the motion on the second day appropriate training." Ms delegates that opposition to goats and added: "Students at treatment of Special Needs as- ingly endorsed an emergency of the conference, warned a Nunan claimed the report had cuts in education was not about school did not cause this cri- sistants and school secretaries motion on the Ryan Report into lack of adequate teacher train- "thrown down a challenge to us "teachers' pay and conditions” sis... those who did had their and claimed many of them felt institutional abuse. ing – as recommended by re- in Irish society to guarantee on but was “about our society and snouts stuck in the trough of their role was undervalued. Conference heard the find- portʼs authors – would put our watch we will learn from it our future”. the nation's wealth." He told delegates: “Leaky ings described as "a very pow- children in jeopardy. and use it to benchmark the He warned: “The Irish educa- Meanwhile, Susie Hall, of the taps and holes in the roof get a erful testimony to the She said: "Those of us work- worst of our failures to protect tion system is already under- ASTI, said it was a myth that greater priority.” deliberate denial and failure" of ing in sectors with children children and drive us to seek funded and sits in 27th place teachers would not lose, or had Mike Jennings, of IFUT, said church and state to protect want to ensure we are highest standard of childcare out of 29 OECD countries." not lost their jobs due to cuts, the reintroduction of fees would BRAZIER MEDIA children. equipped to carry out those and protection that must be the Mr Ryan told conference the and warned against a two-tier not add a cent to Third Level TRADE UNION NEWS SPECIALISTS INTOʼs Sheila Nunan, moving roles but we need regular and hallmark of a civilised society." cuts showed the government education system. Impactʼs funding. Backing: Sheila Nunan [email protected]

4 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 5 We need new economic Kinahan: IDA chief’s model to deal with crisis proposal OPENING the economic debate, Congress gen- eral secretary David Begg referred to “the cata- logue of disasters that has fallen upon us” since on wages delegates last met in Bundoran in 2007. He told conference: “The haemorrhage of jobs Jack O’Connor attacks rewriting of history to blame crisis on working people seems set to continue into next year with the IMF forecast published last week predicting an un- is ‘utter employment rate of 15.5 per cent by the end of 2010. By that time we will have lost 13.5 per cent An alternative to blind of our GDP too. In short it will take us until 2017 to get back to where we were in 2007.” nonsense’ Mr Begg said this had been made worse in Ire- land by “domestic policy errors and a downright greed of failed system irresponsible, perhaps even criminal behaviour, in the business, banking and developer nexus.” SIPTU general president Jack OʼConnor carding jobs and scarring the quality of CONGRESS assistant general secretary Sally Referring to the unsustainable housing and con- has claimed hundreds of thousands of life for hundreds of thousands of work- Anne Kinahan has branded as “utter nonsense” struction boom, he pointed out that Irish banks’ Irish workers suffer the consequences ers and their families for possibly claims by a senior IDA official that swingeing nett indebtedness to the rest of the world had each day of the failed neo-liberal model decades to come.” wage cuts were needed to restore Ireland’s com- jumped from 10 per cent of GDP in 2003 to 60 of economic development imposed al- Mr OʼConnor told delegates this “blind petitiveness. per cent by early last year. most 30 years ago by Reagan and adherence” to the law of the market was She was responding to comments made by IDA Describing it as “an outrage”, he added: “The Thatcher. applied differently to flawed banking and chief Barry O'Leary that between 5,000 and cost of unwinding the consequences of this will Speaking on the opening day of the financial institutions. 6,000 Irish workers employed by top multination- be borne by Irish people for generations to conference in Tralee, he said: “This con- He said: “There could be no greater il- als may have to con- come.” demned human society to the vagaries of lustration of this than the proposal to sider having their pay Mr Begg said those economists advocating the unseen hand and with the passage of pour up to €70 billion (and perhaps mul- packets slashed time it has become the dominant and all tiples of this figure) of taxpayersʼ money wage and job cuts as well as slashing the mini- David Begg told conference the neo-liberal consensus of last 30 years was gone by 15 per cent. pervasive - almost religious – mantra of to socialise the liabilities in our banking mum wage had “ice water running through their Ms Kinahan distributional justice” was through a “progressive token that is only true if government is willing to capitalism. system – including the toxic debts aris- veins” and seemed “indifferent” to the conse- told conference: tax system”, Mr Begg spoke of the “protracted act.” “It has been dogmatically applied and ing from reckless banking practices – quences of their solutions. negotiations” with government on brokering a so- Acknowledging that all of us “were trying to slavishly followed in both jurisdictions with no clear or guaranteed outcome for “Even far right He added: “It seems to me too that there is a cial solidarity pact. grapple with a problem beyond our life's experi- on this island with disastrous effect. ordinary people. Tragically, the economic economists con- certain threshold of decency that we should not He told delegates of the “disappointing re- ence”, he told delegates: “One thing is certain, “Despite the current re-writing of his- model employed in recent decades has cede that com- cross no matter how bad things are. Cutting the petitiveness is far sponse” from government that conveyed “a there can be no return to business as usual after tory which attributes blame for the eco- been ruthlessly pursued at the expense minimum wage and basic welfare rates crosses more complex, poverty of ambition”, adding: “People expect un- this recession – however long it lasts. Neo-liberal- nomic meltdown on working people and, of the great majority of working people that threshold.” employment, pensions and home repossession to complicated and ism has failed. in particular, those who work in the pub- who were led to believe that it would pro- Mr Begg said the proposal to cut wage rates be given the same priority as the banking system. lic service, the current crisis is actually vide prosperity for all. about much “Even if domestic commentators won't accept was based on an argument that it would improve A sequential response aimed at first fixing the due to the reckless incentivisation of “We now know the lie at the heart of more than wage competitiveness and boost exports but asked banking crisis is not the way to go.” that fact people like Alan Greenspan, Martin Wolf, speculators coupled with light touch reg- this promise and the brutal conse- levels. how this will “give even a dead cat bounce” in an Mr Begg said: “Our hope is that the deficiencies Jack Welch and Warren Buffet have. The world of ulation which was preferred over the pro- quences of this blind pursuit. “He has clearly international market where trade is down by 25 in the government's position can be corrected the last three decades has gone. What will replace motion of a sustainable model of “Our urgent task now is to arm work- adopted a sim- per cent. because if we want to influence policy on employ- it is for us to seek to determine. capitalism – much less socialism. ing people with a coherent and alterna- plistic ideological He added that wage cuts would also have a big ment, pensions, repossessions and the other ele- “As Dorothy said to her dog Toto after a tor- “Over recent decades those in power tive model that prioritises society again position and not have dismantled the tax base, ludi- and that can form the basis for sustain- one that is in- adverse effect on domestic demand. ments of the 10-point plan, the only way to do so nado dropped them in the Land of Oz, ‘I've a feel- Hits back: Kinahan Claiming the only effective way of “achieving is in dialogue with government. By the same ing we're not in Kansas any more’. crously sold off key elements of our so- able investment and economic develop- formed by the cial infrastructure such as Eircom, which ment as opposed to the accumulation of facts. Cutting wages will not get us out of this re- could have provided the catalyst for a the ʻquick buckʼ mentality. cession, instead you will simply depress demand new generation of economic growth, and “We must press the case – not only be- and kill consumption, a dangerous step in an grossly mismanaged the public services. cause it the morally correct one – for re- economy where domestic demand comprises al- ‘Commentariat’ slammed in Thursday debates One would imagine that a good place to integrating the hundreds of thousands most 50 per cent of all activity. start to remedy the consequences of this who have lost their jobs into productive "The best way to address competitiveness and DEBATE at BDC 09 on Thursday was domi- protecting frontline health services (46) and all PPP/PFI projects to ensure all such func- disastrous and failed approach would be economic activity while protecting those end the recession is through serious investment nated by a series of strong and spirited supporting the provision of public services tions are "undertaken again by accountable to abandon it and seek an alternative. who are vulnerable and exposed in rela- in upskilling and learning, starting at pre-school speeches in defence of public services and (44) were passed by delegates. public service staff". “But no – instead our policy makers tion to jobs, pensions and the protection and continuing through all levels and all ages," public sector workers. Delegates also passed a motion calling An Executive Council request to remit the are now seeking to apply the same prin- of their homes. Mr O’Leary’s pay cut suggestion was specifically A number of speakers condemned con- on Congress to press governments North motion was defeated. ciples and outlook that caused the prob- “This means we must establish the su- targeted at companies supported by the govern- certed attacks on the public service from and South to introduce a "moratorium on Conference also heard condemnation of lem in the first place as they desperately periority of an economic outlook and sections of the “commentariat” and pro- the future use of Public Private Partner- Performance Management Systems and the scramble to find a light at the end of the model which places human welfare as its ment or grant aided by IDA, and comes as it claimed themselves proud of the work they ships/Private Finance Initiatives to deliver shabby regulatory regime that existed in crisis tunnel. starting point instead of the race to the emerged that 6,000 jobs in the sector have al- did and proud of the vital social services any public service infrastructure or func- the financial services sector, both of which “As the market ruthlessly adjusts itself bottom policies which are now condemn- ready been lost this year. they delivered. tions." played a significant role in collapsing the fi- the powerful and decision makers make ing our society to years of stagnation, Motions on the public health service (41), The motion (42) also called for a review of nancial system. a savage assault on living standards dis- depression and human misery.” MORE BDC 09 NEWS 8,9,10 & 11

6 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 7 Roosevelt New Deal invoked This is an attack as a model for future action on every worker TEEU general secretary designate Eamon Devoy, right, told conference his union was engaged in a struggle on pay and A FREE market system that once seemed solid gone’.” Looking to the future, Mr Bunting urged also take prinicipled stands on vital domestic is- conditions on behalf of every Irish worker. Speaking before the July 11 Labour Court recommendation and immutable has melted in air, assistant general delegates to “prepare for the fightback” against sues such as water charges, the Bill of Rights, rep- on the dispute, he said: "This is not just an attack on the elec- secretary Peter Bunting declared as he opened those who would slash public services to pre- resenting and integrating ethnic minorities, on tricians – it is an attack on all the workers in Ireland. his speech to delegates on Wednesday. serve a banking system “whose bosses still behave PFIs and on academic selection. "There is a policy by government, the property speculators, He reminded conference that Roosevelt’s New like selfish brats”. Turning to the dissident attacks earlier this year, the banks, the builders and the contractors to drive down Deal was a public sector-led fightback against the Mr Bunting contrasted their selfishness with he praised the leadership shown by the political wages in this country as some sort of solution to the eco- last great depression caused by “a politically sanc- the “generosity of spirit” shown class and attacked the “micro nomic woes of this country and keep the eye off the govern- tioned culture of greed and consumerism”. by the Visteon workers. He told groups” involved in the murders at ment whose responsibility it is to address this in a fair way.” Mr Bunting said: “It was an inspiration for the conference: “The workers in Vis- Massereene and Craigavon. He claimed the dispute was being misrepresented as a pay Congress 10-point plan for recovery in the Re- teon were models of efficiency In response to those attacks thou- claim and told delegates contractors had already secured public and ought to act as the guiding principle and innovation. Their technologi- sands of working people had shown payment from clients under contracts “but have withheld that behind any strategy to protect and nourish the cal innovations are now being their revulsion at a series of trade money from our members”. economy of Northern Ireland.” made in South Africa, their pen- union and trade councils rallies Mr Devoy added: "If we win this dispute – and we have to He underlined that the banking collapse was sions are in cold storage and across the North. win this dispute – it is our belief that we will win it for every caused by the politically-sanctioned “criminal irre- their futures shattered by corpo- Mr Bunting then listed the work worker in Ireland.” sponsibility and greed” of top bankers who he rate greed. that lay ahead for the trade union Thanking Congress president Patricia McKeown for pledg- ing the full support of conference for the electriciansʼ union, dubbed a “neoliberal cargo cult”. “Their bosses have fled, with movement. He said: “We need to fix he added: “Hopefully it will help make CIF chief executive These were supported by a economists and their pensions intact, their ques- the gaps in social housing, to repair Tom Parlon realise that his attempts to isolate us by gratu- commentators “hired by media corporations with tionable reputations protected, the social infrastructure which mar- itous insults are counterproductive and simply show he has huge material interests in sustaining the mythol- their share options guaranteed.” ginalises and alienates those who feel nothing but contempt for the people employed by his mem- ogy of the free market”. Mr Bunting listed the mass lay- disenfranchised and lend support to bers.” Mr Bunting asked delegates: “Remember how offs – at FG Wilson, Nortel, anti-democratic elements whose so- they were telling us all to buy, buy, buy? Remem- Shorts and Seagate – that had hit lutions are based on hatred. ber their solution to all public sector problems? manufacturing hard in the North. Vision: Peter Bunting “There is work to be planned, for Downsize and privatise? He said: “Without manufactur- a vibrant and sustainable and fairer “They were wrong then, and it is also worth re- ing at its heart, the timid private sector will never economy after the downturn, an economy that membering that we in the trade union movement fully develop. But while the recession grinds on, rewards skilled workers and innovative industry. Right to choose motion remitted were lone voices pointing out the madness of Congress is pushing hard for the creation of a An economy that cherishes people, and does not their prescriptions. Workers’ Protection Fund, which will ensure that see them as collateral damage in the rush to re- DELEGATES voted by 222 to 109 to remit back Motion 30 had called for Congress to support a majority of 222 to 109 in favour of remission. “What are these discredited hacks saying now? those facing redundancy get their moral and fi- ward shareholders. to the Executive Council a motion on a woman's and campaign with other pro-choice groups to On day two, delegates also debated and ap- Well, it is apparently all the fault of the public sec- nancial entitlement ahead of the receivers.” “A politically relevant union movement is one right to choose. achieve rights to terminate a pregnancy "similar proved motions on the rights of people with dis- tor, and if we cut enough we can return to the Mr Bunting pledged that ICTU would work that promotes the understanding of the system The move to remit back was agreed by the to those provided in the UK by the 1967 Abor- abilities (Motion 31), quality of life for older good old days.” with politicians “and help them make the right de- we have and harvesting the skill of the mind nec- proposers of the motion – Belfast & District tion Act... and other EU member countries." people (29), equality (26 & 28), the pay gap (27) He added: “As the other Marx, Groucho, once cisions” on transport, support for manufacturing essary to fix and make fair that system, one room Trades' Council – following a request from the When an initial show of hands failed to clarify and equal opportunities for same sex couples said,‘The good old days are good, because they’re and developing our skills base. Congress would at a time.” Executive, represented by Anne Speed of SIPTU. the matter, a card vote was called for and showed (32). McGuinness: Unions have key role building ‘better future’

DEPUTY First Minister Martin McGuinness tive role” played by trade unions in standing ees.He added: “Ordinary workers cannot be ety had to be built and efforts made to de- downturn. He said: “Where the border cre- has thanked the trade union movement for up to sectarianism, racism and hate crime. asked to pay the heaviest price for a crisis velop the best educated workforce in Eu- ates impediments to faster economic its role in fighting sectarianism, racism and Turning to the recession, Mr McGuinness that is not of their making.” rope “even when faced with the current growth, where public goods such as infra- hate crime in the North. told delegates the severity of the crisis had The Deputy First Minister also outlined a financial constraints”. structure and public services could be Speaking on Wednesday morning in underlined the risks faced by small open series of measures the Stormont Executive Mr McGuinness claimed this required more efficiently provided on a co-ordinated Tralee, he cast delegatesʼ minds back to economies. was taking to protect people from the worst partnership between government, busi- basis then we need to collaborate and work 2007 when he last addressed conference. He said: “Two years ago you could not effects of the recession, and added: “ They ness, trade unions and the voluntary sector to mutual advantage.” He said: “We were just a few short weeks have imagined that when you came together are designed to target resources to those which was “fundamental”, adding “I am Mr McGuinness, in closing, told dele- into the fledging new institutions and the again so many of your members would have most affected by the current recession.” convinced that if we work together we can gates that he understood it was a time of new partnership between our various cul- lost their jobs.” He also called for “proactive measures” to emerge from this present crisis more great concern for trade union members but tures and traditions, but since then the frag- Mr McGuinness referred to the “endless deal with the crisis which he characterised quickly and stronger”. expressed confidence that with the right ile flower has continued to grow and taken lists of predictions and projections” about as “man-made” He acknowledged that “accelerated pro- steps in place “we can start to get the ever firmer root.” falling economic output. Mr McGuinness told delegates: “We are ductivity growth” was key to increased economy back on track and promote sus- Mr McGuinness attacked those who But he claimed he was more concerned not facing a natural disaster, our economy competitiveness and sustainability but said tainable economic growth in the longer sought a return to violence and predicted about the effects of the downturn on the has not been brought to its knees by a force they would fail “because the vast majority lives of ordinary people than “cold facts and of nature. This economic disaster has been this must be based on innovation, creativ- term as we eventually emerge from the cur- of our people are in favour of joint working, figures”. global and man-made. And our small is- ity and improved work skills “and not on rent downturn”. in favour of partnership, in favour of build- Mr McGuinness said the recession cannot land, our families and communities, are creating a low wage economy”. He added: “The trade union movement ing a prosperous and inclusive society for be used as an excuse to drive down terms bearing the brunt.” The Deputy First Minister called for has a key role to play in building that better McGuinness: Workers can’t pay heaviest the benefit of all”. He also praised the “posi- and conditions of employment for employ- He said that a fairer and more equal soci- cross-border co-operation to deal with the future.” price for crisis they didn’t make

8 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 9 Education cuts Time to ditch ‘dead weight’ FF FIANNA Fail has been called a He told delegates: “The gov- ment to get “off the sidelines” “dead weight” when it comes ernment now calls upon work- and work with parties “that to the European social ers to support the Lisbon share our values and princi- market. Treaty with the Charter of Fun- ples”. make no sense Uniteʼs Irish regional secre- damental Rights. He said what was needed tary Jimmy Kelly claimed the “And yet the government was a progressive government party had obstructed progress point blank refuses to imple- that works with the trade union on a range of issues including ment those same rights into movement “not against it”, IMPACT national secretary Peter If you destroy the foundations, you agency workers protection, the Irish law.” adding,“Itʼs time we stop nego- Nolan has warned gratuituous at- have nothing left to build on.” Social Chapter and Mr Kelly claimed it was now tiating with this government pensions. time for the trade union move- and start to change it”. Jimmy Kelly: Time for change tacks on education budgets are Proposing a motion opposing sending society backwards. government cuts in the sector, Mr He told delegates that if Ireland is Nolan said education played a key to emerge from recession with role in addressing inequality in soci- strong foundations for economic ety. recovery, education needs to be in- He added: “Cutting investment in Labour links: Don’t ignore sulated. education does not make any sense. Mr Nolan argued the proposed In the long term, it will exacerbate reintroduction of Third Level fees the degree of economic disadvan- would freeze out students from low tage for families from low income income backgrounds. backgrounds. ‘the elephant in the room’ He said: “We don’t want to arrive at a situation where, post-recession, “It will annihilate opportunities the education system has to be re- for adult education which are vital DIFFERENT BEAT SOCIAL partnership has only had a limited use in history sufficiently to prevent the reckless pursuit fluence”. Mr O’Connor told conference while it built from a ‘low base’. for those workers who have lost influencing government policy, Jack O’Connor of public policies entailing blind adherence to un- was right to make use of these contacts, it was Taoiseach Brian Cowen bids to drum up support “We have already seen how dev- their jobs in their thousands. told delegates in Tralee. bridled free marketeerism.” wrong to think the process offered “a meaningful for his government at the BDC 09 in Tralee. One astating that can be as our health “If you take apart our education Moving Motion 22, the SIPTU general president He claimed this was because government had alternative to the task of building an effective po- onlooker remarked: “He’ll have to change his tune – sector has never truly recovered system by starving it of resources, said: “In the overall scheme of things we have to been dominated by parties of the centre right and litical force to articulate the interests of ordinary and his policies – first!” people”. He continued: “The tragedy is that lesson from the cuts of the 1980s, despite any hope of future economic com- be frank and recognise we have not been able to relations with unions could have been charac- was learnt long before – generations ago – when the intervening years of prosperity. petitiveness will be crushed.” influence in any significant way the direction of terised as “a surplus of access but a paucity of in- the Irish Trade Union Congress embarked on the task of building a Labour Party on the proposal of CPSU chief Blair Horan, right, speaking on the economy, claimed the Jim Larkin, seconded by James Connolly.” “plain and simple truth” was that government policy advisers had been But he claimed the trade union movement had Barack election gave us all hope “asleep at the wheel” for the past decade. “tragically abandoned the task” opting instead for He told delegates: “It is a truly appalling indictment of domestic economic what he called “a lowest common denominator PENNY Shantz, a representative of the American Great Depression. Against all odds we elected the Rich Trumka, our secretary treasurer, went from policy. It was neo-liberal economics in its purest form that makes no dis- kind of unity, which ignored the elephant in the Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Or- first African Amercian as President.” factory to factory telling members,’There is not a tinction between export and domestic led growth.” room.”. ganizations, spoke to conference of the great hope She told delegates the AFL-CIO had clearly made single good reason for a worker, and especially a Slamming the folly of the finance sector, Mr Horan said unregulated The motion called for the raising of political working people in the US have with the election of a difference to the campaign, having mobilised more union member, to vote against Barack Obama. And hedge funds and private equity funds had loaded solid companies with debt awareness among unions’ rank and file and the Barack Obama. than 250,000 of its members to work as volunteers there’s only one really bad one - and that’s because before they were milked dry. need to address “the critically important issue” of She said: “Against all odds, we elected a compas- in the run-up to the poll. he’s not white.” But he vowed: “What I can tell you here and now is that lower paid Labour Party affiliation “so as to assist in shifting sionate, intellectual community organiser who ran Ms Shantz said: “The ALF-CIO reminded our She added: “I’ve never been more proud of our workers and those on social welfare payments will not bear the brunt of the fulcrum of influence in the corridors of on one of the most progressive agendas since the members how racism is used to divide workers. movement.” the adjustments that are now necessary to clean up the mess.” power” towards values of social solidarity and “the primacy of the common good”. Connolly is in our blood... No going back to casino capitalism

STUC general secretary Grahame and the recession that matters – ETUC chief John Monks has called for regulation”. He said: “Europe rope. But he added: “We also said Smith quipped he had yet to meet the impact on our members’ jobs, for an “exit strategy” from casino needs to be bold. And not just on it was a step forward compared to a Scottish trade unionist of Irish their homes, their families and capitalism. banks but on the real economy existing provisions, for example in decent “who hasn’t claimed to be their futures – threatened by cor- He told delegates in his address too. relation to the legal enforcement related to James Connolly”. porate greed and irresponsibility.” to the BDC on Friday that the “We want a plan which keeps up of the Charter of Fundamental In fact, he said he also met many Mr Smith warned there was a economic system “expressly de- wages, not bonuses. And a plan Rights, commitments to full em- Scottish trade unionists with NO danger that anger over the reck- signed to make rich people richer, which leads to better balanced, ployment, the social market econ- Irish links “who also claim Con- lessness in which the economy had welfare states cheaper and inequal- more sustainable, greener omy and public services.” nolly as a relative”, adding that the been managed could turn “to de- ity greater” had had a “heart at- economies. Mr Monks flagged up recent suc- two countries’ connections were spair and disillusionment” driving tack”. “Less short term speculation, cesses on agency workers and in “many, varied and deep-seated”. many “to seek irrational and ex- But he pointed out that workers more serious investment in real, On the economic crisis, Mr treme solutions”. were paying the price “with our sustainable goods and services.” the beefing up of European Works Smith told conference that the Referring to the expenses row at taxes, with our wages and pen- Turning to the Lisbon Treaty, he councils. trade union movement on both Westminster, he traced its roots to sions, and worst of all, as unem- said he hoped the Irish people However, he told delegates: “We sides of the Irish Sea had chal- the ideology that valued “individual ployment soars, with our jobs”. would approve it. want more and want Europe to lenged the “economic orthodoxy” over collective responsibility” and Mr Monks told delegates the Mr Monks admitted it had not move forward, not remain bogged of neoliberalism and had been shunned “the pursuit of equality as banks must not be allowed to re- delivered all that was necessary “by down in institutional wrangling, proven right. He continued: “It’s the a political objective”. turn to business as usual “resisting a long chalk” and had missed op- particularly in these perilous eco- Wanting more: John Monks Links: Grahame Smith human face of the banking crisis Connolly: Relative values tooth and nail modest proposals portunities to reinforce social Eu- nomic times.”

10 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 11 New ICTU DEFENDING LOWER PAID president WORKERS in call for

intelligent Get the message: Protestors during Brian Cowen’s speech fightback

NEW Congress president Jack would not expose union members, O’Connor has called for an “intelli- their families or ordinary citizens “to STAMP OF APPROVAL gent” fightback by workers and their unnecessary hardship or potential families in the face of a relentless at- danger” through “blind adventurism”. OUTGOING Congress president Patricia McKeown is tack on living standards. He said the government had failed presented with a framed First Day Cover of the recent Referring to the calling off of the to honour nine separate pieces of An Post issue marking SIPTU’s centenary by her March 30 day of action, he reminded employment protection legislation successor Jack O’Connor. He will be joined by fellow delegates that “this is a marathon not and described their attempt to per- EC officers, below from left, vice presidents Eugene a sprint” and that the challenges that suade European Council heads of McGlone, Patricia King and treasurer Joe O’Flynn lay ahead would not be met by “walk- government to adopt the Solemn ing around town for a few hours”. Declaration on workers’ rights “mon- He said: “What we decided to do at umental hypocrisy” when they were the Congress meeting of February 24 not prepared to apply it at home. Top table huddle: Discussions before one of week’s sessions was to urge unions to conduct ballots Mr O’Connor added: “Indeed, this to secure mandates for a sustained is graphically illustrated by the plight campaign of action in pursuit of col- of 10 contract cleaner members of lectively negotiated agreement. my own union who are today picket- “And in the absence of that I am ing John Gormley’s office at the Cus- not going to threaten the Minister for toms House having been dismissed Finance with the riots that seem to for no other reason than that they EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 2009-2011 pre-occupy his imagination. are members of a trade union.” “But I believe we can offer instead He claimed that effective organisa- Officers: the prospect of a sustained and re- tion was vital and flagged up the deci- President Jack O’Connor SIPTU lentless industrial campaign con- sion by conference to set up a Vice President Patricia King SIPTU Vice President Eugene McGlone UNITE CIVIL PUBLIC & ducted workplace by workplace . commission into the issue. Treasurer Joe O’Flynn SIPTU “I believe we can promise him and Mr O’Connor said: “Let’s be frank. Good cause: Trocaire’s Alice Mary Higgins and Congress SERVICES UNION those who believe that working peo- We are not nearly as well equipped as Ordinary Members: equality officer David Joyce at conference stall ple should carry the burden of this we should be to address the challenge Larry Broderick IBOA Peter MacMenamin TUI crisis a response that will not end in facing the people we represent. Brian Campfield NIPSA Patricia McKeown UNISON one day with a walk about town – or “Unless and until we do the con- Shay Cody IMPACT Peter McLoone IMPACT Eamon Devoy TEEU Jim Moore UCATT WORKING a riot for that matter – but which will tent of our resolutions will remain lit- Pamela Dooley UNISON Maire Morgan NIPSA go on and on, workplace after work- tle more than aspirational.” Seamus Dooley NUJ Louise O’Donnell IMPACT Liam Doran INO Paddy O’Shaughnessy BATU place, and that will be there to meet He concluded: “My fundamental ob- John Douglas MANDATE Shelia Nunan INTO Steve Fitzpatrick CWU Marie NiChuinneagain INTO WITH YOU them every morning they wake up.” jective is to achieve the maximum Tom Geraghty PSEU Jerry Shanahan UNITE Mr O’Connor said that while he unity in our trade union and labour Norin Greene UNITE Anne Speed SIPTU Arthur Hall TEEU Linda Tanham MANDATE hoped this did not have to happen, he movement because it is not just Brendan Hayes SIPTU Clare Tracey INO was determined not to allow any about unity between organisations Blair Horan CPSU John White ASTI group of workers “to be isolated or and institutions but, more profoundly, Mike Jennings IFUT Eric Fleming SIPTU Jimmy Kelly UNITE JOIN US have their agreements torn up”. between the working men and This battle he claimed would be women of this island.” www.cpsu.ie conducted in an “intelligent way” that Going online: Laptops put to effective use in conference hall

12 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 13 CIVIL LIBERTIES NUJ Irish Secretary SEAMUS DOOLEY looks back at last month’s Breen ruling and its importance in upholding press freedomNEWSBRIEFS One in five shareholders back Unite Tesco motion ONE in five Tesco shareholders has refused to support a bid by company chiefs to scupper a Unite resolution at a shareholders AGM in Glas- gow earlier this month. The motion called for an end to discrimination against agency workers employed by firms supply- ing meat to the grocery combine and was the first time a UK union has used such a tactic. Some 18 per cent of shareholders did not back Tesco's recommendation to vote against the res- olution while another 11.21 per cent voted in favour – more than double the expectation. A further 6.96 per cent abstained. Unite deputy general secretary Jack Dromey said: "An unmistakable message has been sent to the board. Tesco must hear the voice of workers in the meat industry and now a growing number CRUCIAL VICTORY of its own shareholders.” He added: "Today, [Tesco’s chief] Sir Terry Leahy THE recent victory of Suzanne Breen and the journalist turned informer as also being a legiti- and not just in respect to one story. said he was prepared to talk to Unite, he should Sunday Tribune is not just a cause for celebra- mate and desirable target. A more productive use of resources would be now personally lead his team to the table. Sir tion among journalists but should be welcomed Yet counsel for the PSNI claimed there was no to focus attention on those responsible for the Terry should also hear first hand from agency by all who care about civil liberties. verifiable threat to Breen's life. The journalist ac- Massereene murders. workers what life is like at firms that supply meat For those who recognise the importance of cepted that there was no risk as long as she We’ve also asked legitimate questions about to Tesco." journalism in society the decision of Judge abided by the NUJ code of conduct, as any jour- the motivation of the PSNI. Thomas Burgess in Belfast Recorder's Court nalist faced with a demand to breach professional Initially they sought to pursue Ms Breen in con- SIPTU has described the decision by Aer was a landmark judgment. confidentiality would be expected to do. Giving in nection with a story, which stated that the Real Lingus chiefs to axe three transatlantic The Police Service of Northern Ireland to the demand of the police that she cross the IRA were about to claim responsibility for the routes over the winter months as “madness”. (PSNI) had sought a court order forcing Rubicon would place her at permanent risk. Donaldson murder in Donegal. In publishing the The union slammed the removal of flights Suzanne Breen, the Northern Ireland editor of The judge accepted that to grant the order story the Tribune effectively served notice on the from Shannon to Chicago and Dublin to San the Sunday Tribune and long-standing NUJ mem- would be a breach of Breen's rights under the Eu- PSNI that a statement would be made at an Francisco and Washington as devastating news ber, to hand over her mobile telephone, com- ropean Convention. He also acknowledged that Easter commemoration in a Derry cemetery. for the economy and claimed it showed the puter records and notes about the Real IRA the material held by the journalist was exempt Suzanne Breen turned up and witnessed a man national carrier should never have been priva- following publication of stories relating to the under the Terrorism Act 2000, upholding an im- in paramilitary uniform read a statement. This was tised in the first place. vicious murder of two soldiers in the attack on portant principle in relation to journalistic mate- a public event, published in advance yet there was Massereene Barracks in Antrim. rial. This was a useful acknowledgement but no police presence. Fas rethink on cuts to Had the court order being granted the PSNI should not be seen as recognising the absolute Afterwards the PSNI sought a statement from would have been not one step closer to secur- right of journalists to protect sources in all situa- Suzanne Breen. This did not form part of the community job schemes ing convictions for the Massereene attack – but tions. eventual application, presumably because it would TRAINING and employment agency Fas has for journalism such an outcome would have had The judge accepted Breen's claim that her life have highlighted an inconsistency at the heart of rowed back on planned funding cuts to commu- grave consequences. would be at risk, noting that the PSNI had not ac- the PSNI’s use of the 2000 Act. nity employment schemes. Ms Breen had received a phone call from a cepted his invitation to place evidence to counter Some commentators have been critical of the The original proposals, announced in May, were caller who supplied a recognised code word any of her evidence. stance taken by Suzanne Breen and her union, slammed by community workers and employers claiming responsibility for what Judge Thomas Breen and her legal team fought and won the suggesting that it gave succour to the Real IRA who warned that many projects in deprived areas Burgess described as "a cold-blooded and ruth- case with their hands tied behind their back. The campaign. could go to the wall. less attack carried out with the use of consider- PSNI gave evidence at a private hearing and of- The NUJ has a proud record of support for Welcoming last month’s U-turn, SIPTU commu- able firepower". fered no public evidence in support of the appli- anti-sectarian campaigns and our support for the nity sector organiser Gerry Flanagan claimed had Throughout the Troubles many journalists in cation, a cynical use of the Terrorism Act, which principles involved in this case in no way compro- the cutbacks – estimated to be in the region of Northern Ireland would have received similar served no public interest. mises that stand. The support of the wider trade €10 million – gone ahead, they would have “un- calls. The practice of claiming responsibility for Breen and her editor Noirin Hegarty made it union movement, across the ICTU and TUC, was dermined the work of up to 1,000 community atrocities by means of a recognised code word clear that any evidence relevant to the police in- vital to the NUJ campaign. So too was the sup- employment schemes and inevitably led to the is an established convention. vestigation was already in the public domain. It is port of parliamentarians in Dublin, Stormont and closure of some”. Breen was on her way to Sainsburys when hard not to conclude that what the PSNI were Westminster. More than 6,000 people signed the He added: “They all are based in disadvantaged she received the call. She duly reported the engaged in was a fishing expedition aimed at se- NUJ/Sunday Tribune petition, including victims of areas and often the only outlet for employment.” chilling words of the spokesman in the Sunday curing access to all of Breen's journalistic material violence, former prisoners, retired RUC/PSNI Tribune: "We make no apology for personnel at the most senior level, Bombardier deal to have killing British soldiers while they community activists and media work- continue to occupy Ireland. Nor do ers from all sectors. no impact on lay-offs we apologise for shooting the pizza At a rally outside the Laganside CANADIAN aircraft maker Bombardier has se- delivery men who were collaborat- Court Peter Bunting, assistant gen- cured a deal to sell 15 of its aircraft to Spanish ing with the British military person- eral secretary of Congress, stressed airline Air Nostrum. nel by servicing them." the importance of the right to pro- But it's thought the $793 million sale of the In demanding that Breen hand tect sources in a democratic society. CRJ1000 planes will have no impact on its Belfast over her notes the PSNI was fully Journalists play a crucial function in operation. aware that had she done so Breen democracy. They must be allowed to In April, 1,000 workers were made redundant would have placed her own life and carry out their professional duties and last month a spokesman for the company the life of her partner and 14-month without intimidation – either from confirmed the announcement would have “no im- old child at risk. As she told the paramilitaries or from agents of the pact on the reduction in manpower announced recorder's court last week a para- state. And those agents must never Shoulder to shoulder: earlier this year”. military organisation which viewed needlessly place the life of citizens, Suzanne Breen and. But he added the move would "help maintain Polish pizza delivery men as legiti- including journalists, at risk. left, Seamus Dooley current manpower levels" which were "under mate targets would certainly view a Suzanne Breen and ICTU’s Peter Bunting outside court constant review". Pictures: Kevin Cooper [email protected]

14 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 15 HEALTH Week long strike is NEWSBRIEFS Put public services back suspended by TEEU at the heart of Europe UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis has THE executive of the Technical Engineering sations. However, we reserve the right to warned trade unionists they must redouble their and Electrical Union has unanimously de- reactivate our industrial action and pursue efforts to press for "a vision of a social Europe" in cided to accept the Labour Court recom- our all-out picket application to the Irish the face of centre right gains at last month's EU mendation aimed at resolving the unionʼs Congress of Trade Unions vigorously if re- parliamentary polls. dispute with employers over the implemen- quired.” Speaking at the ESPU congress in Brussels on tation of the Registered Employment Agree- The Labour Court Recommendation pro- INO chief Liam Doran said if society was to survive it needed decent health service June 8, he claimed neoliberals in the European ment and outstanding pay increases. vides for all parties to adhere to the REA, Commission and national capitals were at one in Following the meeting, general secretary pay increases of 2.5 per cent from Septem- designate Eamon Devoy, said:“We also de- ber 1 and a further 2.4 per cent from Janu- attacking public services. cided to suspend our week long strike to ary 1, 2010, as well as a review of the REA Mr Prentis said their agenda was "liberalisation await the response of the employer organi- within four months INO launches webof public services, 'competition' as a solution to all problems, equating quality with 'cheapness' and wage restraint only for those at the bottom." He claimed this agenda has been "utterly wrong MONDAY, JULY 6 The president, general secretary and the gen- - wrong in an economic sense, wrong in a social eral secretary designate are strongly recom- The strike is resounding success from the sense and wrong in a moral sense", and onset. The media announced hundreds of DISPUTE TIMELINE mending the following to the EMC: initiative on cuts underlined how the current crisis had showed sites closed and 10,500 electricians out on a) That the union accepts the Labour Court strike. By 7pm CIF director general Tom Par- recommendation, which also encompasses the THE Irish Nurses Organisation has launched a be available nationally over the next few weeks. "these neoliberal policies to be both figuratively lon conceded the strike had met its objective LRC settlement proposals. new drive to highlight the effects of cutbacks on INO president Sheila Dickson said: “This web- and literally bankrupt". and that 5,000 electricians employed by protested on steps of Tom Johnson House, their members to NECI if they agreed to b) That the dispute be deferred in good faith, staff and patients and to encourage more public based initiative was never more relevant in the Mr Prentis added: "It was now up to the unions pickets lifted and the members return to work ECA companies were out on strike and every where the the LRC and Labour Court are lo- rise. involvement in health services locally. light of the statement by HSE chief Prof Brendan over the next five years, not just to promote major construction site was closed. cated. Solicitors’ letters from both NECI and FRIDAY, JULY 10 pending confirmation of the employers accept- public services, but to strive to place the ing of the Labour Court recommendation. Cutbacks Watch is a web-based initiative allow- Drumm openly acknowledging the need to cut TUESDAY, JULY 7 the non-aligned contractors were served on All non-pay issues agreed at the LRC, includ- principles upon which these essential services are c) That the matter be reviewed at our sched- ing members, patients, families and the public to €70 million and his admission that this would An emergency debate is held in the Dail at Kieran Mulvey, CEO of the LRC, ing a full commitment to the REA by all the based back at the heart of the European project." threatening legal proceedings to halt the uled meeting on Thursday, July 16. post comments online recording their own expe- negatively impact upon frontline services.” the end of which the Tánaiste Mary Cough- parties, a review of the agreement, a joint lan announces her intention, under appropri- process. d) Should either or both of the employers bod- riences of cuts and their impact on patient care General secretary, Liam Doran added: “This is approach to compliance and related mat- ate legislation, to instruct the Labour THURSDAY, JULY 9 ies refuse to accept the Labour Court recom- as well as finding out their views about how serv- undoubtedly a struggle to protect and maintain DHL staff vote to accept ters, an investigation into the difficulties sur- Relations Commission to intervene in the A further 14 hours of discussions were frus- mendation then the dispute will be reactivated, ices can be improved. any vestige of a public health service worthy of rounding the resolution of the dispute and a dispute. The employers and TEEU are called trated by disagreement between ECA and subsequent to the builders holidays, and the redundancy package ‘no victimisation’ clause. The pay issue was The service can be accessed through the name. to bilateral talks scheduled for next day. the AECI on a potential solution. If a pay ICTU all-out picket will be vigorously pursued. www.ino.ie or by going directly to “It is simply impossible to reduce health expen- not agreed and was jointly referred by all the SUNDAY, JULY 12 SIPTU members at DHL have voted by 93 per WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 rise was agreed, it would be a voluntary www.stophealthcuts.ie. diture without there being a serious, damaging collective agreement not registered with the parties to the Labour Court . TEEU Executive agrees to accept Labour Court cent to accept redundancy terms. Fourteen hours of talks sees no progress An INO source said: “We want to highlight and long-term impact upon patients, clients and with employers continuing to pursue a 10pc Labour Court as a variation to the REA, at SATURDAY, JULY 11 recommendation and suspend action while the The package, negotiated by branch organiser pay cut and diminished conditions of employ- least in the short term. The AECI was The Labour Court hears case and subse- union awaits responses from the employer bod- closed beds, staff shortages, specific areas where the staff who work in the health service.” Pat Ward, involves six weeks pay per year of serv- ment for electricians and apprentices. NECI concerned there would be a haemorrhage of quently issues a recommendation. ies. patients are suffering, such as when services are He claimed that every citizen knew that the ice with some additional regular allowances incor- cut and treatment delayed country was in a “most difficult economic situa- porated in the calculations. “As well as leaving comments there is a facility tion”, but that the government must understand It is inclusive of statutory entitlements. to send photographs and video clips of, for exam- that if society “is simply to survive” it needed a Employees also have the option of becoming ple, a closed ward, ambulances held up outside decent public health service “to maintain the service partners with DHL in locations where de- EDs. common good”. pots are closing, such as Athlone, Cavan, Enniscor- Calling time on climate change “We will share this campaign on other sites Mr Doran said: “We are a society and a com- thy, Galway, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford. such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter among others, munity, first of all, and if we have to delay spend- Mr Ward said: “Besides ensuring a continuing where we hope to reach the maximum number ing, on infrastructural projects so that we stream of income for staff being let go, the service of people. maintain essential public services, then so be it. partner model will allow former DHL employees “Comments, photos, video clips will all be vet- “The INO is absolutely committed to protect- to work with other businesses and industries in ted before going live on our site and patient con- ing the interests of our members, both in terms the towns where depots are closing. fidentiality will be upheld at all times.” of delivering safe care and in the context of their “The Ideas Institute will be involved in provid- To complement the new site, the INO have also terms and conditions of employment. ing the training and upskilling that former employ- produced a FREEPOST postcard for those who “At this time one can only see difficulties ahead ees will require to operate on a self-employed do not wish to go online but who do want to so we must be united, consistent and determined basis. make a comment. knowing that preserving a public health service is “We are also managing to preserve a significant It is hoped completed postcards will be deliv- absolutely the right thing to do even in these his- number of jobs at the three central hubs in ered in bulk to the Minister for Health. These will torically difficult economic times.” Dublin, Cork and Shannon.” Usdaw turns up heat on max temp bar USDAW is turning up the heat on legislators members to support the consultation. Usdaw “We have long campaigned for a legal MORE than 1,000 people took to Sandy- ernments invited to the meeting that time is in a bid to have a maximum temperature in member Julie Risk, was recently awarded maximum workplace temperature. We are mount Strand last month in a protest short in dealing with the crisis. the workplace enshrined in UK law. damages after collapsing at work due to heat delighted the government has listened to us over climate change. The outline of the hourglass was formed There is already a minimum temperature exhaustion. and is reviewing the situation. The protestors formed a human by participants holding pieces of blue law on the statute books, but employers are She said: “Collapsing at work because of “I am hopeful that a maximum workplace hourglass at the June 13 event as part paper. only obligated to keep temperatures at work the heat was a nasty experience and put me temperature will be put in place by the end of of a campaign to raise awareness of Other demonstrators on the inside hold- at a “reasonable” level. out of action for two weeks. I know most this year so that, next summer, workers will the issue in advance of the Copen- ing red sheets ran through the gap in the The retail union claims many employees employers want their staff to have be able to work comfortably and in the hagen summit of world leaders in centre to represent sand draining through are therefore forced to work under comfortable working conditions, as it makes knowledge that they are protected in law. September. the hourglass. Organised by Stop Climate Chaos, Oxfamʼs policy and advocacy coordina- sweltering conditions which can damage sense for both the employee and employer. “With rising temperatures being predicted a coalition of groups including Ac- tor Colin Roche said: “The time to act is their health. “I think that making it illegal to have over the coming years, it is even more tion Aid, Oxfam Ireland, Concern now. Weʼll be urging to the government to Following pressure from Usdaw, the UK temperatures too high will help to make sure important we recognise this as an issue and and Trocaire, the hourglass theme make climate change a clear priority for the government has asked the Health and Safety that companies give it a higher priority, take action for the good of working people.” was chosen to remind the 190 gov- next six months.” Executive to review current regulations and which can only be a good thing.” www.usdaw.org.uk/getactive/resource_ Oxfam’s Colin and Jo join human hourglass the union is gathering evidence from General secretary John Hannett added: library/1060172582_11615.html Pictures: Oxfam Ireland

16 UNION POST February 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 17 110,000 NEW IRISH JOBS IF WE GO GREEN THE Green Economy can deliver tens of thou- newable sources. But to do so we need to repli- plication, or wasting of resources. Mr Shanahan sands of quality jobs for Ireland and it can achieve cate the experience of Germany and other world warned that any strategy on the Green Economy “energy independence”, a Congress seminar has leaders in terms of high level political commit- would have to address regulatory and planning is- been told. ment, sound investment and a coherent national sues. Executive Council member Jerry Shanahan, strategy on the Green Economy.” He added: “We need to ask ourselves if we can who spoke at the June 24 event in Mr Shanahan suggested that having be- afford to permit often private, parochial concerns Dublin’s Gresham Hotel, claimed come “energy independent” Ireland to frustrate vitally needed investment at a time of Ireland was well-placed to follow could follow the example of coun- Assistant general secretary Peter Bunting and president Patricia McKeown addressed Belfast rally on behalf of Congress a national economic emergency.” the example of Germany. tries such as Denmark and even Conference organiser Liam Berney said: “Now It is estimated there will be become “a net exporter of elec- more than ever we need to clearly identify the more than 2.5 million Green tricity”. potential for employment in the sector and, cru- Economy jobs in Germany He pointed out that the cially, recognise the barriers that exist to the cre- by 2030. state energy sector was best Belfast says No to racism ation of such jobs in order to make clear, Mr Shanahan said: “On the placed to lead growth and de- scale of the Irish economy, velopment in this area, but accurate recommendations to policy makers. HUNDREDS of working people gathered together earlier this that would amount to about claimed its actions had to be “We can’t afford to be stuck in the slow lane.” month to express their outrage at violence directed at immigrant 110,000 jobs.” planned and coordinated. communities in Northern Ireland He told the audience that Mr Shanahan said: “In Ireland, the THE TUC has welcomed the “bold vision” The July 2 rally in Belfast city centre followed a spate of recent Green Economy jobs were less vul- state energy companies are pioneering of a UK government consultation on the fu- attacks on migrant workers from Romania, Poland and India. nerable to being moved abroad. many areas of renewable energy and developing ture of clean coal technology and claims it Speaking at the gathering, ICTU assistant general secretary “Jobs in wind, solar, tidal power and biomass new eco-based products and services. could lead to the creation of tens of thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs. Peter Bunting called for properly funded programmes to combat are labour intensive and difficult to outsource “We have four state companies – ESB, Bord na General secretary Brendan Barber said: "The what he described as the “disease of racism” across society in abroad. Mona, Coillte and Bord Gáis – competing to sup- TUC has long argued that investment in clean the North. “We can, at some stage in the future, meet ply a mix of renewables and conventional energy coal technology has a crucial role to play in He said: “This event today ought to be the launch-pad for a most if not all of our energy needs, and certainly to the Irish electricity market. guaranteeing energy security and easing the new campaign for sufficient resources for anti-racism champions all of our electricity needs from indigenous re- “Good coordination will ensure there is no du- transition to a low carbon economy." in every community, across the creeds and the classes. “This should be seen not as a fire-fighting exercise, an emer- gency plan for the next assault, but as an investment in the human infrastructure of our society. “We are prepared to invest to prevent the spread of swine flu, CSO stats show and measles, mumps and rubella. We must invest in the preven- tion of other social illnesses. “Racism is a contagious disease. But racism is a preventable disease. 90,000 jobs go “We can and we must invest in prevention because the cure can be too expensive.” Other speakers at the event included south Belfast community worker Heather Elwood, Polish Association’s Maciej Bator and in first quarter ICTU President Patricia McKeown.

Pictures: Kevin Cooper [email protected] NEW FIGURES from the shot up by 85,300 with the Central Statistics Office have number of unemployed revealed the loss of 90,000 females rising 28,200. jobs from January to March, Figures contained in the Poll reveals North’s prejudice hike bringing the total over the CSOʼs Quarterly National preceeding 12 months to Household Survey showed that AN Equality Commission report has flagged bour of a different religion was a difficulty for also highlighted a high level of support for 158,000. migrant workers were up what it calls the changing face of prejudice only six per cent of respondents. Announcing equality legislation. He added “The research More than 30,000 jobs went particularly vulnerable with in Northern Ireland after a survey showed a the findings, Chief Commissioner Bob Collins indicates that prejudice on religious grounds in the wholesale, retail and numbers of foreign-born deterioration in attitudes towards neighbours, claimed the results showed “a hardening of is broadly similar to that found three years motor trade sectors while the unemployed rising by 26,000. work colleagues and even family members views” towards some groups. ago and is still registered as the area attract- house building trade continued Many of them had been to suffer with the loss of more from a different background, sexual orienta- He said: “Attitudes became more intense as ing the least negative attitudes from the peo- employed in hard-hit retailing tion or race. the respondents considered closer social con- ple polled. than 60,000 positions over the and basic services such as The findings, published on June 24, showed tact with the groups in question. “While it is a consolation so few people ex- year. cleaning and gardening. nearly half of those questioned (51pc) would “So in attitudes towards many groups more pressed such attitudes we canʼt assume sec- There are now fewer than Large numbers of migrants mind a little or a lot having a Traveller as a people would mind having them as an in-law, tarianism is no longer an issue. two million people in work for had decided there was little neighbour – 10pc more than in 2005. than would mind having them as a neighbour “We know that the contrary is true. We the first time in three years. More than one in five (23pc) claimed they or a work colleague. know, too, that patterns of behaviour from one The unemployment rate now prospect of finding new work would dislike having a gay, lesbian or bisexual “The most negative attitudes were ex- context can be transferred to another. stands at 10.2 per cent, the and had decided to leave – person living next door, compared to 14pc pressed towards Travellers. zΩA substantial “We are very conscious that negative views highest since 1997. CSO stats showed the stateʼs three years ago. minority also responded negatively towards covering a range of other grounds including One economist claimed the foreign population fell by The same number (23pc) said they would gay, lesbian or bisexual people and migrant race, disability, and sexual orientation are on losses had “spread like 21,000. have the same difficulty with a migrant worker. workers. the rise. wildfire” from construction to The survey also flagged up Almost one in six of those quizzed (16pc) “Each of these areas has seen an increase “With an issue of such importance and uni- the rest of the economy during how young men without third The Whitworth Building, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 said they would not want a person with mental in people expressing negative views, with versal application as equality, it is necessary the first quarter. level qualifications were Tel: 01 6640600 Fax: 01 6610466 Email: [email protected] www.ino.ie ill-health as a neighbour, while six per cent felt 51pc stating they would mind if a close rela- to take a detached look at what people think. continuing to lose jobs at a the same about the physically disabled. tive were to marry a Traveller, compared to “Surveys like this identify developing trends There were 222,800 people The Irish Nurses Organisation is the professional trade union unemployed in the first quarter much faster rate than other Interestingly, bearing in mind the Northʼs re- 38pc in 2005.” and they enable us to confront the challenge for nurses and midwives with more than 43,000 members cent history of sectarian strife, having a neigh- But Mr Collins pointed out the research had of changing attitudes.” of 2009. Male unemployment groups. – or four out of every five nurses and midwives 18 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 19 FUNDING PSEU to survey LGBT members

THE PSEU has launched a survey to gather information on the workplace expe- riences of its Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Levy threat Transgender (LGBT) members. The questionnaire was developed with the help of the Gay & Lesbian Equality Network. Deputy general secretary Billy Hannigan said: “Currently there is no data available to the union to indicate that LGBT mem- bers are satisfied that their workplace is to provision free from discrimination. “The survey is intended to help us learn what action, if any, the union might need to take to address any concerns these members might have.” www.pseu.ie/surveywww.pseu.ie/survey of childcare THE ITUC has launched a new video spot to highlight the workplace exploitation of children and press gov- CHILDCARE providers, many of whom have into account the struggle modern families amont staff about the loss of employment or ernments to tackle the menace more ef- already seen a decrease in funding because are having in maintaining their employment pay cuts as the facilities no longer receives fectively, both through funding quality of the Community Childcare Subvention and accessing affordable childcare.” staff funding but are reliant on funding from education and enforcing labour law. Scheme, are now facing further financial He welcomed the “free year” or ECCE parents.” hardships as a result of the one per cent scheme that had redirected €170m from the SIPTU is also concerned about the knock- www.youtube.com/ levy on pay. Early Childcare Supplement to help the sec- watch?v=4zZXVq7elLw on effect on employment chances for women. Back union hotels SIPTUʼs Trevor Quinn said this will ex- tor, but questioned whether it would Recent research has shown that mums acerbate the position of those actually cover the expenses to a have only have a one in four chance of still working poor earning just working family of providing early working full-time and a one in five chance if above the minimum wag of years education. SIPTU has launched Rest Assured a di- their children are cared for by relative. €8.65 an hour who will now Mr Quinn pointed out the Early rectory of unionised hotels that employ Mr Quinn added: “The current funding be subject to the new tax. KEYFACT Childcare Supplement was run- its members. scheme has already had retrograde implica- It follows a previous report Of OECD countries, ning at €480m last year and General president Jack OʼConnor said: tions for several childcare facilities with pro- “Members of unions should support es- by Community Technical Aid Ireland ranks fourth claimed an additional input from tective notice being issued to staff through tablishments that employ union labour which found the CCSS had worst when it comes this fund to the community child- and offer decent terms and conditions of “created a very effective to childcare support care providers would “go a long lack of funding. employment. poverty trap, creating a system for working families way toward alleviating many of “This in turn leads to fewer positions for ahead of Mexico, “By choosing a union hotel over a non- children and as such fewer opportunities for where the working poor are to Italy and the US. the problems they currently union establishment you are playing your support those at risk and thoseface”. working mothers to gain affordable, quality part in protecting the livelihood of fellow on social welfare”. He added: “Also the new sub- childcare. A vicious downward spiral has trade unionists.” Mr Quinn added: “We have met parents vention system provides for funding to the been introduced.” Many of the hotels featured in the on- who have a disposable income of €19 a childcare providers through a descending “With Ireland ranked in the bottom of the line brochure offer special deals for week. They are on band D of the subvention subsidies scale to the parents depending on European league on this issue we must con- SIPTU members. scheme which means they are not entitled their financial situation and the age of the sider the implications on low income workers www.siptu.ie/SupportServices/ to any assistance through that form of fund- child. in the future and their ability to provide for MembershipBenefits/UnionHotelDeals/ SIPTU Community Childcare Campaign demo in Cork last December ing. This yearʼs Budgets clearly do not take “This form of funding has raised fear their children.”

Each month The Union Post features the story of a prisoner of conscience taken from Amnesty International files Mansour Ossanlu, trade unionist A TRADE UNION PUB FOR TRADE UNIONISTS

ON July 10 2007 Mansour Ossanlu, 48-year-old arrested and more than 40 bus workers who took Lunches served Mon - Sat 12pm - 3pm leader of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and part in the strike were sacked. Suburbs Bus Company, was bundled into a car Even though Ossanluʼs union is free and Talking bowls served Fri & Sat 3.30pm - 6pm without warning and beaten by men in plain democratic it has been subject to repeated clothes. He has been in held in an Iranian prison harassment by Iranian security forces as it is not ever since. recognised by the authorities. Live music 6 nights per week Amnesty International believes he is a prisoner Independent trade unions are not permitted in of conscience, jailed solely for his peaceful trade Iran. Workers have few legal rights or union activities. He should be released protections and union activists are regularly Monthly art exhibitions immediately and unconditionally. beaten, arrested, jailed and tortured. Long before the recent protests over Iranʼs Government bodies select who can stand for disputed election result, the Iranian authorities union posts and all public sector jobs. The best choice of local & were clamping down on trade unionists and Shortly before his arrest, Ossanlu travelled to other human rights defenders. Europe to build international support for an worldwide beers in the city Mansoor Ossanlu was detained for nine independent Iranian trade union movement. months in 2005-6 after the bus driversʼ unions During a visit to Amnestyʼs London office, he went on strike for better pay. said that the appeals from its members and trade No TVs or gaming machines Once again, his ʻcrimeʼ was simply to be a union activists "made us know that we were not trade unionist. alone.” When bus workers went on strike to demand Please keep up this support. official recognition of their union and to call for Amnesty is working with global unions to help Ossanluʼs release, they were met with a severe secure Mansoor Ossanluʼs release. To take REAL BEER • REAL FOOD • REAL MUSIC • REAL PEOPLE Mansour Ossanlu crackdown. Up to 1,000 union members were action go to www.amnesty.org.uk/tradeunions THE JOHN HEWITT 51 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2FH. 028 90233768

20 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 21 One city, two summits

Full sail: The Jeanie Johnston Famine ship trio Communications get €16k Workers’ Union

back pay Improving the working lives of people in the following industries: Telecoms, Postal, Courier, IT, Engineering, Call Centre, People get ready: Detroit’s People’s Summit presented different view of US THREE crew members of famine ship Jeanie Johnston, hit by a row over unpaid wages, have THE National Business Summit, held last as a massive number of home finally been awarded €16,000 in back pay. Managerial, General Communications Industry month in Detroit, attracted up to 3,000 foreclosures. But former operator Riverrun Ireland is ap- heavyweights of American industry. “With a registration fee of $1,500, I doubt pealing the award of another €5,000 by the In the plush surroundings of Motor Cityʼs if any one the victims of these foreclosures Rights Commissioner Service to a fourth Renaissance Center, the chiefs of Conoco- let alone those workers laid off would have member of the crew. Phillips, Microsoft, Dow Chemical, General been able to attend. The three masted barque is a replica of the Motors, Chrysler, Humana Inc., Ascension “One thingʼs for sure - no one will be in original Jeanie Johnston which shipped 2,500 Health, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, the interests of those most affected by the BNSF Railway Co, and PVS Chemicals Famine victims to North America in the 19th To improve your working life economic collapse.” debated “innovation and policy ideas in century. The focus on the marketplace concerns technology, energy, environment and It was built largely with public funds and is organizers of the Peopleʼs Summit, a manufacturing”. berthed on the North Wall in Dublin outside simultaneous alternative gathering But close by in Grand Circus Park, there the headquarters of its current owners, the consisting of marches, rallies and was a different gathering taking place – a To ensure your rights are respected Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Peopleʼs Summit – and over three days workshops. Detroit community activist Abayomi The Jeanie Johnston has not been in use this workers and activists gathered together for year and it is understood the DDAA is seek- a festival of protest “to confront the big Azikiwe added: “The whole thrust of the summit, in our opinion, is misguided. ing a new operator. business CEOs and politicians gathering It has been suggested as a possible replace- next door”. “The financial community, as well as the To have a voice in the workplace ment training ship for the Asgard II. An organiser said: “We staged this industrialists, have created the conditions Last month, International Transport Federa- because the National Business Summit for the worst economic crisis weʼve faced was held in a city with sky-high in 75 years. tion inspector Ken Fleming of SIPTU called on unemployment and poverty rates as well “We donʼt feel they have a solution.” Transport Minister Noel Dempsey and the DDAA to intervene in this long running dis- pute. Join the Communications Welcoming the payments to Capt Dermot Kavanagh, Second Officer Ian Davies and Tribunal in ‘landmark ruling’Bosun Daithi Dempsey, he said he was confi- dent the award to Chief Engineer Patrick AN Employment Appeals Tribunal has found they were offered settlements, the men – em- Lawlor would be upheld on appeal. that 300 male council workers were discrimi- ployed as care assistants, leisure attendants, He added: “I hope that when the Jeanie Workers’ Union nated against because of their sex. caretakers and drivers – were not. Johnston is chartered again by the DDAA it The ruling, involving employees at Hartle- The EAT ruled the men should have been will ensure the new operator complies with pool, Middlesbrough and South Tyneside offered the same back pay as their female the laws of the state. councils, could now lead to 12,000 similar colleagues. “That is the least we should be able to ex- cases being brought across the UK. Tribunal president Mr Justice Underhill pect from a state agency. Itʼs thought the settlement, described by said: "It would be surprising and unsatisfac- “It should not have taken since April 26 to legal expert as a “landmark ruling”, could tory if the [Equal Pay] Act offered no remedy secure the arrears of pay due to these men. cost councils hundreds of millions of to men in a situation like the present. “Nor should the ITF and SIPTU have had to Your Union, Your Voice pounds. appeal to the Minister for Transport and the The men had originally lodged their claims "The case where men and women do the media for help in ensuring these men obtained at the same time as female co-workers who same job but receive different rates of pay is www.cwu.ie www.callcentreunion.ie had complained that bonuses of up to 50 per the paradigm of the kind of situation which their entitlements. cent being paid to male gardeners, refuse the Act was intended to prevent: how would He added: “This shabby affair has been em- workers and street sweepers were discrimi- it seem if – unusually, but not impossibly – barrassing for the government and the nation 575 North Circular Road, Dublin 1 Tel: 01 8663000 Fax: 01 8663099 natory. the rules were reversed and the 'piggyback' as a whole.” While the women's case succeeded and claimants were not men but women?" 22 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 23 EMPLOYMENT DISGRACEFUL Carr blast at Batt’s education

Pointed cutbacks criticism: Sombre: KWCDT staff INTO chief clear out their desks John Carr

A NEW report has highlighted how govern- Mr O’Keeffe had failed “to invest a cent” in ICT no lunch to bring to school, no one to super- ment cuts will hit disadvantaged children hard- and was “mothballing” his own government’s vise or check homework, no one to get them est and impact on literacy levels, the INTO commitment to spend €252 million on it. in off the street in the evening. Frontline jobs service goes claims. Mr Carr also claimed the report had argued “There are children who have no one to put The union says findings published last month for the strengthening of distributed leadership, them to bed, wash them, control them, turn off by the National Economic and Social Forum yet the government had “embargoed posts of the television, call them for school, make a back up its view that investment and not cut- responsibility in schools”, thereby dismantling breakfast, encourage or praise them, listen to backs are needed in education. leadership capability of schools. them or occasionally hug them.” to the wall as funds dry up General secretary John Carr underlined how EXPERTISE He said teachers in primary school are Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe was slashing He added that the report had advocated the teaching children who after school hours are A FRONTLINE initative providing employment cent of our redundancy payment, we would not of years will be lost. They will be starting from back on essential supports. fostering of literacy expertise through profes- skirting around the edges of drug abuse, joyrid- services to three of the Republic’s most deprived receive our holiday pay, the offices would close scratch, and people who need the service more He added: “Nothing shows this more clearly sional development but that funding for such ing, petty crime and violence. electoral districts has closed with the loss of 11 and the services to the community lost.” than ever before are the ones who are losing than the disgraceful decision to cut funding for development was “almost non-existent”, adding “They don’t need another report telling free books. “teachers pay for their own professional devel- them what needs to be done. They want a gov- jobs. There are 37 other partnerships throughout out.” “Government is being urged to make literacy opment”. ernment that says once and for all that children The KWCDT (Kimmage, Walkinstown, Crum- the country and fears are growing that similiar Paul Crinion, acting manager of the partnership, a priority for disadvantaged children and its re- Mr Carr said at present young children have at risk are a priority and that real action in lin, Drimnagh, and Terenure) Partnership went to initiatives will be put to the sword. added: “There is 50 to 60 years of combined ex- sponse is to deprive poor children of books.” to wait years to see speech and language thera- these areas will follow.” the wall after the withdraw of funding by state Trish McCann, childcare coordinator for the perience in this office, with local knowledge and Mr Carr flagged up several other examples pists despite the need identified in the report He added: “A report that isn’t backed by that agency Pobal. partnership, said: “Pobal are being tough on us in an understanding of the community networks and contained in the Child Literacy and Social In- for multi-disciplinary teams to be developed, commitment must come with a health warning. Seven staff at the partnership’s head office and order to set a precedent when it comes to deal- the statutory networks that can support them. four Local Employment Services workers lost ing with the other partnerships, many of which clusion report of where government was failing including speech and language specialists, to Teachers cannot implement recommendations “When we are gone, there will be a huge serv- in its duty to children. work with schools around literacy practice. without government supports.” their positions while 56 other workers employed are now being audited. ices gap. Even though we are packing up to leave, under the jobs initiative scheme have “They probably face the same fate as us.” He said the report had called for ICT to be He continued: “In too many Irish schools the phone is hopping with enquiries about enter- integrated into school-based activities but that there are children with no money for books, www.nesf.ie been spared temporarily. One of the partnership projects, the prise projects and millennium grants for stu- This follows an agreement Childcare Information Bureau in dents.”

with FÁS to transfer the man- Crumlin has access to funding All we have built Talks took place between KWCDT’s board of agement of the scheme to worth just over €1m from the management and Pobal, following a recommenda-

the Irish Congress of Trade up will be lost... Office of the Minister for Chil- “ tion by the Labour Relations Commission that a MORE than 300 civil servants Unions. dren and Youth Affairs, for a Set builders keep CWU backs STT people who need further extension be granted to the partnership have submitted applications for The partnership was set “ childcare facility in Pearse Park. to allow discussions over the transfer of staff and an Irish government offer of a three- up in 1996 to manage social the service more There is now uncertainty if paid bank holidays bid for Eircom services to another partnership company. year career break, it has been inclusion programmes for than ever before the facility can go ahead if the THE Communication Workers Union is IMPACT official Matt Staunton, who brought CONSTRUCTION crews working on film sets reported. employment, community de- are losing out CIB is wound down. in the UK have successfully fought to keep Those accepted can expect up to supporting a bid by Singapore Technologies velopment, childcare, young Pobal has claimed funding for the case to the LRC, has said the union would their paid bank holidays, on top of statutory €12,500 a year under the scheme but Telemedia for Eircom and comes after similar people at risk, training and educa- “viable” projects would remain in pursue the case to the Labour Court to ensure backing for the move came from the employee appropriate sectoral redundancy entitlements, in- holidays, according to the media and enter- cannot take up paid employment tion. the area but has not clarified what proj- within the state or join a training share ownership trust Escot. cluding withheld holiday payments, for those tainment union, BECTU. More than 84 per cent of the 3,900 un- ects will be funded and who will be responsi- initiative involving a wage. The union claimed the company needed a workers affected. Film producers had attempted to include employed people who have used the KWCDT ble for managing them. Guidelines issued by the new owner who understood the industry and He added, “The LRC expressed surprise at the bank holidays in construction crews' statutory local employment service since 2001 have gone Ms French said the withdrawal of funding will Department of Finance outline that a who viewed it as a "long-term investment". difference in approach of the two state agencies leave entitlement, although previously, bank on into training and employment. have a devastating impact locally when employ- career break may be allowed for CWU general secretary Steve Fitzpatrick involved. holidays were taken in addition to annual leave. At present about 300 people currently use its ment services are most needed. family reasons, such as caring for a said: “Given that STT is a major player, it BECTU assistant general secretary Martin services, and all have signed a petition to save it. She added: “We have areas within the partner- “The board of management moved heaven and relative, foreign travel, education or presents the prospect of an owner that The closure follows months of uncertainty ship that have unemployment rates already at 16 earth to work things out with FÁS, which has Spence said: “When you cut through the com- self-employment. understands the industry, new technologies after an announcement in March of a withdrawal per cent. These areas would always have had saved 56 workers on the jobs initiative scheme. plexity of legal changes and statutory entitle- Last month, Finance Minister Brian and, in our view, the only credible option.” of funding. higher unemployment than the national average “By contrast, Pobal took a severe ‘slash and ments, at root this was a straightforward issue Lenihan revealed in the Dail that He underlined the union did not want a Carol French, liaison officer with the Local Em- during the boom years. burn’ approach to the partnership, and were un- – members saw a long-standing right being the scheme would be rolled out to private equity owner, adding: “Our members’ ployment Scheme at KWCDT, said: “We have “At the moment, there are vague promises of willing to engage with the board of management. taken away, and they weren't having it. local authority and education sacrifices were not made to further enrich gone through hell for four months. starting up new projects in 2010, but everything They seem intent on shutting it down and dancing “They stood firm and this is a great result.” sectors. private equity groups or venture capitalists." “We were told we would only receive 40 per that we have built up here over the last number on its grave.”

24 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 25 SURVEY NEWS FROM EUROPE

VIEWPOINT Monks: Warning UCU Political Liaison OfficerJULIE McCAUGHANargues university chiefs are willing to sacrifice staff jobs to see Queen’s move into academic big league Slump ‘used

No free lunches for THE ETUC has warned of an early return to the as excuse’ to marketsame unfettered speculators market practices that caused the global economic crisis. Man with the plan In a report Green Shoots of Casino Capitalism issued last month, the ETUC claimed financial markets were once again starting to speculate on a new commodity bubble. A source said: “The net result is driving oil and ...to cut jobs & close dept cut pensions commodity prices up while the economy goes in the opposite direction.” In response, the union body called on the Eu- TUC general secretary Brendan Barber has able to offer quality DB schemes PwC chief ropean Central Bank and other central banks to THE Queen’s Academic as it’s become titled by claimed companies are using the recession as Marc Hommel said: “Our research shows fewer put in place measures to ensures banks use liq- Plan for 2010-2013 rec- our tourism gurus in “an excuse to make savage cuts in pensions”. than one in 20 employers expect their defined uidilty for productive investment and not for ommends that academic the North, is Stranmillis He made the comment as a Pricewaterhouse- benefit pension scheme to be open to new speculation. staff and teaching fellows University College – Coopers survey revealed that 96 per cent of members in five years’ time.” The source added: “Banks seem to be lining up not returned in the 2008 Northern Ireland’s businesses were planning changes to their pen- He claimed this was happening against a back- to ask hundreds of billions of one year loans Research Assessment Ex- teacher training college sion schemes. drop of “super-protection for benefits already from the ECB. ercise, should be offered which trains teachers Mr Barber said this was a whiplash response earned”, which he predicted would lead to fu- “They will be able to borrow from the ECB at voluntary severance and mainly for the state to a crisis that would eventually ture generations having contribute a rate of 1.5pc and lend it out at rates of 4pc premature retirement sector. end, adding “recessions are short far more relative to those “lucky [government bonds] or 5pc [mortgage loans] or packages. Stranmillis was all set term and pensions are long-term enough” to be in defined benefit even 8pc [corporate bonds]. Not the slightest At present, 103 aca- to merge with Queen’s investments that can ride the ups schemes. obligation is put on the banks in return.” demics are on the hit-list University. A business and downs in the economy.” Mr Hommel added: “Pensions ETUC chief John Monks said: “The positions (initially the plan sug- plan has been produced He warned that unions stood apartheid is upon us, with a growing of ETUC were always clear about that – we have gested that up to 333 and is sitting with the ready to resist such attacks but gap between the relative generosity asked for public money to support public in- staff could be axed). Department of Employ- said that non-unionised workforces of the public sector and the inten- vestment, not ‘free lunches’ for banks collabo- There is also a morato- ment & Learning; it’s would be vulnerable. tion of more than a third of private rating with speculators.” rium on recruitment of contents not yet avail- Mr Barber said: 'Unions negotiate sector employers to provide the support staff; and the plan able beyond that. constructively to deal with genuine bare minimum under the 2012 auto- Brendan Barber Setback for Euro bid will see the closure of the Originally the merger pensions difficulties and longer enrolment pension requirements.” German department, the was to happen in Sep- lives. NIPSA deputy general secretary on the rights of mums Semiconductor and Nan- tember 2009 – but “But too many attacks on pen- Brian Campfield slammed private About 200 UCU members joined June 23 picket outside Queen’s Lanyon building STRONG opposition from conservative and otechnology research that’s not going to hap- sions are no more than companies sector employers’ fixation with pub- liberal groups in the European Parliament has Cluster and E-Science research centre. Both the plan was announced. Also, the timing of the pen as intended; but it’s still on the agenda for walking away from a long term lic sector pensions. led to a vote on European Commission pro- these research groups are recognised as produc- whole situation is of interest – just as all educa- 2010. Under the merger proposals, the UCU’s commitment to their staff, and are He said: “For a long time the pri- posals to improve protection for pregnant ing world-leading research but are also strongly tional institutions and the Northern Ireland As- Stranmillis branch had been given definite assur- part of the same short-term profit vate sector employers have attacked workers and young mums being put off. linked to local business. sembly approach summer recess. ances there would be no compulsory redundan- seeking that gave us the financial public sector pensions because their The proposals – which include health and Naturally, members of the University and Col- Indeed, the timing was unfortunate but the cies. Almost all academic staff at Stranmillis crash” own employees quite rightly sought safety protection and maternity leave improve- lege Union are horrified. Overcoming the initial Committee’s incisive questioning was not; with would become teaching fellows employed by The PwC survey found that: similar pension arrangements not ments – have now been referred back to com- disbelief, the Local Association officers called an one MLA asking that consideration be given to a Queen’s University Belfast. However, remember 96pc of companies are plan- because of some concerns about so mittee level at the parliament with the move emergency meeting on June 18, and asked mem- judicial review. who was earmarked for redundancy in the Aca- ning changes to their workplace Brian Campfield called pensions apartheid. drawing criticism from the ETUC. bers to picket the Queen’s University Senate Another highlighted to the VC that the plan demic Plan? Any staff not actively involved in in- pension schemes with concerns “Dismantling public sector pen- They claimed the centre right were unwilling meeting on June 23 – where the VC Prof Gregson was based on the English, not Northern Irish, ternational-level research. Most Stranmillis about risk (68pc), need to reduce cost (60pc) sions takes the pressure off the private sector to take action “in favour of women workers’ was asking Senate to rubberstamp the plan. funding model. academic staff are not involved in research at this and the UK Chancellor’s 2009 budget (45pc) to provide proper pension entitlements to their rights and reconciliation of work and family Around 200 members joined the picket outside Clearly, Northern Ireland’s political representa- level – they are primarily involved in teaching and being cited as reasons for change employees. life”. the famous red-bricked Victorian façade that is tives and the Employment & Learning Committee training teachers. 96pc of all employers also now think De- “The way forward is to pressurise companies the Lanyon Building at Queen’s – an iconic land- will continue to watch this space. So where do these UCU Stranmillis branch fined Benefits pensions are unsustainable to improve their pension provisions and to re- mark on Belfast’s city-scape. UCU officials and members at Queen’s Univer- members fit in to this grand plan? 88pc of private sector employers say the sist any diminution in either existing private and THE TUC has launched a 60 second When politicians and MLAs got wind of the Ac- sity will continue to lobby, and represent those The VC has said they won’t be affected; but he public sector has an unfair advantage in being public sector pension schemes provision.” challenge calling on budding film ademic Plan and its content, they reacted swiftly. members who have been earmarked for “volun- also gave reassurances to 67 staff not returned in makers to produce a short advert for The Employment and Learning Committee tary” redundancy. the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise that their them to upload on YouTube. There are three £250 prizes up for called on the UCU representatives to address the (There have even been reports of some Heads non-inclusion in the Queen’s entry would not grabs and the whole idea is to get the committee as a matter of urgency, and arranged of School suggesting in a firm and forceful manner aversely affect their careers. ‘Outrageous & unacceptable’ trade union message across in as an emergency meeting of the committee. that if they didn’t accept the voluntary severance That was in 2007, now less than two years later, positive a way as possible and all in They also called for the Vice Chancellor and arrangements, then the alternatives would not be 14 of this group are being “targeted” – a case of UNITE joint chief Derek union would fully support porary measures to deal Simpson had expressed his its members if they decide with the downturn which is under a minute – so the clock is ticking Pro-Vice Chancellor – Gerry McCormick – to ap- so favourable; rendering some individuals feeling ‘that was then; this is now’ perhaps. UCU Stran- outrage at companies with to stand up to employers a short-term problem. as entries have to be in for August 17. pear before them (tout suite!). cornered and pressurised to accept). millis branch members need to know where they good long-term prospects “hell bent on eroding pen- “It is imperative that A TUC spokesperson said: “We want Unfortunately, the timing was flawed. The Sen- Is this behaviour acceptable? stand – and have withdrawn from the merger using the slump as an ex- sion benefits”. when the recession to illustrate the positive role that trade ate had already met at 10.30 that morning and We think not. In addition, when questioned by talks until they receive a satisfactory response. cuse to slash pensions He added: “We are pre- comes to an end, workersʼ unions play in the world of work and so- agreed the plan (15 for; six against; four absten- the Department Committee, the VC would only By the time Union Post is published, the sum- Calling the practice “out- pared to work with employ- terms and conditions are ciety. The ads should be aimed at those tions – 40 per cent of the governing body refus- commit to “No compulsory redundancies, at this mer recess will be in full swing. Nothing much rageous and totally unac- ers who face genuine not permanently eroded.” who have little or no knowledge of trade ing to endorse the plan). stage”. happens in Northern Ireland in July. But come ceptable”, he said the difficulties by agreeing tem- unions.” The deed was done by the time the Employ- But that’s not all…. As real life is often stranger September, rest assured, UCU and both the Visit www.strongerunions.org/ ment and Learning Committee met at 12.30 on than fiction, there is indeed a sub-plot to this www.ictu.ie/rightsatwork/rights/pensions1.html Queen’s and Stranmillis branch will take a terrier- 60-second-ad-contest for details. June 23 – the only time slot it could meet since story. Just a mile from the leafy Queen’s quarter, like grip to their respective situations. www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk

26 UNION POST July 2009 July 2008 THE BRAZIER 27 PUBLIC SECTOR Monitoring of Third 10,000 jobs World supply chain could go as ‘ineffective’: expert ‘finances THE National Labor Committee has claimed attempts by big busi- nesses to monitor Third World bloodbath’ suppliers over local working con- ditions have floundered. It comes as special representa- to hit North tive John Ruggie reported to the United Nations Human Rights A TOP economist has warned thousands of Council that even business leaders public sector jobs could go in Northern Ire- now confirm that their efforts at land over the next five years as ministers monitoring their supply chains struggle with record levels of government debt. have been “ineffective” and “unreli- John Philpott, chief economist at the Char- able”. tered Institute of Personnel, predicted up to The Harvard professor said: 10,000 jobs out of a sector employing “We keep hearing now, from just 220,000 could be at risk, and warned the pub- about everywhere…monitoring lic sector “has yet to feel the full impact of doesn't work. the recession and the resultant bloodbath in “Just about everybody, at least public finances”. He said: “The CIPD's current estimate is Health and Safety Authority chief Martin O'Halloran, left, with Road Safety Authority CEO Noel Brett off the record, will tell you that that the fiscal squeeze implied by govern- monitoring of supplier factories ment plans will result in a total of 350,000 job doesn't work because people cuts in the public sector [across the UK] be- cheat." tween 2010/11 and 2014/15. This will be pre- ROADS CARNAGE: 100 lives lost A spokesman for the US-based ceded by about 30,000 cuts in local NLC, which has been document- authorities in the next year.” ing workplace abuses for nearly 20 Mr Philpott conceded this would “in- evitably” impact onpublic service provision. years, claimed nothing will change a year in vehicles used for work There would also be a knock-on effect on pri- until corporations are finally held vate sector jobs. UP to a 100 lives are lost on Irish roads each year quired by law to protect the safety of their employ- legally accountable to respect local NIPSA deputy general secretary Brian in collisions involving drivers who are using their ees. labour laws as well as recognise Campfield claimed the CIPD findings came vehicles for work, a new report has claimed. He said: “Particularly concerning is that 42 per ILO standards. as “no surprise” to the trade union move- The disturbing finding was revealed at a road cent of Irish businesses have no driving for work These include a ban on child and ment. safety at work conference held at Dublin Castle on policy as part of their health and safety manage- forced labor, freedom of associa- He said: “The burden of the recession and June 15. ment system.” in particular the fallout from the multi-million tion, the right to organise a union Launching a new set of guidelines aimed at em- Addressing Irelandʼs business community, Mr bail-out of the banks and other financial in- ployers, Road Safety Authority chief Noel Brett OʼHalloran added: “As an employer, you should and to bargain collectively, and de- stitutions will be transferred to the commu- claimed the information would help to increase give your employees proper information and train- cent working conditions. nity. awareness of the issue. ing to protect their safety, health and welfare. The spokesman added: “If Barbie “The reality is that the public effectively He said: “It provides an overview of legislation, “This duty extends to employees who drive for Doll can be legally protected, by borrows billions shore up the banking sys- how to carry out risk assessments and highlights work. Not only will a proactive approach help to intellectual property and copyright tem and this leads to an onslaught on public the significant benefits for businesses and the protect your workforce, it may also save your busi- laws, we sure as heck ought to be services – services which provide for human wider community when work related road safety is ness significant amounts of money.” needs and not for profit. able to provide similar legal pro- managed effectively.” A HSA survey of businesses carried out last year “Health, education, housing and other pro- Martin OʼHalloran, who heads up the Health and highlighted “a lack of awareness” about work re- tection to the 16-year-old girl in visions for the public take the hit while the fi- Horrific: Head-on impact Safety Authority, claimed all employers are re- lated driving activities. Indonesia who made Barbie.” nancial system is subsidised. It makes no Oxfam Australia sense.”

Workplace death rates fall HOW DO I We won’t be ‘lambs to slaughter’ THERE was a significant fall in the number of the number of people killed in workplace acci- ADVERTISE IN UNITE has vowed to fight any attempt to make control’ procedures as an excuse not to fill the deed the public pay with reduced services at a lives lost in work-related accidents in the dents in the UK have fallen to a record low. public sector workers in Northern Ireland posts.” Mr Mills claimed that in effect manage- time in a recession when they are needed most?” Republic last year, new figures have revealed. He said: “This is indeed good news but we UNION POST? “sacrificial lambs for the current economic crisis”. ment had drafted in agency and temporary staff Mr Mills added: “It’s absolutely ridiculous that we The Health and Safety Authority revealed a should not be complacent, 180 workers still Senior regional industrial organiser Albert Mills to many of these roles and warned they will as workers save banks and bankers’ bonuses with total of 57 people died in workplace incidents - needlessly lost their lives at work last year. claimed there were thousands of unfilled posi- “force these people out once the reviews are fin- our money and then reduce education and health 10 fewer than in 2007. Every death is one too many and can be tions in local government, education and health ished with no redundancy payments or pension services for our children and our elderly. A further 7,658 non-fatal accidents were avoided. that management was refusing to fill. rights”. “It’s economic madness to force public sector reported to the HSA last year. “Nor should these record low figures be He said: “There are more ongoing reviews at He said Unite is determined to ensure there workers, many of whom are on the minimum Figures also showed the death rate among seen as evidence that employers are taking present in the public sector than you can shake a will be no compulsory redundancies of their rates of pay, on to the dole and pay them benefits foreign-born workers was more than 50 per more care. stick at and the management are using ‘vacancy members and asked: “Why should they and in- when they could be contributing to society.” cent higher than their Irish-born counterparts. “Falls in injury and death rates are usual dur- Meanwhile, TUC general secretary Brendan ing a recession because fewer new employees Barber has warned against complacency after are being recruited and introduced into the KEEP GETTING email Health and Safety Executive figures revealed workplace.” SIMPLE. Email [email protected] [email protected]

28 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST POSTED 29 FREE Kenny in ‘levy pay cut’ BOOKREVIEW Unite unveilschallenge to Taoiseach Former Unite regional secretary MICK O’REILLY takes a look at a new book FINE Gael leader Enda Kenny has applied for constitutional reasons. on the life of Roddy Connolly, charting how someone who founded two communist told the Dail 300,000 public servants Challenging Taoiseach Brian stimulus were misled by the government over Cowen to publish the advice, Mr parties ended up backing a man whose father was a founder of the Blueshirts assertions the pension levy was not a Kenny said: "He should be upfront by pay cut. admitting that the political decision He made his remarks on June 23 taken by him and the Cabinet, based blueprint following claims that legal advice on the advice of the Attorney Gen- from the Attorney General was that eral, amounts now to a pay cut the same levy if applied to judges dressed up as a contribution." Revolutionary road for economyWAS a pay cut and could not be

UNITE has put forward proposals it claims will get Ireland back to work. THIS is a well written study of the turbulent life and times of Roddy Connolly. Roddy Connolly and the Struggle for Socialism in Ireland The union called for an “achievable, affordable and essential” stimulus The son of legendary Easter Rising leader James Connolly, he was also a signif- By Charlie McGuire. Published by Cork University Press, programme to be put in place as an alternative to the failed economic icant political figure in his own right with a career stretching more than 60 ISBN 978-1-85918-420-2, €49/£33 hbk years. policies of the Irish government so decisively rejected at the polls earlier Born in Dublin’s Pimlico in 1901, Roddy Connolly’s political involvement would eventually end his political career. In the book we get a brief glimpse of this month spanned the revolutionary period from 1916 to 1923 and lasted right up to to his early years. The author relies on information from Roddy’s sister Nora Speaking at the Dublin launch of Growing the Irish Economy on June the 1970s when he defended the Labour Party’s coalition with Fine Gael. which makes it clear there was no shortage of love nor affection in the Con- 11, Unite regional secretary Jimmy Kelly outlined a package aimed at sav- He took part in the Easter Rising himself at 15, personally met Lenin and nolly household. ing and creating more than 100,000 jobs through investing in infrastruc- was instrumental in founding Ireland’s first Communist Party. Later during the Rising, a teenage Roddy ran messages for his father and ture and indigenous enterprise. Connolly was involved in the Republican Congress which attempted to chal- Padraig Pearse. Despite strong objections from his wife, James Connolly in- He said: “The key to Ireland emerging from this recession is to tackle lenge the de Valera government in the early 1930s. He argued also for an al- sisted his son was no longer a child and Roddy took his place in the GPO. unemployment. liance with Clann Na Poblachta which in the end yielded nothing radical For a brief period following the Rising, Connolly lived in Glasgow where he “This is the single standout cause of reduced tax revenue and in- because of the Labour Party’s decision to enter government with Fine Gael. worked in the shipyards as a draughtsman. There he got to know a group who creased social welfare expenditure. He was twice elected a Labour TD and served in the Senate during the would later become known as the “Red Clydesiders”. “Present government policies are aimed in completely the wrong di- One interesting fact explored in the book is Roddy’s meeting with Lenin in Cosgrave /Corish coalition of the 1970s. rection by seeking to tackle the fiscal deficit through sacrificing employ- 1919. I remember Roddy Connolly as Labour Party chairman and though he was a ment. Every other country in the world knows there is only one staunch supporter of the coalition with Fine Gael you would occasionally see He was introduced to the Soviet leader in Moscow by the American author possible result from that – failure.” glimpses of his old radicalism. John Reid and this meeting is the only meeting of Lenin with an Irish person Mr Kelly pointed to the example of government inaction over SR Tech- In the early days of the Troubles when he was chairing a debate on the out- captured on film. break of violence in Belfast he introduced a speaker from the floor who advo- This was to have a profound impact on Roddy. Lenin explained to him that nics.He said: “ Allowing over 1,000 workers to lose their jobs and go on Third of workers cated co-operation between labour and the republican movement. he had read his father’s book Labour and Irish History and regarded him as to the dole will cost the government a minimum of €55 million in social He reminded delegates the last time labour had co-operated with the re- being head and shoulders above most of his labour contemporaries. welfare and redundancy. publican movement was in the GPO in 1916 and anybody who understood his Roddy’s impression of Lenin was of a man without pretension and always “Supporting the local management buy out would have cost €15 mil- ‘too busy’ for gym father could ever oppose working with republicans. willing to bend over backwards to find common cause to advance unity within lion. They did nothing and we have to pay the consequences.” A REPORT by the UK-based Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has re- The book explores his relationship with his father whom the movement. Mr Kelly claimed that the loss of 100,000 would cost a minimum of €2 The book is particularly useful for students of Irish history vealed that a third of adults claim to be too busy at work to take exercise. he considered to have been Ireland’s greatest revolutionary billion in lost tax and increased social welfare without taking into ac- The physios union survey found this was the most common reason who wish to examine the role of the left in the period between leader. count the long term social damage it would cause. cited by respondents for not keeping fit (35pc), with more than half (53pc) 1916 and the early 1940s. One of the most fascinating aspects of this book is the sec- He added: “In order to avoid this we have outlined the creation of insisting they would only hit the gym if they could fit it into their existing tion dealing with the War of Independence in which McGuire Connolly set up two communist parties and was the first economic recovery bonds; spreading the tax burden to more fairly tar- work schedule. describes the bid by Connolly to move the IRA to the left. Irishman to describe Michael Collins as a traitor following the get the non productive wealthy asset base; raising short term borrowing, CSP spokesperson Bridget Hurley said: “Regular physical activity is as Anglo-Irish treaty. McGuire also sheds some light on a man called Seán albeit to less than the EU average to pay for vital infrastructure invest- important as eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and people He predicted the civil war and consistently argued that the McLaughlin who at the age of 20 was in the GPO with Pearse ment; and reforming public expenditure to address the €15 billion per need to understand that you can't keep putting it off. and Connolly. After Connolly was wounded and just before left in Ireland must support the IRA in their struggle for Irish “Without sufficient physical activity you increase your risk of life-threat- annum currently spent on tax allowances.” the surrender he gave full authority to McLaughlin to lead the freedom. ening illnesses.” Claiming the government was “failing the people of Ireland”, Mr Kelly Citizen Army. After the failure of the two communist parties the Com- Last year Hazards magazine warned over-stretched workers were in- McLaughlin was a close friend of Roddy Connolly and was intern gave their backing to Jim Larkin as the best possible concluded: “We have to change from a vicious circle of decline to a virtu- creasingly being labelled “sickos, shirkers and slobs”, but did not have active in the first Communist Party. leader of a left party. ous one of stimulus, job creation and reduced social welfare costs. Every the time or energy thanks to their jobs to make healthy lifestyle choices. The book contains an amusing account of McLaughlin’s en- Roddy drifted into the Labour Party and was to stay there other country in the world can see this.” counter with a British communist where in frustration he tells for the rest of his life. him that you cannot simply talk to republicans and “turn them” Although he was a member of the Labour Party he re- to the left, but you must join them and work with them. mained a committed communist until the 1950s. This was ex- For the current generation of activists it is easy to see communism as one pressed by his support for the Republican Congress, his support of the UCATT wins database thing and republicanism as something separate - but from the perspective of Spanish Republic and his consistent opposition to the Blueshirts and Fine Gael. the time, Citizen Army volunteers who had fought with republicans in the The book also charts Roddy’s painful move to the right. argument on blacklist GPO had no problem supporting the Bolshevik revolution and simultaneously After a time away from politics, he returned to the Labour Party ranks in the 1960s initially impressed by Labour’s anti-coalition stance. fighting British imperialism. BUILDING TRADE workers who However, because the information In 1969, however, this period of Labour independence came to an abrupt One of the characters mentioned in this book is a man called Sean (Johnny) have suffered from blacklisting will had been collected illegally the entire Nolan who was involved with Connolly in the second attempt to build a com- halt with the eruption of violence in Northern Ireland. have more time to access their files database was due to be destroyed munist party, named at that time The Workers Party of Ireland. This propelled Labour into a coalition which divided the party considerably. following a move by construction this summer. Nolan was to remain friends with Connolly although they went in different Connolly argued for a coalition with Fine Gael and refused to challenge views directions politically. Sean stayed a loyal member of the communist movement expressed by Conor Cruise O’Brien in his avowed opposition to all tenets of union UCATT. UCATT raised concerns that many while Roddy joined the Labour Party. republican socialism. The Information Commissioner workers who were not union mem- Because of their friendship Nolan was sent to see if he could muster co-op- This was to be the tragedy of Roddy Connolly’s life. It expressed itself most revealed in March that more than 40 bers or had left the industry would eration from Connolly on some issue. publicly in his support of Tom O’Higgins’ presidential campaign. O’Higgins’ fa- major UK construction firms were not have received the necessary in- While reading this section I was reminded of a story Johnny Nolan told me ther had been one of the founders of the Blueshirts in the 1930s. using the services a firm that had formation about the existence of the relating to this. Apparently when Johnny met with Connolly in the Dáil he was This book illuminates an extraordinary long and complex political life but compiled information on workers. blacklist and would not know how to studying a book on the mechanics of parliamentary procedure. fails to answer the question why Connolly ended up where he did but that is Since the blacklist was revealed in- access their files. Sean never raised any of the questions that he was supposed to and when no fault of the author who has unearthed a mass of new material, particularly dividual construction workers have The Information Commissioner he returned to his comrades was asked for an explanation. relating to the 1920s. had the opportunity to contact the accepted the argument and will now His answer was that those who study books on parliamentary procedure The book should be read by anyone who seeks to understand the role of Information Commissioner, find out keep the database until at least the left in 20th century Ireland. UNITE chief Jimmy Kelly & report author Michael Taft at launch will not co-operate or help revolutionaries and you don’t even need to ask. whether they had been blacklisted March 31 next year when its future That was a penetrating judgment which was to flag up where Connolly Growing the Irish Economy can be downloaded from www.unitetheunion.com and receive a copy of their records. will be reviewed.

30 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 31 1914 1916 1920 1943

ICA deliver stark message. Liberty Hall, right, in ruins after the Rising Cork dockers on striker. Labour Senate candidates election flyer Hitting campaign trail for Big Jim during Emergency DARING TO WEAR RED HAND BADGE THE lesson gleaned from SIPTU’s centenary is that through the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, 1959. history repeats itself. The same forces that battened SIPTU CENTENARYLabour historianFRANCIS DEVINE looks back at a hundred years organising Ireland’s workersConroy and Larkin Jnr both died in 1969, dashing people from Dublin’s streets in 1913 today suppress hopes for ITGWU-WUI merger. jury to one was the concern of all; Irish unions REVOLUTION members in every county and all industrial sec- pulsion in March 1924, the Workers’ Union of Ire- wages, destroy pension schemes, prop up bankers United campaigns sought economic planning, for Irish workers; national self-determination; and After Larkin’s departure to America in 1914, tors. General president Tom Foran and treasurer land (WUI) was created in June. Division did not guilty of economic treason, and scapegoat workers for full development of industrial and natural re- socialist politics – the Workers’ Republic. James Connolly became ITGWU acting general William O’Brien sought to prevent Civil War stop there. the sins of a small minority. This minority created cap- sources, expansion of public enterprise and maxi- Employers recognised the threat to their previ- secretary. Dismayed by European socialists’ failure after Partition in 1922. The Free State govern- italism’s current crisis through unbridled and unregu- By 1945, the Larkin-O’Brien enmity had split both mum job creation, adequate housing programmes, ously-unchallenged power, attacking the union in to oppose the imperialist war, Connolly deter- ment attacked workers’ living standards – those lated [even when state regulation was available] Congress and Labour Party. No one emerged improved social welfare, equal educational oppor- Cork, 1909; Wexford, 1911-1912 and Sligo and mined to strike a blow for Irish self-determina- that had fought for Ireland were to be margin- greed. When will it ever change? with credit. Mass unemployment, underdevelop- tunity and health service free at the point of Dublin, 1913. Four hundred Dublin employers tion. alised in the new State. ment and inadequate incomes were the workers’ LARKIN use. combined – with no sense of irony – to deny the The Proclamation was printed in Liberty Hall DIVISION & DISUNITY lot. Labour movement disunity served only their National Wage Agreements were increasingly The Irish Transport & General Workers’ Union same right of combination to workers who would and rebel forces, commanded by Connolly, set out Larkin returned in 1923 and accused the Execu- class enemies. narrow and, without Labour Party electoral suc- (ITGWU) was registered on January 4 1909 with not sign a ‘document’ denouncing the ITGWU. from there in 1916. While the ITGWU was not tive of abandoning industrial unionism, adopting il- UNITY cess, Larkin sought to utilise industrial strength to James Larkin general secretary. It came as whirl- Workers should reflect that after 22 years of part of the Rising’s formal organisation, by 1918 it legal rules and not pursuing the Workers’ After O’Brien’s retirement in 1946 and Larkin’s influence broad economic and social agendas. wind, transforming a supine Labour movement, ‘social partnership’, union recognition remains claimed that ‘Easter week made this union’. Mem- Republic. He went to the courts rather than Del- death the following year, their successors John Similarities with the ICTU’s current Ten Point inspired by militant, industrial unionism – an in- high on the agenda. bership rose dramatically. By 1920, it had 120,000 egate Conference, losing his actions. After his ex- Conroy and James Larkin Jnr championed unity Programme were obvious.

Jim Larkin funeral, left. WUI Connolly Commemoration contingent Workers in Pye Radio factory, Dundrum. Liberty Hall, above

1947 1953 1954 1957

32 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 33 1970 1972

Former senator Evelyn Owens, first woman Chair of the Labour Court, recalls Delia Larkin at Hedge School Larkin event recalls Big Jim’s radical sis

Liberty Hall conference, left. ITGWU protest against Bloody Sunday THE contribution of radical broadcasting was traced by Peter women to the development of the Browne of RTÉ. trade union movement was re- The programme included music called at the inaugural Larkin workshops, lecturers, concerts DARING TO WEAR RED HAND BADGE Hedge School in Liberty Hall, and set dancing classes. Dublin, last month. The school was opened by UNDERSTANDINGS TO PARTNERSHIP and beyond the workplace, embraced diversity, termination of its class opponents to smash its The school, a celebration of Michael Halpenny, SIPTU’s head of National Understandings, 1979-1981, advanced defended immigrant workers and opposed racism. organisation. Today, unions were never more rele- labour in music, song, poetry and legal services, who recalled Sean these demands but the employers’ offensive, Most progressive national economic and social vant nor more at risk. dance, was organised by the Clé O'Casey's description of Jim 1981-1987, forced workers onto the defensive. policy emanated from union drawing boards. History’s lesson is that vigilant, committed organi- Club and looks set to be an an- Larkin as a man "who would put a The Programme for National Recovery, 1987 – Democratic structures engaged all members in sation is essential. True centenary heroines and nual fixture. flower in a vase on a table as well a concept and title most thought confined to his- decisions affecting them, an under-valued strength heroes were not the well-known leaders but Theresa Moriarty of the Irish as a loaf on the plate". tory - commenced social partnership, ITGWU conveniently neglected by commentators. The rank-and-file members whose individual acts of Labour History Society recalled In honouring Larkin the Hedge and FWUI policies informing that agenda. union’s role in the creation, democratisation, eco- becoming active members took courage, not least the contribution of Delia Larkin, School was also meeting an im- The Celtic Tiger roared but SIPTU – created on nomic and social development of the state is also when threatened with dismissal, discrimination, whose work has long been over- portant need and served as a re- January 1,1990 through ITGWU-FWUI merger – ignored by mainstream history. even emigration. shadowed by the historic role minder of the rich heritage of became concerned about social exclusion. The In Northern Ireland, the union sought full civil In reading of this commitment, today and to- played by her brother Jim. poetry, music and drama within collapse of the Irish economy indicated how frag- rights, opposed violence and supported cross- morrow’s membership should be inspired. Mary Maher led the workshop the labour movement. ile partnership was. community and cross-border initiatives. On cul- The union was and will always be about the which featured contributions from UNION ACHIEVEMENTS tural matters, from O’Casey to Plunkett, Fintan present and future, not the past. The current eco- icons of the feminist movement Every Irish person alive on or born after January Lalor Pipe Band to Andy Irvine, the union inspired nomic crisis demands our individual determina- interspersed with evocative songs 4, 1909, has benefitted from SIPTU’s existence. plays, poems and songs. Roses would adorn work- tion to be history makers. from Mary McPartlan, Galway- Literally millions were transferred to working ers’ tables as well as bread. The union’s general Without continuing to make history, the lesson based singer and former trade people through improved money and social importance can be posed in a simple is obvious. Those that attempted to consign us to union activist. wages. ITGWU and WUI question: which is better, a society with history in 1913 will do so again tomorrow. Delia Larkin "The Singing Sister" spent huge sums on dis- the union or a society without? Inspired by the past, let us determine to organise was a pioneer in promoting a cul- pute pay. They led demands HISTORY LESSONS? the future. tural dimension to the work of for gender equality within SIPTU’s value can be gauged by the de- With thanks to Christy Hammons, CRM Design & Print the trade union movement al- though her work in choirs and her drama group did not always win the approval of her male col- leagues. Over the weekend Dr John Moulden of NUI, Galway, delivered an evocative lecture on Honest Labourers and Jolly Rakes of all Trades while the early days of Anne Jordan takes a bow

Message to women workers CONGRESS Vice President Patricia King was among those who con-

tributed reading from Delia's archive, recalling her relevant reflection on class distinction. The existence of distinction of class among the women workers of Dublin is deplorable. Women are constantly being con- demned for their want of broadmindedness on most subjects‘ or their conservative attitudes. I do not always agree with this wholesale condemnation, but I must confess, that in this particular in- stance of the relationship of women workers to each other, it is a fact that they are narrow-minded and snobbish. You find the girl who earns her living as a typist stands icily aloof from the girl in a shop and the Tom Redmond addresses May Day crowd. Avoca strikers, above SIPTU Belfast Branch during march trades girl. They in their turn look down haughtily on the factory girl, and again, you do not find the factory girl associating with the girls ‘who hawk their goods in the streets. And there we stand: all Organising the Union, A Centenary of SIPTU 1909-2009 by Francis Devine. workers, all women, divided by our own near-sightedness, Price €15. Copies available from SIPTU - email [email protected] for details. Gill & Macmillan will publish Organising History: keeping each other down and playing into the hands of the 1974 1982 2007A Centenary of SIPTU, 1909-2009 by Francis Devine in September 2009 employers.

34 UNION POST July 2009 July 2009 UNION POST 35 WORK sharing could be one way of dealing with the global jobs crisis, according to a new ILO briefing paper submitted at last Come clean month’s International Labour Con- ference in Geneva. ILO working time expert Jon Mes- senger said it was a measure de- signed to “share the burdens of a difficult economic situation - not only among workers but between call on CIA workers, employers and govern- ments as well.” He pointed to the Kurzarbeit scheme in Germany as an example renditions of best practice. Silly bankers at Shannon can’t help it... AMNESTY International has called on the Irish every day that it prevaricates on launching an government to admit Shannon Airport was investigation." used by the CIA for rendition operations and The report, titled Breaking the Chain: Ending to ensure it never happens again. Ireland’s Role in Renditions, identifies key prior- Launching a report into what it called “the ities a government review must examine to en- most comprehensive examination yet”, the sure a robust system is put in place to protect group highlighted the cases of Abu Omar, against the practice: Khaled al Maqtari, Khaled el Masri and Binyam Proactive identification of aircraft and op- Mohamed, all of whom were subject to the erators that have used Irish territory for rendi- controversial practice where sus- tions. Currently data is collected by pects are transported for interroga- concerned citizens, journalists or tion. organisations like Amnesty Interna- Amnesty’s Northern Ireland pro- tional. gramme director Patrick Corrigan Irish authorities cannot iden- claimed the Irish government had tify foreign civilian aircraft that may “turned a blind eye” to the rendi- be engaged in rendition. Current tion flights. legislation does not go far enough He added: "It does not know and must be tightened up. what is going through Ireland's air- The review must result in a ports on secret CIA flights, because Corrigan: ‘Blind eye’ system requiring detailed informa- it does not want to know. tion on passengers and flight plan from all air- "CIA planes illegally claimed to be civilian air- craft operators travelling through Irish airspace. craft while travelling through Irish airspace and Although President Obama's Executive using Shannon Airport, and yet the Irish govern- Order 'Ensuring Lawful Interrogations' ends the ment cannot be bothered to investigate. CIA's programme of long-term secret deten- "The fact is, as our report reveals, Shannon tion it does not end the practice of rendition. has been used by the CIA as a launching pad The order allows the CIA to use detention This faceless protester at a recent for kidnapping and torture. This is illegal under facilities on a short-term basis, or to use for- ETUC rally in Brussels took on the international law. eign-controlled facilities to detain and interro- guise of a clueless banker in search “The Irish government is losing credibility gate individuals. of a government bail out.

THE Tell us how we can improve The Union Post. Email us UNION POST FEEDBACK with your suggestions at [email protected] TESCO has reached agreement Lords back ECJ ruling with UK retail union Usdaw to begin talks on setting up a Euro- THE HOUSE of Lords has confirmed a recent by the Working Time Regulations as well as pean Works Council. The council European Court of Justice ruling that any contractual holiday entitlements and will bring together Tesco employees workers can accrue holidays while on sick detail this in sickness, absence and from across the grocery giant's Eu- maternity policies. leave will apply to the UK. ropean operation and it is hoped The Stringer V HMRC judgment in January The ECJ's ruling does not fit with key the structure will be set up some means that: provisions of the existing WTR rules in the time next year. Workers can build up four weeks' UK where guidelines are simple - basically Welcoming the move Usdaw gen- holiday per year through any periods of use it or lose. sickness leave This means that workers who do not use eral secretary John Hannett de- They must be allowed to take this their full statutory holiday entitlement in the scribed it as "a positive move that holiday on their return to work current holiday year, are not permitted to "will build on existing arrangements Employees must be paid in lieu of these carry it forward. and enhance levels of information holidays if their employment ends, and and consultation between staff and http://curia.europa.eu/ the business.” Employers must decide how to deal with jcms/jcms/j_6/home the additional holiday entitlements conferred

36 UNION POST July 2009