Vol. 16 No 5 December 2017 ISSN 0791-458X Brexit Protecting 2017 the year of breakthrough Whistleblowers women’s football Page 10 Page 13 Page 30 More action needed to curb precarious work by Scott Millar Long awaited government proposals to change em- ployment law in order to provide greater security for workers, have been described by trade unions as a step in the right direction but in need of amendment if they are to provide adequate protections against precarious work practices. The (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 was published on 7th December. The Bill proposes to make it mandatory that workers are provided with their core terms of employment within five days of beginning a job. The legislation will also ban zero hours contracts “in most circumstances”, with exceptions including to allow employers to provide cover in emergency situations or to cover short-term absences. SIPTU Services Division Organiser, Ethel Buckley, said: “While there are positive aspects to these proposals more must be done to protect SIPTU members Liz Cloherty, Maria Power and Stephanie Lee calling on the Government to give Section 39 workers’ pay workers against the rapid expansion in precarious work practices. justice outside Leinster House on Wednesday, 8th November 2017. See page 15. Photo: Rolling News SIPTU is focused on this issue because it affects a growing number of workers. “As part of our Fighting for the Future of Work campaign our mem- bers are calling for a remedial social statute which will put right the social wrong of precarious work and provide workers with an entitle- 2017 Highlights Crossword ment to security of hours.” Page 16-17 Page 31 She added: “Together with ICTU, we are campaigning for amend- ments to this Bill so that the scope of its ban on zero hours contracts

Continued on page 2 WORKERS RIGHTS CENTRE 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday wrc@.ie 2 Liberty In this month’sLiberty DECEMBER 2017 News Shock closure of Yves Rocher plant Automation - The management of Yves ployees that following an exten- “The announcement was a major for the people Rocher announced on 7th sive review of its operations, shock to the employees. It is a Page 5 December that it intends to which was prompted by falling blow to the workers and their fam- close its plant in the Kilbarry global volumes in recent years, it ilies in the run up to Christmas.” Industrial Estate, city, at had taken the strategic decision to The plant has a workforce of the end of 2018. consolidate its manufacturing op- approximately 60. SIPTU Organiser, Paul Depuis, erations within its base in the Brit- said: “The company advised em- tany region of France.

Liberty View Liberty Page 9 Irish Rail workers vote to accept Labour Court proposals View SIPTU members in Irish Rail A voucher to the value of €500 will port, Shane Ross, lived up to his voted by 3 to 1 to accept a also be provided to workers prior commitment to bring together the Labour Court recommendation to Christmas 2017. forum to discuss the future of on pay aimed at resolving the SIPTU Transport, Energy, Avia- transport in . dispute at the public transport tion and Construction (TEAC) Di- “Instead our members were left company, in a ballot counted vision Organiser, Greg Ennis, said: with no option but to conduct a ITF’s Ken Fleming on Friday, 8th December, in Lib- “This solution to the dispute in campaign of to wins award erty Hall, . Irish Rail could have been arrived have their legitimate claim for Page 14 The proposals include a 7.5% pay at without the major disruption to their first pay rise in nine years increase over the next three years, services which occurred last vindicated.” backdated to 1st December, 2017. month if the Minister for Trans-

Section 39 campaign ITF welcomes report on fisher exploitation Page 15 The International Transport One in four of the 30 inter- the crew worked two to three trips Workers Federation (ITF) has viewed had experienced “verbal or back-to-back. physical abuse”, one in five said Welcoming the report, Ken Flem- welcomed the publication of a they had experienced racism and ing, ITF co-ordinator for Ireland report on the working condi- discrimination, while 40 per cent and Britain, said: “This is further tions of non-EEA fishers in said they did not feel safe at work, proof of the gross levels of ex- The Russian Ireland. the report says. ploitation that are taking place. We The majority of those inter- also welcome its recommenda- Revolution The report by the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) found that viewed by the MRCI are between tions, which are in line with ITF Page 23-24 migrant crew members on Irish 30 and 45 and from the Philip- policy and would help bring Ire- fishing vessels are subject to dis- pines and Egypt, with 85.7 per cent land into conformity with ILO crimination, exploitation, verbal trained or holding a relevant qual- Convention 188 on working condi- and physical abuse and “severe un- ification, and 40 per cent having tions in the Fishing Industry.” He derpayment”. received safety training. said that the ITF is also proceeding Based on interviews with 30 The report says that only a mi- with its campaign to end the illegal Reviews non-European Economic Area mi- nority of crew interviewed were trafficking of workers in the fish- grant crew, it found that a majority given appropriate rest breaks and ing industry. Page 24-28 work more than 100 hours a week days off. Length of trips at sea vary See page 14. from five to 14 days and many of with average pay of €2.82 an hour. Organising a better future in Radiography Con Hegarty A national review of radiogra- challenges in radiography. A work- bers as possible to organise a bet- ing group has been established of ter future for staff and the people remembered phy services is in underway and SIPTU members are en- which SIPTU is an active partici- who rely on the service.” Page 29 couraged to have their say. pant. The areas our members have SIPTU members working in ra- identified so far are retention and diography services can have their SIPTU Sector Kevin Figgis said. recruitment, training and support say by downloading SIPTU Health “Our members voices are vital in services and we are looking to get Division smartphone App. assisting us in identifying the key as much information from mem-

Continued from page 1 — More action needed to curb precarious work Editor: Frank Connolly, SIPTU Head of Communications is widened to protect all workers of the recommendations of a Uni- the minimum payment for such Journalist: Scott Millar and so that minimum call-in pay- versity of Limerick review of the hours, in our view should be at the Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU), Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) & William Hederman ments are fairly calculated. Its pro- issue of precarious work practices. appropriate hourly rate rather than Publications Assistant: Deirdre Price visions in relation to banded hours This review had been commis- the National Minimum Wage/ERO Administrative Assistant: Karen Hackett arrangements will also have to be sioned by the Fine Gael and Labour rate as stipulated in the Bill.” Produced, designed, edited and printed by labour. enhanced.” Government following a number of A Congress report published this Printed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin. Congress General Secretary, Pa- controversies over workers experi- month on the issue of precarious Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views. tricia King, also gave the proposals encing uncertainty regarding work- employment has found that it is If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: a guarded welcome. ing time and earnings due to low growing issue for workers in the [email protected] “This Bill is by no means perfect hours contracts. Republic and . Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, , Dublin 1 and certainly requires amend- King said: “The provision to pay The report states that precarious SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn • General Secretary Designate, Joe Cunningham • ments, but marks some progress a worker required to report for and insecure work is now “perva- Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley • Deputy General Secretary, John King • on these very important issues for work a minimum of their hours, sive” across the economy and has Deputy General Secretary, Gerry McCormack workers.” whether they are required to work risen significantly since 2008. Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, In particular, King supported the or not, is in line with the Univer- See page 5. Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: [email protected] inclusion in the proposals of some sity of Limerick Review. However, Liberty 3 News DECEMBER 2017

Global protests over Trump embassy move to Jerusalem

Protesters at the US Embassy in Dublin on Friday 8th December. Photo: Courtesy IPSC.

HE Lord Mayor of who support freedom, justice, ment by the minister. The decision Dublin, Micheál equality and peace in the region. It by President Trump to recognise M a c D o n n c h a is a unilateral and illegal move by Jerusalem as the capital of Israel addressed a rally and the US that will only further em- and to move the US embassy from protestT at the decision by US bolden the apartheid regime in Is- Tel Aviv to the city undermines all President, Donald Trump, to rael.” Also on Friday, the Mission efforts to achieve peace. It also pre- recognise Jerusalem as the of the State of Palestine in Ireland cludes the United States from pos- capital of Israel. The protest, welcomed the statement of Tá- ing as an honest broker for peace. which took place outside the naiste and Minister for Foreign Af- “This new US position violates US embassy in Dublin on fairs and Trade, Mr Simon Coveney international laws as well as United Friday 8th December, was also T.D., on the status of Jerusalem. Nations’ resolutions and interna- addressed by Fatin Al Tamimi, Coveney said that the status of tional and bilateral agreements. It chairperson of the Ireland- Jerusalem could only be settled as fundamentally undermines the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. part of a final peace agreement in possibility of a two-state solution. the Middle East and that the an- To safeguard the of the She said: "The Trump administra- Serbian-Palestinian composer, Dina Shilleh, and Irish pianist, Hannah Gallagher, nouncement by the US was “very just settlement of a two-state solu- tion decision to recognise Israeli- performing at City Hall, Dublin to mark UN International Day of Solidarity with the disappointing and difficult to un- tion, we call upon the Irish govern- occupied Jerusalem as the capital of Palestinian People on Tuesday 28th November. derstand.” ment to urgently recognise the apartheid Israel and move the US The ambassador of Palestine to State of Palestine based on the in- Embassy there is totally illegiti- Ireland, Ahmad Abdelrazek re- ternationally recognised borders of mate, utterly anti-Palestinian and sponded: “We welcome the state- 1967.” must be opposed by all people

At a meeting in Cairo on Saturday 9th December, the Council of the League of Arab States said that it: “Rejects and denounces the U.S. decision to recognise Jerusalem as capital of Israel (the occupying Power), and to move its Embassy to Jerusalem, considering this decision as null and represents a serious breach of international law, relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, the legal Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Apartheid Wall, and that this decision has no legal effect and undermines peace endeavours, prolongs tension, triggers anger, thus pushing the region to an abyss of more violence, chaos, bloodshed and instability”

The council resolution also said it “demands the U.S. to revoke its decision on Jerusalem and to seek to- gether with the international to force Israel to implement the international legitimacy resolu- tions, to end its occupation of all the Palestinian and Arab territories occupied since June 4th 1967 through a peaceful solution that ensures the establishment of the independent Palestinian State with Also present at the piano concert were (below from left) Catholic Archbishop of East Jerusalem as its capital, with no alternative to this solution to end the conflict.” Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, Ambassador of Palestine to Ireland, Ahmad Abdelrazek, his wife Rania, and the Supreme Shari’ah court judge in Palestine, Mahmoud Al Habbash. 4 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 News

Aer Lingus workers accept Online toolkit to deal AbbVie Court pay recommendation with harassment at work workers UNION members in Aer Lingus been implemented by our mem- fight have voted to accept a Labour- bers and the sacrifices they have AMPLIFY Women, an umbrella are available to them.” Court recommendation to re- made in terms of reductions to group that represents women Meanwhile, Irish Equity has crit- for union solve a pay dispute. It follows their pension benefits.” working in the cultural and icised a government scheme re- the counting of the ballot on The union has about 1,500 mem- media industries, has pro- quiring board members and senior bers in Aer Lingus in non-craft 3rd November in Dublin Air- staff in arts organisations to take recognition grades at Dublin, Cork and Shan- duced a toolkit for dealing port. special workshops on sexual ha- non airports. They voted by 53% to with harassment and bullying SIPTU Organiser, Neil McGowan, rassment and bullying in the work- SIPTU members at the AbbVie 47% to accept the recommenda- in the workplace. told Liberty: “The result of this bal- place as not going far enough to Ltd Plant in the IDA Industrial tion. Available on the SIPTU website, lot is only a first step towards im- effectively deal with the issue. Estate, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, SIPTU, Unite and the TEEU also the toolkit details what to do if ex- proving union members’ terms are conducting a campaign of organise about 200 craft grade periencing harassment. It provides Irish Equity Organiser, Karan and conditions of employment at advice on making a complaint at O’Loughlin, said: “Reminding or- work stoppages aimed at secur- the airline. Aer Lingus is posting workers at the national carrier. work, or a criminal complaint, and ganisations of their responsibili- ing their right to be represented significant profits as a result of re- They voted by 66% to 34% to accept includes useful information on ties is always welcome but any by their union. structuring programme which have the recommendation. who to contact and links to further initiative to tackle the problem of SIPTU Sector Organiser, Alan information. bullying and sexual harassment in O’Leary, said: “The union has Co-Chair of Women in Film and the arts needs to have teeth. over many years sought direct Television, Sarah Kieran, told Lib- “We are specifically calling on talks with the management in erty: “We felt that it was hugely the Minister for Arts to create a di- AbbVie to resolve our members’ important to get as much clear in- rect relationship between funding issues. There have also been a formation as possible together, so and good practice. Arts organisa- number of Labour Court recom- people know how to respond to tions applying for funding should mendations in favour of the such issues if they arise. We hope have to demonstrate that they are workers’ right to be represented that it makes people feel empow- operating good practice in this area by their union. However, AbbVie ered to report issues, and secure to as part of the application proce- management has, to date, re- know that supports and resources dure.” fused to implement any of these recommendations. The workers’ industrial action has already involved five work Bus Éireann gets stoppages. The latest was a 48- Bargaining crucial to hour work stoppage which com- menced on Monday, 11th Waterford City Contract December. Pickets have been placed on the plant for the dura- SIPTU members welcomed the delivered safely, efficiently and close gender pay gap tion of each work stoppage. announcement by the Na- economically by the current O’Leary added: “SIPTU repre- tional Transport Agency (NTA) provider. The decision to tender WIDER access to collective bar- “If the Government is serious sents thousands of workers em- on 16th November that Bus the services only caused unneces- gaining was top of a list in- about tackling the gender pay gap, ployed in the Pharmaceutical Éireann has been awarded the sary stress and worry to all Bus cluded in a SIPTU submission it must start by supporting and fa- Chemical and Medical Devices contract to run services in Wa- Éireann employees in that location to the Department of Justice cilitating the functioning of wage Sector. All other major bargaining systems that were pro- multinational corporations in as the whole viability of the local and Equality Consultation on terford City. moted by the last Government and this sector, including Pfizer, The awarding of the contract fol- depot was being undermined.” tackling the gender pay gap. SIPTU National Campaigns and enshrined in legislation.” Novartis, Merck, Roche, Janssen, lows a tendering process. He added: “The Labour Court SIPTU economist, Marie Sher- GSK and Abbott fully engage SIPTU Sector Organiser, Willie has endorsed the proposition that Equality Organiser, Karan O’Loughlin, said: “Stronger sys- lock, said: “Gender specific actions with the dispute resolution Noone, said: “Our members in Wa- a forum should be established to to tackle the gender pay gap will mechanisms of the State such as tems of are terford have suffered much anxi- bring clarity to public transport only ever have a limited impact. the Workplace Relations Com- critical to closing the gender pay ety over the past number of years generally. SIPTU is now calling on Among the wider measures the mission, Adjudicator Services gap. Research from the US and over the NTA’s decision to tender the Minister for Transport to pri- union is calling for is support for and the Labour Court.” out work that was carried out effi- across the EU shows that countries oritise the setting up of this forum gender neutral parental policies, ciently by them for decades. with higher levels of unionisation to address challenges affecting mandatory pay reporting within “The decision by the NTA to con- and more co-ordinated wage bar- public transport workers and the companies and exploration of the tinue with Bus Éireann reaffirms gaining tend to have less of an entitlement to flexibility across all travelling public before another that the provision of public trans- earnings gap between men and employment contracts.” port services in Waterford is being crisis emerges.” women in the labour force. SIPTU Firefighters: Risk fire assessments required now SIPTU firefighters have under- particularly given the safety issues creased since the outcome of the lined the urgent need for fire arising from the prevalent ‘self cer- Stardust fire enquiry. They ur- risk assessments in all public tification’ culture. gently need to be increased in ADADVICE,VICE, SUPPORT AND HELP and rental properties. “Such robust risk assessments order to conduct fire safety inspec- CONFIDENTIAL The call comes after an RTE doc- take place in Northern Ireland and tions of buildings.” EXPERT the United Kingdom, where they He added: “It is time now for the umentary broadcast in early SIPTUSTPI WORKERSSREKROWU RIGHTS CENTRETNECSTHGIR ERT November revealed the extent of basically ask ‘What is behind the Minister for Housing, Planning the risks of fire in some buildings. front door?’ and identify particular and Local Government, Eoghan SIPTU Sector Organiser, Brendan hazards.” Murphy, to directly intervene and 18901 0891 0747774474 8818 188 1 88.30 a.m. to 5.3003.5ot.m.a03. p.m., Monday -yadnoM,.m.p - FridayadirF- y O’Brien, told Liberty: “SIPTU rep- SIPTU National Full-time Fire- ensure an adequate programme of [email protected] resentatives have consistently fighters Chair, Noel Heaney, said: fire assessments supported by called for proper robust risk assess- “Operational fire prevention proper resources and investment ments to be conducted nationally, staffing numbers have not in- is introduced immediately.” Liberty 5 Economy DECEMBER 2017

ing and education. In turn, this puts pressure on By wages in lower skill jobs and in- Vic Duggan creases the wage premium in higher skilled jobs, contributing to greater income inequality. This is E LIKE the fact exactly what we have seen, and that TVs, comput- continue to see, across most ad- ers, mobile vanced economies. In the US, phones and do- meanwhile, real median wages mesticW appliances are better (earned by the worker in the mid- and cheaper than in the past. Automation dle of the income distribution) Progressive automation in have been basically stagnant since manufacturing has been a key the late 1970s. driver of the productivity gains Now, of course, automation is that allowed this happen. moving higher and higher up the We like the fact that we can use skills spectrum. Driverless taxis an ATM, rather than having to ...for the people? may be coming soon to a street queue in the bank for half an hour. near you! More and more, the provision of In an important 2013 study, re- services is becoming automated, searchers at Oxford University as- with higher skilled jobs being re- sessed the likelihood of 702 placed by ever-more sophisticated occupations being computerised. machines. They found that nearly half of all Even in agriculture, automation employment in the US was at risk has made farming far more produc- of automation within two decades. tive and far less labour intensive, They also found that those jobs at one of the reasons why we now least risk of computerisation, such spend much smaller proportions as those requiring a large amount of our income on food than ever of human interaction and many before. years of training, also tended to be Technological progress has un- those with the highest wages. derpinned economic development Technological progress is a fact since the dawn of the Agricultural Revolution, and through the vari- ous phases of the Industrial Revo- Catch-up growth lution. The Davos set has hailed in emerging recent advances in robotics, artifi- cial intelligence, biotechnology, economies has driverless vehicles and the so- seen a narrowing in called ‘internet of things’ as income inequalities harbingers of a fourth industrial revolution, following the third between countries, ‘digital’ revolution seen since the but inequality 1980s. within countries has Looking at the bigger picture, it is hard to argue that on average our almost universally material well-being has not im- widened proved with every successive gen- eration. Meanwhile, in the most recent generation, the combina- of life. It is not only welcome, but tion of technological diffusion and crucial to underpin continued global economic integration has al- broad-based improvements in liv- lowed for catch-up growth in ing standards as our populations China and other emerging coun- grow and age within the very real tries, underpinning perhaps the environmental constraints that are most rapid and widespread im- already apparent, and becoming provement in living standards the more so. planet has ever seen. Public policy should aim to sup- This is a rather rose-tinted view port rather than to stifle innova- of the impact of technological tion. But, it should actively aim to harness its dynamism for the ben- change and the prevailing eco- efit of everyone, while managing nomic model. The truth, of course, Where’s there’s a quill...The Kuka and mitigating its inherent chal- is far more complex. Averages, robot 'writes' a version of the Martin Luther Bible in a digitised lenges. such as GDP per capita, are useful calligraphic version of the The way we live, work and play indicators, but they often conceal Schwabacher typeface used for continues to undergo rapid change, as much as they illustrate. the original printed copies raising new questions for policy- For example, catch-up growth in PICTURE: Brett Jordan (CC BY 2.0) makers and for the labour move- emerging economies has seen a ment – Do we need a tax on robots? narrowing in income inequalities Should we use anti-trust competi- between countries, but inequality tion regulation to break up the tech within countries has almost uni- nology – whether tangible things tion, it was mainly low-to-medium behemoths that have come to dom- versally widened in the past gener- Researchers such as machines, or intangible in- skilled workers that were dis- inate the digital economy? How can ation. Moreover, tech-driven job tellectual property – that will de- placed, even as higher-skilled jobs we avoid further tech-related found that labour market polarisation, in displacement can have a profound rive the material benefits in the opened up in the supervision and short-term, and even longer-term, terms of jobs and wages, and re- nearly half of all form of profits. The IMF, for in- maintenance of machines, for ex- impact on households in commu- verse the damage that has already nities where production was previ- employment in the stance, attributes half of the de- ample. On a mass scale, this can been done? ously concentrated. US was at risk of cline in labour’s share of national cause what economists call ‘polar- These are just some of the policy Obviously, if technology is re- income in the three decades from isation’ in the labour market, challenges we face at the dawn of placing labour in the production of automation within the mid-1970s onwards to the im- whereby there is high demand for the so-called fourth industrial rev- goods and provision of services, two decades pact of technology. highly skilled workers, and lower olution. I hope to come back to then it is the owners of that tech- In the earlier stages of automa- demand for those with less train- these and others during 2018. 6 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Precarious Work

SIPTU and MUI: RTÉ orchestras belong to the people Social housing is not a big ask By Claire O’Connor A POLICY paper released by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions SIPTU and the Musicians tras that remain to be filled for (ICTU) and the One Cork Union of Ireland (MUI) have quite a considerable time. Our Project in June of this year warned the management of members expect these roles and highlighted the scale of Ireland’s RTÉ that it could face signifi- any additional vacancies that may housing emergency. It revealed cant opposition to a review it become available as a conse- something of the suffering, has commissioned in relation quence of the current voluntary homelessness and poverty that to the RTÉ National Sym- exit package to be advertised with- persists as part of this crisis and phony Orchestra (RTÉ NSO) out delay. called for a robust, local author- and the RTÉ Concert Orches- Former MUI Organiser, John ity-led, emergency response to tra (RTÉ CO). Swift, said: “The two RTÉ orches- tras are core cultural institutions building social housing. SIPTU Organiser, Graham More than a century after the of national significance that have Macken, said: “The Interim Gen- promises of 1916 to cherish all the served this country with distinc- eral Manager of the RTÉ CO in- children equally, a dominant neo- tion for some seventy years. Yet formed its members that by June liberal policy doctrine in housing RTÉ, the custodian of these en- 2018, RTÉ will lose a total of 31 has rendered Ireland unable to ade- full-time positions in the RTÉ sembles, appears to have no ap- quately house its own people, de- NSO and RTÉ CO. Such a develop- preciation or understanding of spite being one of the wealthiest ment would be contrary to the their cultural significance. RTÉ countries in the world. Blind ideo- provisions of the Broadcasting Act needs to wake up to the fact that logical allegiance to the market as 2009. the orchestras actually belong to the sole supplier of housing need He added: “There are a number the people of Ireland and are a has engendered a grave affordability of vacancies within both orches- great deal more than merely ‘com- crisis, whereby soaring housing plementary’ services of RTÉ.” costs for renters, as well as for first- Michelle Moran of Focus Ireland campaigns for time buyers, are plainly prohibitive legislation to protect for the vast majority of Irish work- homes from vulture ers. funds. Picture: RollingNews.ie Timetable to end Aseparate report by ICTU has shed light on another facet of this injus- tice facing workers: the growing FEMPI announced prevalence of and bogus self-employment. Inextricably A TIMETABLE for abolishing PSSA deal, including a 1% increase linked to chronic levels of low pay the FEMPI legislation was due in January 2018. More signif- and in-work poverty, a dramatic rise This generation is suffering first-hand the outlined during the passage icantly, it establishes a timetable in the number of insecure, precari- of the Public Service Pay and for the dismantling of the FEMPI ous contracts has disproportionately social violence perpetrated by a deliberate Pensions Bill in the Dáil on legislation. This is what SIPTU affected younger workers. Evidence suggests that nearly half erosion of workers’ rights, living with Tuesday, 28th November. and other unions have fought for since the pension levy was first (46%) of workers aged 35 or under First enacted in 2009, the con- are on non-standard contracts. Par- underpaid, under-unionised, uncertain imposed on public servants in troversial Financial Emergency ticularly pertinent for this category 2009,” he added. work. It is imperative now more than ever Measures in the Public Interest is the issue of involuntary low work- (FEMPI) Acts had the power to The PSSA will see pay restora- ing hours, with up to a fifth of work- that young people organise in trade unions unilaterally introduce public ser- tion for all those earning up to ers under 30 purporting to be stuck vice pay cuts and pension levies. €70,000 a year by the end of 2020 in part-time jobs they would like to The Public Service and Pensions while also preserving the value of trade for full-time work. eration has borne the brunt of mands of global investors and eq- Bill gives effect to the new public public service pensions. Low paid Such degradation of employment decades of myopic neo-liberal policy uity funds over those of citizens, the sector pay deal, the Public Service workers will be completely out of standards has contributed to a major choices. spheres of housing and employment Stability Agreement (PSSA). The FEMPI pension levy provisions by decline in the ability of young, low- It has endured austerity, unem- intersect in a matrix of capitalist, in- PSSA was backed by a large major- 2020. income households to acquire long- ployment, increased welfare condi- tergenerational oppression. ity of unions, including SIPTU, in This will be done by increasing term homes. A significant rise in tionality and forced emigration. It is For this reason, it is imperative ballots over the summer. the pension levy ceiling from housing costs is compounded by suffering first-hand the social vio- now more than ever that young peo- lence perpetrated by a deliberate ple organise in trade unions and re- SIPTU Health Division Organ- €28,750 to €34,500 for all work- stagnant median wages, while the iser, Paul Bell, told Liberty: “The ers. This will be worth a total of prevalence of precarity renders bor- erosion of workers’ rights, living the sist the given unjust economic miserable reality of underpaid, realities. Social housing, provided as passage of the Bill was the final €575 per year. A workplace leaflet rowing almost impossible, with hurdle towards restoring health will be available to shop stewards mortgage applications depending on under-unionised, uncertain work. a human right, is not an impossible This is a betrayed generation, an ask. Nor is legislation to end precar- service workers’ incomes, which to inform members of their in- stable employment contracts. exploited generation, a generation ity and to provide collective bargain- were cut by an average of 14% crease in pay throughout Decem- It comes as no surprise then, that ignored by the political class, subju- ing rights. These should be core during the recession. ber. as the average age for buying a house continues to rise, twice the number gated by employers, tyrannised by demands: decent housing, decent “The new legislation underpins If you require leaflets please unscrupulous landlords. In a society work and decent lives. the pay adjustments agreed in the email [email protected] of adult children were living at home in 2016 as in 2006. This gen- that prioritises the interests and de- Liberty 7 Precarious Work DECEMBER 2017 Growth of precarious work threatens society By Scott Millar

he spread of precari- or month to month and that some more likely to be employed on pre- ous work practices is a 7% of the workforce was in ‘tem- carious or insecure terms, with major and growing porary employment’ in 2016. workers in the distribution, hotels threat for workers in It also shows a dramatic rise of and catering, retail and construc- bothT the Republic and North- 34% in the category of ‘part-time, tion sectors featuring prominently, ern Ireland, according to new self-employed without employ- along with public administration, research released by the Irish ees’, since 2008, a rise which is in- health and education. dicative of significant growth in Congress of Trade Unions. In recent weeks, media organisa- bogus or false self-employment. tions such as RTE have also faced The new Congress study, ‘Inse- Equally worrying is the revela- criticism over their use of precari- cure and Uncertain’; Precarious tion that while overall employ- ous work practices. The Congress Work in the ment numbers have risen, the study found official policies, such and Northern Ireland, reveals an numbers in permanent full-time as reducing employers PRSI on low alarming growth in precarious employment are still 109,000 paid work, has made it easier and work practices across the island of lower than the figure for 2008. The more profitable to hire workers on Ireland. report shows that over half of that temporary, insecure contracts. Congress General Secretary Pa- number said they were in tempo- The study revealed that such tricia King said: “The report clearly rary employment because they work practices impact negatively illustrates the impact of precarious 1.6% as a share of the labour force who are in temporary employ- could not find permanent work, on workers in terms of lower liv- work extends well beyond the over the period 2008 to 2016. ment, over the period 2008 to which represents a 179% increase ing standards, inability to access workplace and its unchallenged The number of workers who are 2016. The report notes a 43% in- on the 2008 figure. secure accommodation and placed growth raises profound questions self-employed without employees crease in the numbers in involun- In Northern Ireland, a summary them at greater risk of developing as to the type of society we wish has increased significantly since tary temporary employment and a of the trends and patterns of pre- health problems. to live in.” 2008. Most significant has been 35% increase in the numbers that carious employment found some It also found that such practices The study reveals that 8% of the the more than doubling in the are involuntary part-time em- 6% of the workforce is employed have an adverse impact on busi- workforce in the Republic - which numbers who are part-time self- ployed, over the period 2008 to in temporary, non-permanent ar- ness and employers through the equates to 158,190 workers – saw employed without employees. 2016. rangements. In addition, 11.4% of loss of productivity and innova- significant variations in their There has also been a 25% in- The Congress study found that the workforce is self- employed tion. In addition a growth in pre- hours of work, from week to week crease in the number of workers female and young workers were without employees, an increase of carious work results in lower tax

Eva Mitchell Name withheld Simon Bowes Hospitality worker Media Worker Childcare worker Galway Dublin Co. Kerry

“Not knowing what you’re going “I have worked for the same “As the ECCE scheme is only funded to be doing from day to day or company for the last eight years. by the Government for 38 weeks per week to week, is a huge issue for However, I am not directly employed year Early Years services are in a workers in my industry. Not know- by that company, rather I am paid position where they can only offer ing how many hours you are going through an agency and officially contracts for this timeframe. This to be working, not knowing if you categorised as self-employed. From means that thousands of Early Years are going to be able to pay your week to week my working hours can Educators are stuck in a trap of rent. It is as short term as that. change and I do not receive holiday precarity where we are unemployed Looking into the future is impossi- pay. My contract with the agency is a for 14 weeks every year. We have to ble. You can’t, think about mort- rolling one which is renewed every claim social welfare during this time gage or planning families because few months. Despite the company I which is not a situation that profes- it is unrealistic. Why would anyone am working for being officially a sionals should have to find not want to have some sort of public one, myself and many of my themselves in. Providers cannot even sense of security for the future. It colleagues’ due to the precarious na- claim social welfare as they are self is absolutely vital that we have ture of our employment do not have employed. Our government needs to some sort of security.” the ability to play a stable role in increase its funding of the sector to society.” address this precarity.” 8 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Comment Renew, rebuild, be proud presence that we have in the pub- lic service to other sectors, extend- By ing decent terms and conditions Adrian Kane from the core to every of the public service and beyond. There are, of course, huge chal- THE most successful legacy of lenges facing the various sectors almost 40 years of neo-liberal- within the Division: be that precar- ism is its cultural imprint. Its ious employment in education, the ideology permeates every as- hollowing out of local authorities pect of our lives. It has in- and state bodies that make it nigh stilled a false consciousness on impossible for these institu- that now pits public sector tions to provide the services to the against private sector worker, foreigner against native, young against old. While periodically the unequal We must design nature of our society becomes a campaigns that popular topic, any sustained at- resonate with tempt to genuinely check the younger workers. power of capital never seems to en- Numbers game: declining union density has been dure. In the immediate aftermath a key factor in the rise in inequality in society We must be agents of the economic crash the pri- of change within vately-owned press orchestrated a campaign of hatred against the Picture: RollingNews.ie the public service public service and particularly the point of production (in the work- turally alien to rather than forever social partnership agreements. place) has singularly led to the dra- them. be the victims of it Public servants were slightly be- Decline in trade matic increase in inequality in our Voltaire once fa- hind in the pecking order, after the union density has society. Our task therefore is sim- mously said that if bankers and developers, as the lessened the ability ple, yet enormous: we have to re- God did not exist man would need chief architects of the collapse of to invent him. I think, similarly, public for which they were de- the Celtic Tiger. This vilification of of labour to get a build our movement and we need to go through a radical process of that if the trade union movement signed for, or the struggle facing public servants in the popular fairer share of the didn’t exist we would need to in- the community sector for decent press provided the cover for the regeneration. pie at the point If we keep doing the same things vent it. pay and conditions. savage cuts in pay and conditions But what if we were starting We must design campaigns that that were to follow. where wealth or, over and over again we will not grow and our influence will from scratch today? What would resonate with younger workers. The logic of the market now pol- more importantly, such a movement look like? I dare We must be the agents of change lutes every aspect of public ser- wither. profit is created The conditions which gave rise say it would be a bit different than within the public service rather vice. The foundations of the the one that has been shaped by than forever be the victims of it. modern state which were laid in to the modern trade union move- ment circa 1890 are not that dis- the last 100 years of struggle but Finally, I want to wish John King the mid-19th century have now the principles on which it was bution of wealth within society: similar to the conditions that a every success in his new role as been hollowed out. I recently saw built would, I think, be similar: the one is through a progressive taxa- significant proportion of the work- SIPTU Deputy General Secretary a letter from a local authority man- same democratic and social justice for the Public Service. He has tion/social welfare system and the force find themselves in today. ager who stated that the mainte- principles would underpin it. served the PAC Division well over other is through a strong trade Casualisation is widespread, nance of parks was no longer “a In taking up the position of the last number of years and I union movement. The decline in wages are low for a large propor- core duty” for the local authority. Divisional Organiser with the Pub- hope very much to continue his trade union density over the last tion of the workforce. Over a third This obviously begs the question – lic Administration and Community good work. what is the core duty of a local au- 30 years has lessened the ability of of workers earn less than €400 a Division(PAC) I am optimistic that thority if not to maintain public labour to get a fairer share of the week. Yet these workers who are we can extend the influence of the Adrian Kane is Divisional amenities? pie at the point where wealth or, young, for the most part, do not vanguard of the movement – i.e. Organiser with the SIPTU Public There are only essentially two more importantly, profit is created. have a natural affinity with the replicating the strong trade union Administration and Community ways in which to shape the distri- Our declining influence at the trade union movement. We are cul- Division

Wreath laying at St. Mark's Church, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, on Monday 18th December at 11.15 a.m. Followed by music, discussion and light lunch in the Pearse Centre, Pearse Street from 11.30 a.m. This event will include a talk by historian Nell Regan, music from Eric Fleming and the presentation of the Alicia Brady Award for Activism. Alicia Alicia Brady, a 16-year-old striker, was struck in the hand by a ricocheting bullet fired from a revolver by a strike breaker during the Great Dublin Lockout on 18th December, 1913. She would subsequently die from tetanus she contracted due to the wound. Brady The commemoration is organised by the Young Workers Network, the SIPTU Dublin District Council, The Irish Labour History Society and the Photo left to right: Sigita Stragiene (from ) and SIPTU General Secretary Commemoration SIPTU Equality Committee. Joe O’Flynn presenting Sigita with a QQI ESOL Level 4 Certificate on 6th December in Liberty Hall. Photo: Dan O’Neill Liberty 9 Liberty View DECEMBER 2017 Liberty

By JACK O’CONNOR View ...Salute... SIPTU General President Dear Member, After that, the plan was to change thousands of workers. We also others in the Irish Congress of Trade This is the last editorial I will pen the rules of the union so as to shift managed to secure the new Unions, the parties of the left and for Liberty. Later this month, Gene significant resources to organising. Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) wider civil society to bring this Mealy, Vice-President and I, are We achieved the “2004 Act” system through which almost two about. stepping down to hand over to the which was the best piece of hundred thousand workers in You may be assured of my own new Officer Board which was legislation ever enacted until then construction, private security and personal ongoing commitment to elected at the Biennial Delegate in support of a worker’s contract cleaning have already won the struggle for the right to organ- Conference in October. constitutional right to freedom of pay increases. In the fullness of time ise and the fight against exploita- I have been General President of association. However, tragically it and through intelligent strategy by the Union for fourteen and half was effectively struck out by the trade unions, tens of thousands of years, serving with Joe O’Flynn as Supreme Court in 2007, in a case other workers will also benefit. On General Secretary. Prior to that, I arising from a dispute between top of this, the new 2015 Act served as Vice-President for nearly Ryanair and IALPA. basically re-enacts the provisions of We in SIPTU are four years. Throughout that period, At a Special Conference in July the original 2004 legislation. This I have met and dealt with 2008 we decided to change our means that workers can organise in committed to work thousands of members up and rules to release resources for a union and win improvements in down the country. I want to thank organising on an unprecedented their pay in terms of their with others in the Irish all of them for their courtesy, good scale. However, the economic employment that are binding on will and support. Most particularly, I collapse occurred in September of the employer without having to run Congress of Trade want to thank all those who have that year. In Ireland, we the gauntlet of a trade union served as shop stewards, workplace experienced the worst economic recognition dispute, with strong Unions, the parties of representatives and on committees crisis in any developed country in protection against victimisation. in any capacity. These selfless the world since the Wall Street But, we need to go further to win the left and wider civil members are the life blood of our Crash of 1929. The resultant fall in full collective bargaining rights for union. They are key to the struggle employment and decline in all. society to bring this to maintain and improve pay, membership deprived us of the We are back on the offensive, conditions and living standards. resources to tackle the task on the winning pay increases across the about I was first elected in May 2000 on scale we had envisaged. economy and securing the a manifesto focused on organising Worse than that, we were forced reinstatement of pay which was cut the unorganised. This is absolutely to adopt a rearguard industrial and in the public service. Thousands of key to upholding conditions for political strategy in face of workers are now joining unions tion and towards the aspiration of a overwhelming odds, in order to again to fight for their rights and a decent life for all. (In that regard, I hold as much ground as possible on fair share of the benefits of output. am not actually retiring and I will be jobs, pay and conditions and the Next year we will be re-establishing working for the union for at least The plan was to legal rights of workers. As the our local structures and opening another year in another capacity). largest trade union in Ireland and as Welcome Centres in communities I am looking forward to meeting change the rules of we then held the Presidency of the across the country. and working with many of you on Irish Congress of Trade Unions, it A new era now beckons. If our these campaigns in the years to the union so as to fell to us to front for it and to take economy continues to perform at come. all the criticism that went with it. its present level, the money So, for the moment, thank you all shift significant However, together with others in becoming available to whoever is in and with every good wish for the resources the wider we Government between the end of holiday season and the new year to managed to; preserve the core 2018 and 2022 will afford the you and your families. to organising integrity of our social welfare opportunity to dramatically system, (despite painful cuts on the improve public housing, healthcare, Yours in solidarity, periphery), prevent the wholesale education, childcare and local Jack O’Connor privatisation of our key State authority services generally, if it is General President everyone, because if we do not assets, maintain good public not squandered on tax cuts for the December, 2017 maintain a certain level of service jobs for everyone who rich. The opportunity also presents organisation, the brutal free market wanted to stay in them, prevent to achieve full collective bargaining will determine standards. The anti-trade union legislation and rights for all workers. While legal strategy was two-pronged. First, preserve the core legal mechanisms opinion differs, we believe that it is we needed to get the law changed (i.e., the Employment Regulation necessary to put the issue beyond to make it easier for workers to Orders and Registered Employment doubt through a referendum to organise and be represented by Agreements) which protect the pay amend the constitution. We in unions without fear of victimisation. and conditions of hundreds of SIPTU are committed to work with 10 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Brexit Brexit breakthrough: too good to be true?

Taioseach Leo Varadkar ...this set of By Marie and British PM Theresa May Picture: RollingNews.ie Sherlock guarantees now binds Theresa ON FRIDAY 8th December British Prime Minister, May to a specific Theresa May, finally dragged phase 1 of the Brexit negotia- set of outcomes. tions over the line. In effect, she An attempt earlier in the week to conclude a deal fell apart because leaves herself of objections by the Democratic Unionist Party. The frustrated deal with little attempted to address North/South concerns about the return of a wriggle room in hard border by committing to “reg- ulatory alignment” between phase 2 of the Northern Ireland and the Republic, but it failed to provide any clarity negotiations about the East/West relationship. The deal became bogged down in the detail of how to maintain a ecutive. the physical border to disappear seamless border on the island of The detail of how all this can be the Ireland. Questions arose in through the dismantlement of tar- delivered remains to be worked iffs and different product regula- Westminister about the implica- out but this set of guarantees now tions for the rest of the UK – if binds Theresa May to a specific set tory regimes, while at the same there was to be no East/West bor- of outcomes. In effect, she leaves time giving political cover to pro- BREXIT der, would they be bound by “reg- herself with little wriggle room in Brexit unionists in the North. ulatory alignment” as well? phase 2 of the negotiations. In Four days later, a different ap- To a certain extent, the guaran- order to ensure no hard border 2.0) BY (CC StubblePatrol.com Picture: proach was taken. Instead of work- tees of the deal cut in the early North/South and East/West, the TIMELINE... ing out how to maintain a hours of 8th December resolves British government will have to seamless border, the British Gov- these issues. The text suggests that ernment focused on the ‘what’. In sign up to a free trade agreement PHASE L: citizens’ rights, divorce bill the UK will remain a member of effect, they signed up to a guaran- with no customs tariffs and com- and Ireland – completed DECEMBER MKLN tee that committed to no hard bor- mon set of regulatory standards the EU in all but name. However, der between Northern Ireland and with the European Union. Any- the caveat for this phase of the ne- thing less will mean a return to a the Republic of Ireland and no gotiations to exit the EU is that PHASE M: the ‘framework’ for future visible border. hard border between the island of nothing is agreed until everything EU-UK relationship (not the actual Ireland and Britain. The significance of this deal in Critically, these guarantees apply the context of the Brexit negotia- is agreed. Phase 2 of the negotia- agreement) whether there is a deal on Brexit or tions is enormous. Over the past tions is sure to come with plenty – Negotiations open in the not. In the absence of a deal, the nine months, there has been a sim- of problems. New Year on exit and transition British government has made two ple incompatibility in British and What now remains to be ad- Unionist thinking about the impli- to conclude by WINTER MKLO. specific commitments. dressed is the ‘how’ and there are To address the unique circum- cations of Brexit. Any proposed exit agreement must be stances of the island of Ireland, the It is not possible to “make our plenty of questions concerning UK will maintain full alignment own rules” and exit the European how EU citizens in the UK can en- approved by MEPs (simple majority) and with the rules of the Single Market Single Market and EU Customs force their rights and the method by EU-27 (qualified majority) by EARLY and the Customs Union. Union while retaining a friction- of arriving at regulatory aligned MKLP. less border. Shared membership of As a sort of double lock, reassur- outcomes. Will the UK simply copy ances were provided to Northern the EU meant that the Republic of Ireland that no new regulatory bar- Ireland and Britain and Northern the EU regulatory regimes or intro- UK formally ‘leaves’ – 29th MARCH 2019 riers would emerge between Ireland had to enforce the same EU duce its own legislation which will Britain and the North, unless rules. give rise to all sorts of monitoring agreed by the Northern Ireland ex- That joint membership allowed Transition period for application issues? It is all to play for yet. of EU rules after exit from EU – 2019–2021

Exit agreement will take time to fully ICTU: workers voice must be heard implement. UK suggesting 2-year transition period. THE Irish Congress of Trade most logical way to avoid such a the trade union movement on this Unions has called for the voice hard border is for the UK as a matter and that the UK govern- of workers to be heard and whole to remain in both the Single During transition period, UK would heeded within the ongoing Market and Customs Union. Our ment starts to listen to the voice of continue to apply EU rules (but would Brexit negotiations. colleagues in the TUC fully concur the trade union movement, both have no decision-making role). with this view, as indeed do the Congress General Secretary, Pa- through the ICTU in Northern Ire- tricia King said: “We acknowledge majority of the business commu- the clear commitments from all, in nity on these islands.” land and the TUC in the rest of the Future Relationship Agreement – POST particular the UK, to avoiding any Congress Assistant General Sec- UK. We have stated from the out- MKML possible hard border on the island retary Owen Reidy added: “It is es- of Ireland. The view of Congress is, sential that the Irish government set that workers must not pay the and remains, that the best and continues to listen to the voice of price of Brexit.” Liberty 11 Brexit DECEMBER 2017

By Tom Níl aon rogha Healy maith ann, an rogha is fearr EO chugainn an ná leanúint sa Bhreatimeacht. Níl aon mhargadh dul as roghanna aonair agus deacra. Is féidir leis an RíochtS Aontaithe an margadh aontas custaim aonair agus an t-aontas cus- chomh fada taim a fhágáil ach ní féidir teo- agus is féidir i rainn chrua a sheachaint. Sin an lomfhírinne. I gcás Thuais- ngach earnáil ceart Eireann, tá an scéal casta agus i réimsí go leor de bharr ceisteanna na 'ceithre bunreachtúla agus constaicí polaitiúla. D’fhéadfaí socrú saoirse' áirithe a bhaint amach (‘stádas speisialta’ a thugtar air go Is é an trádáil Soir-Siar an chuid minic) ach níl sé soiléir conas is mó de thrádáil trasteorann nó a d’fhéadfaí an chothro- tras-oileáin agus bíonn tionchar maíocht agus an tsíocháin a aige ar onnmhaireoirí nó ar fhion- choinneáil mar atá. tair ar fud na na hÉireann ar fad. Is Mar shampla, níl aon dabht ach é sin le rá, d'fhéadfadh go mbeadh go gcuirfeadh teorainn chrua is- iarmhairtí eacnamaíocha móra teach ar oibrithe, ar ghnólachtaí agus diúltacha ann de bharr 'teo- agus ar thrádáil ní hamháin idir an rainn chrua' idir an Bhreatain agus Éire. Tuaisceart agus an Deisceart ach Boal/RollingNews.ie Sam Picture: idir an tOirthear agus an tIarthar. I Níl aon rogha maith ann, an gcás ‘Breatimeacht chrua’ bheadh rogha is fearr ná leanúint sa mhar- rogha le déanamh idir teorainn gadh aonair agus aontas custaim chrua san fharraige (idir oileán na chomh fada agus is féidir i ngach hEireann and oileán na Breataine) earnáil agus i réimsí na 'ceithre nó ar tír (idir an Tuaisceart agus an saoirse' (a bhaineann le saothar, Deisceart). Cibé rud a tharlaíonn ní caipiteal, earraí agus seirbhísí). bheadh ceachtar den dá leagan D’fhéadfaí an Tuaisceart a choin- Seo chugainn an neáil san Aontas margaidh nó cus- amach sin inghlactha ag an dá phobal sa Tuaisceart. taim fiú dá bhfágfadh an Bhreatain Is cosúil go mbeidh caint agus an AE, ach an n-oibreodh sé go po- níos mó cainteanna as seo go laitiúil? Agus céard faoin bpian tamall i bhfad faoi thodchaí na teo- suntasach gearrthéarmach ab- rainne. Seans maith ann go nglac- headh in ann do tháirgeoirí far le foclaíocht ghinearálta i dtreo Thuaisceart Éireann atá is gur féidir leanúint ar aghaidh dlúthcheangailte leis an ‘mórthír’? leis an idirbheartaíocht ar an Bhreatimeacht (Tar éis an ailt seo a scríobh mBreatimeacht. rinneadh comhréiteach idir an AE Cuireadh moltaí faoi bhráid an agus an RA ar 8 Nollaig. Cé go Rialtais ag Cumann Trádala na chomhréiteach ar thairifí agus ar Uaireanta, déantar dearmad go luaiseacht lucht oibre, caipitil agus bhfuil cuid den comhréíteach sin Breataine agus na hÉireann le chaighdeáin earraí. Ach bheadh sé bhfuil an trádáil sa lá atá inniu ann earraí. Fiú dá gcoinneofaí an Tuais- dé-bhríoch tugann sé deis dul ar déanaí i gcáipéis dar teideal "Prion- an-deacair na prionsabail sin a bunaithe ar chomhlíonadh agus ar ceart san aontas custaim, bheadh aghaidh and leas an phobail a sabail Mhóra le haghaidh Comh- chur i gcrích leis an méid cur i chaighdeánú earraí agus seirbhísí gá le teorainn áirithe chun coinneáil chun cinn. Ag an am pháirtíocht Láidre Brexit". Is gcoinne aon solúbachta ó dhream agus ní ar aontas gan taraifí caighdeáin a dheimhniú. Is ní an- céanna, níl aon dul as na roghanna iarracht chróga í srian a chur ar na Breatimeachta crua thar lear amháin. I gcás an mhargaidh aon- tábhachtach é seo san earnáil bia deacra a luadh, thuas.) dhamáiste na Breatimeachta trí agus abhus. air, tá réimse mór rialacha faoi gh- agus agraí-bhia. Boston Scientific workers’ decent wages campaign goes online More than 2,000 people in Co builder.com and signing the peti- of zero hours contracts which pro- Tipperary have signed a peti- tion. vide workers with no security of tion at public stalls calling on SIPTU Sector Organiser, Alan income or hope of obtaining loans. Boston Scientific to pay its O’Leary, said: “The petition calls Eventually and begrudgingly man- workers a decent wage at its on management to pay workers at agement gave in and made perma- plant in Clonmel. Now, SIPTU least the of €11.70 per nent more than 120 workers on hour and to accept a Labour Court these zero hours contracts.” members at the plant have recommendation recognising the SIPTU members pay has been decided to take their cam- right of workers in the medical de- subject to a cap of €29,450 which paign online. vices manufacturing facility to has led to many with long service The Decent Wages Decent Lives trade union representation. not receiving a pay rise in eight petition has been supported by the “SIPTU has reached a number of years, during a period when the public at stalls in the town over re- pay and recognition agreements profits of Boston Scientific have in- cent weeks while several local with similarly profitable multi-na- SIPTU activists collecting signatures for the Boston Scientific workers creased. Many comparable multi- elected representatives, including tionals within the medical devices Decent Pay Decent Live Petition in Clonmel on 18th November nationals in the sector have TDs, have signed up. Workers industry across the country, in- provided union members with pay across the country can now show cluding in Medtronic in Galway SIPTU Pharmaceutical Chemical union has already successfully increases of between 14% to 25% their support by logging on to and GE Healthcare in Cork.” and Medical Devices Sector Presi- campaigned against the use by the during the same period. bostonscientificworkers.national- dent, Jemma Mackey, said: “The management of Boston Scientific 12 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Around the Union

Generous SIPTU staff contribute €39k

SIPTU staff have given a total of €39,000 to the hospice movement in recent years, including €2,687 donated by both serving and retired members of staff in November. Pictured from left are collection organisers Paddy Morris, Ann O’Carroll, Pauline Gilmartin, Lynn Kelly IMPACT General Secretary, Shay Cody, Dr Jack and Laura Wood (Pam McGinley, SIPTU General Secretary, Joe Reynolds not in photograph). O’Flynn at the launch of the Left Lives in Twen- Photo: Jane Waldron tieth Century Ireland book in Liberty Hall, Photo: Don Baker and Frances Black at recording of “We all fall Dublin. Photo: Paddy Cole down” by Glenn Baker. Photo: Dan Neill.

On Sunday, 3rd December, the Homeless and Housing Coalition of which SIPTU is an active member met in Windmill Lane 50 year membership awards... Recording Studios, Dublin to record a solidarity single to raise money for homelessness charities. The song is called “We All Fall Down” and was written by Glen Baker. The artists support- ing the initiative include Christy Dignam , Shay Healy, Frances Black, Peter Coonan, Don Baker, John Connors and the High Hopes Choir.

The song is available on iTunes and other online platforms with all proceeds going to the Peter McVerry Trust, Simon, Merchant’s Quay Ireland, Focus Ireland and Inner City Helping Homeless. The recording session was the brainchild of housing activists and coalition member Keith Troy.

SIPTU Head of Communications, Frank Back row from left: Tommy Copues, Jim Tydings, Sean Collopy, Connolly, with departing Cuban Ambassador Fr John O’Byrne, J Ryan, Eddie Sheehan, SIPTU Vice President Gene Mealy. Hermes Herrera Hernández and his wife Ana Front row from left: Limerick District Council Chair Frank McDonnell, Rosa. Noel Quinn, Tomás O’Regan, M Kirkland and Pat Phayer Photo: Dan O’Neill Frank McDonnell presentation...

Retirement function for SIPTU Shop Steward, Brendan Crowley. Photo left to right Shirley Crosbie OPW HR, Peter Duffy, Head of Industrial Personnel OPW, Peter O’Connor, SIPTU Shop Steward, Brendan Crowley, Jane Boushell, Sector Organiser, Charlie Ashe, State Related Sector Committee member and Jason Palmer, SIPTU Organiser.

Limerick District Council Chairperson Frank McDonnell is presented with a framed SIPTU Limerick pennant by Vice-Chairperson Dominick Moloney, left, and Limerick Council of Trade Unions Chairperson Mike McNamara Outgoing SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, is presented with an ornamental fireman’s helmet by Dublin Fire Brigade 25 year pin recipients... Officer, Brendan Carroll, in acknowledgement function for Matt Henry, SIPTU NEC member and Local of his work to support the service during his Authority Sector Chair. Photo: William Hederman years leading SIPTU, on Friday 8th December. Photo: William Hederman

Back row from left: Limerick District Council Chair Frank McDonnell, Bord Na Móna Shop Stewards and front line management From SIPTU members Sean Ryan, Helen Tobin, Tom Christy Dickenson, Ger Burns, SIPTU Vice Presient Gene Mealy. SIPTU, Unite and TEEU receiving QQI level 4 certificates. Jack Maundsley and Helen Donegan launching the Front row, from left, Maura Ryan, Marian O’Callaghan, Catherine O’Connor, Michael Barry acting CEO BNM and Michael Lynch Union’s “Trust in Care” information leaflet. Sheehan, and Catherine Garry Skillsnet presided over the presentations. Photo: Paddy Cole Liberty 13 Know Your Rights DECEMBER 2017

By Tom What type O’Driscoll of matters would fall DDRESSING an audi- under ence in Dublin in Protecting 2014, Edward Snow- protected den’s lawyer Bill Wis- disclosures? nerA said he wished for the same type of whistleblowing • The commission of a criminal offence legislation in the US as we • Failure to comply have in this country. It is with a legal hardly surprising therefore obligation that the OECD pronounced in • Miscarriages of justice the same year that Ireland’s the workplace • Threat to health and Protected Disclosures Act safety 2014 provides the strongest • Damage to the protections in Europe for environment whistleblowers in the work- • Misuse of public funds • Public place. mismanagement/ The Republic was long overdue maladministration proper legislation in this area, but the events surrounding the treat- ment of Sgt Maurice McCabe and other whistleblowers was the im- whistleblower ifying criteria must be met for ex- petus that drove Brendan Howlin ternal disclosure. to introduce the Protected Disclo- The disclosure must not be for sures Act in 2014. The Act gives personal gain, there must be a rea- protection for workers who are sonable belief that victimisation threatened with, or suffer detri- will ensue and the worker reason- ment at the hands of, their em- ably believed that the employer ployers for “whistleblowing” in would either conceal or destroy accordance with the provisions of the evidence, or in the alternative the legislation. the matter was raised with the em- This brief FAQ gives a broad ployer and no action was taken. overview of the fundamental pro- What protections are there for the worker? If it is a protected disclosure the employer cannot penalise or threaten to penalise an employee and there is immunity from civil liability i.e. the whistleblower can- not be sued for defamation if the subject matter qualifies as a pro- tected disclosure. The protections in the legislation will not apply to false disclosures deliberately made. Picture: Laura Hutton/RollingNews Laura Picture: If a contravention on the prohi- bition on penalisation is alleged The OECD then the employee can bring his/her claim to a Rights Commis- has said sioner, the Labour Court or the Cir- cuit Court (see below). Ireland’s 2.0) BY-NC-SA (CC CoolRevolution Picture: visions but should not be relied Dismissals Acts will not apply and have a reasonable belief in the al- What are the specific protections Protected upon as a legal guide as there are therefore protection will be from legations made and he/she must relating to Unfair Dismissals? extensive and complex provisions day one of employment. go through the prescribed chan- Significantly, and for the first Disclosures within the Act. As with all employ- nels, which means a worker may time in Irish employment law, an ment legislation, SIPTU members What type of matters would fall communicate his/her disclosure employee can apply to the Circuit Act 2014 can seek individual advice and as- under protected disclosures? to: Court for a statutory injunction sistance through the Workers • The commission of a criminal of- • An employer (an internal disclo- within 21 days of the dismissal, provides the Rights Centre (1890-747881). fence sure). seeking reinstatement/re-engage- • Failure to comply with a legal • A legal advisor in the course of ment, as determined by the court strongest How is a worker defined for the obligation obtaining legal advice (a legal advi- in accordance with the specific purposes of the Act? • Miscarriages of justice sor includes a barrister, solicitor or provisions laid down in the Act. protections in The definition is the widest so • Threat to health and safety trade union official for the pur- Trade unions at the time lobbied far in employment legislation and • Damage to the environment poses of this legislation) strongly for this form of interim Europe for there are four main groups that • Misuse of public funds • Externally to a regulatory body relief. come under the legislation: • Public mismanagement/malad- (these will be set out shortly) The cap of two years' salary as whistleblowers • Employees ministration • Externally to a Government Min- compensation under the Unfair • Contractors ister (in the case of a worker in a Dismissals Acts is increased to a in the • Agency Workers What is the process for making State body) maximum of five years and the • People gaining work experience. the disclosure? • Externally to others (e.g. media protections for the employee are workplace Importantly, the 12-month ser- In order to enjoy the protections or a member of the house of the put in place from day one of the vice requirement under the Unfair under the Act, the worker must Oireachtas). Note: Stronger qual- employment, i.e. there is no mini- mum service requirement. 14 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 ITF Mother Jones award for ITF seafarers activist

By Padraig Yeates

In October last, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Co-ordinator Ken Flem- ing took 13 Indonesian crew members off a filthy, cock- roach-infested, UK-registered ship in Castletownbere, Co. Cork, and then ensured their repatriation and collection of unpaid wages. It was all in a day’s work for the former Dublin Bus driver, Formula 2 racing champion and SIPTU or- ganiser who received the Mother Jones Award last August for his work exposing the exploitation of seafarers and migrant fishers in particular. In July, he made a powerful ap- peal to the Joint Oireachtas Com- mittee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to end the misery of migrant fishers from non-EEA countries working on Irish vessels and the widespread human traf- ficking that sustains it. “I was asked one day what were my aspirations before I retired,” he told committee members, “I said one is responsible.” Senator Reilly for existing fishers to regularise that these people are in hell and at believed that all members of the their employment; the end of the day they will remain ‘Fearless, passionate and determined’ committee wished “to stop this 4. Making fishers permit-holders in hell, but at least if we get them In its citation to Ken Fleming, the Mother Jones Committee gross exploitation of people. If instead of employers; paid for it, we will have achieved they are Irish boats, it is being 5. Enforcement of the state’s em- something.” described him as “a fearless, passionate, and a determined defender of workers who have been denied their rights who done in our name and I certainly ployment, revenue, health and Edel McGinley, of the Migrant do not want that. I doubt that any- safety laws on employer; Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI), also continually exposes and challenges a system which treats many of them as virtual slaves”. Ken is pictured above outside the Firkin one here does.” 6. Reinstatement of health insur- made a presentation to the Com- Centre in Cork with members of his family. From left, brother- The Committee is expected to ance cover for fishers; mittee and said there were “gross in-law John Carroll, daughter Ashleigh, grandson Kayne, wife issue its report shortly and to take 7. Simplifying permit proce- forms of exploitation along with a Adrienne, daughter Stephanie and her boyfriend Keith. on board concerns raised by the dures, making the registry open to lack of monitoring and enforce- ITF including recommendations public inspection and attaching a ment in this area”. for: PPS number to each permit; Unfortunately, the fishing indus- tribute to his efforts to end “the ple who were more exploited than 1. A moratorium on permits to 8. Appointing the Marine Survey try is in denial. When its represen- out-of-country fishers; Office as the lead statutory en- tatives made submissions to the worst excesses” of the industry. the fishermen.” 2. Ending exemption of vessels forcement agency, as it has the Committee, they challenged the And Nash pointed out that he Senator Gavan said he believed had met resistance from state that “the state authorities do not under 15 metres; most expertise in this area and ITF and MRCI to produce evidence 3. Provide a cooling-off period of trafficking. agencies in his role as a junior min- want to know” about abuses in the should be adequately resourced to In the absence of effective action ister in attempting to end the industry “because they know it do the job; by the state, the ITF has conducted abuse. would open a Pandora’s box. They ‘We wish to 9. Including the ITF in a recon- its own investigations. Five fishers “I personally had to drag people know they will be opening a roll of stituted task force as an equal part- have been accepted into the Traf- to sign a memorandum of under- shame that would show them up stop this gross ner whose expertise and ficking Protection Programme by standing that would enforce the for their complete failure to inter- exploitation. If experience can be used to make the Garda for investigation and employment rights of this vene.” the scheme effective as well as fa- four more cases will be submitted scheme,” he said. Some agencies Senator James Reilly of Fine Gael they are Irish cilitating ITF inspections of fishing shortly by the ITF. “adopted a ‘dog in a manger’ atti- said he found Ken Fleming’s pre- boats, it is being vessels; Labour senator Ged Nash, who tude towards people who came to sentation “deeply disturbing,” 10. Recognising ITF inspectors as was involved in the introduction work here in good faith.” adding, “It would appear that these done in our key witnesses in prosecutions of the permit scheme for fishers as Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan, a workers have no protection.” name and I against boat owners; and a junior minister in the previous former SIPTU organiser, said he He suggested that enforcement certainly do 11. Ratification and enforcement government, has admitted it failed. knew “everything Mr Fleming has was clearly lacking and the fact by the Irish state of ILO Conven- He thanked Ken Fleming “for his said is right and accurate.” He that five departments were in- not want that’ tion 188 concerning work in the very powerful testimony” and paid added that he had “never met peo- volved meant that in practice “no fishing sector. Liberty 15 Health DECEMBER 2017

ETUC President Rudy De Leeuw, far EU politicians must choose left, and ETUC Confederal Secretary Esther Lynch, second left, with SIPTU members at the trade union summit on the Social Pillar in to build a fair Europe for all Gothenburg, Sweden SIPTU members and activists tive impact of Brexit and the need joined with trade unionists to go further to strengthen collec- from across Europe in Gothen- tive bargaining laws in Ireland as burg, Sweden, during Novem- our main priorities.” ber for a summit to discuss the He added: “The time has come European Trade Union Confed- for the EU politicians to make a eration (ETUC) demand for the choice. Either it can allow the ‘Eu- enhancement of the social ropean Pillar of Social Rights’ be rights of working people used as some short-term spin, or across the EU member states. treat it as something of real sub- SIPTU Health Division Organ- stance that prioritises the promo- iser, Paul Bell, told Liberty: “At the tion of social progress, collective Social Summit, our members bargaining, a just transition and a stressed their concerns about the decent life for all European work- housing crisis, the potential nega- ers and citizens.”. Section 39 pay drive steps up a gear

By Paddy Cole

SIPTU members have stepped up the drive to secure pay jus- tice across Section 39 organi- sations in recent weeks and look set to take industrial ac- tion in early 2018. Members met with Minister of State with Responsibilities for Dis- ability Issues, Finian McGrath, Sinn Fein health spokesperson, Louise O’Reilly, and Labour health spokesman, Alan Kelly, to call for their backing to set up a process that would commit the Govern- ment to increasing the block healthcare support grant. SIPTU Health Division Organ- iser, Paul Bell, said: “Since the be- ginning we have received serious cross-party support for our cam- paign for pay justice. However, the SIPTU members Liz Cloherty, left, and Helen, third left, with Labour Department of Finance and the De- Party health spokesperson Alan Kelly, Adrian Durtschi from UNI partment of Health are continuing Global Union and SIPTU Divisional Organiser, Paul Bell to pass the buck between them- Photo: Jimmy Weldon selves, it would seem in a hope that the legitimate concerns of our members will just go away. That is ment. Staff undertake precisely the not going to happen. Our mem- When it comes to same work as directly-employed bers’ resolve is strong and the feel- HSE staff and must have the same ing on the ground is that a national pay restoration, up qualifications. The only difference strike is now unavoidable. to 10,000 workers is in their pay packet. He added: “Our members are like me are left “This pay injustice is now so se- resolute that they cannot continue vere that hundreds of workers are to provide first-class healthcare wanting. It’s not quitting the sector, entirely leaving services at third class wages. SIPTU right, it’s not fair people who rely on the service po- SIPTU members Liz Cloherty, Stephanie Lee and Marie representatives will not accept the Brown show disability minister, Finian McGrath a campaign and it’s not just tentially exposed and vulnerable.” Government and HSE attempts to video detailing members experiences in Section 39 To learn more about the cam- wash their hands of this injustice organisations paign download the SIPTU Health by saying they are not directly in- Division App. Photo: Paddy Cole right, it’s not fair and it’s not volved in the employment of the They have been left high and dry dished out by successive govern- just.” Section 39 workers.” Section 39 organisations are Speaking to Liberty, Patrice Mad- while other healthcare workers di- ments it was dished out equally SIPTU member, Liz Cloherty, Government grant-aided den, a member of the union from rectly employed by the Govern- but when the time comes for some from Galway, said: “The current organisations which provide Cork, said: “Section 39 workers ment in HSE facilities have since pain relief, in the form of pay situation is simply untenable. It is disability, mental health and had their pay cut by up to 8% in had pay restoration. restoration, up to 10,000 workers a disrespectful way to treat people. community services. the wake of the financial crisis. “When the pain was being like me are left wanting. It’s not All we are asking for is fair treat- 16 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Highlights of 2017

January Apple tax row A formidable leader laid to rest The European Commission and pay substantially less tax than Ireland are at loggerheads over a other businesses. The deadline The death of Martin McGuin- decision that Ireland must re- for Ireland to implement the ness in March produced a po- cover €13 billion from Apple for Commission's decision on Apple's litical funeral of a scale and what is has defined as illegal tax treatment was 3rd January. importance not seen in Ireland State aid. A Commission decision The Government refuses to do for decades. Tens of thousands of August 2016 concluded that this and appeals the Commis- of people turned out for the Ireland's tax benefits to Apple sion's decision is brought before funeral in Derry on 23rd were illegal under EU State aid the European Court of Justice. March. rules, because it allowed Apple to It was preceded by a Requiem Mass in the packed St Columba’s church overlooking McGuinness’s native Bogside, attended by Presi- dent Michael D Higgins, and for- February mer US President Bill Clinton. SIPTU General President, Jack O’- Connor, was among the mourners along with trade union members Spotlight on Garda from across the country. Politi- cians, diplomats, civic and church leaders also attended the funeral. malpractice claims Summing up the contribution of the former Northern Ireland The long-running saga involving another Garda whistleblower Deputy First Minister to Irish poli- Sgt Maurice McCabe, the fear- Keith Harrison and claims made tics, O’Connor said: “He will be re- less whistle-blower on Garda in a protected disclosure by for- membered as a formidable and malpractice, entered what may mer head of the Garda Press Of- generous political leader who be its most crucial period when fice, David Taylor. It subsequently maintained his commitment to a the Disclosures Tribunal, rejected Harrison’s allegations. united Ireland based on socialist headed by Judge Peter There was mounting pressure principles of equality and fairness Charleton, officially opened in for resignations amid the emerg- while accepting the compromises February. ing Garda clams. Noirin O'Sulli- required to achieve his aim.” The tribunal is not only inves- van unexpectedly retired as the The warm personal relationship Garda Commissioner in Septem- tigating the source of a high level McGuinness developed with his The coffin of former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness is carried past iconic smear campaign against McCabe ber and Frances Fitzgerald as the long-term political adversary, Rev gable wall murals on his way to St Columba’s church for Requiem Mass. but also one conducted against Tánaiste in November. Ian Paisley, when the latter served as First Minister, had been both unexpected and beneficial to poli- tics in Northern Ireland. March Unfortunately, the political land- scape in Northern Ireland that has emerged after the departure of McGuinness as Deputy First Min- Victory for Clerys workers ister is one of stalemate. The Stor- mont institutions, which collapsed in January 2017, have – despite repeated efforts – failed to be resurrected against the background SIPTU General President Jack O’Connor attaended the funeral. of polarised views on Brexit.

April Transport workers strike again Trade union members in the On 24th March, 2,500 Bus Éire- Irish Rail workers also took transport sector were once ann workers began an all-out strike in November. Follow- again at the forefront of in- action in a dispute provoked by ing two 24-hour work stoppages, dustrial struggle this year. Fol- management attempts to cut staff workers voted to accept a Labour lowing the disputes at LUAS numbers and public services. The Court recommendation that in- and Dublin Bus during 2016, it strike ended after three weeks cluded annual pay increases of In further proof that commit- from the site’s redevelopment. was public transport workers with workers eventually voting to 2.5% for three years. ment and dedication eventu- The conclusion of the campaign throughout the country who accept a Labour Court recommen- ally pay off, the Justice for was announced at a press confer- were forced to take strike ac- dation. Clerys Workers campaign con- ence in the Mansion House in tion during 2017. cluded with victory in March. Dublin attended by the depart- The 21-month campaign was ment store’s new owner, Deirdre launched when the iconic store Foley. was suddenly closed in June 2015 SIPTU Clerys shop steward and May Housing crisis deepens with the loss of several hundred Justice for Clerys Workers Cam- paign spokesman, Gerry Markey, jobs and no redundancy payments. Homelessness campaigner, Fr and the National Homeless and said: “What the members of the The deal that finally settled the Peter McVerry, called for an effec- Housing Coalition, the march in- long-running dispute included a Justice for Clerys Workers tive public home building pro- cluded trade union, campaign goodwill payment for those for- Campaign have achieved is a clear merly directly employed by Clerys indication of what is possible gramme at the May Day march and groups and political party contin- and clauses to ensure that inner- when workers stand together and rally in Dublin. Organised by the gents. city Dublin communities benefit fight for what is right.” Dublin Council of Trade Unions Liberty 17 Highlights of 2017 DECEMBER 2017

June September

Leo becomes Young leader: Leo Varadkar ICTU’s plan to solve Ireland’s housing crisis As 2017 draws to a close, a ing social crisis by releasing a com- pursuing a major lobbying cam- record 8,374 people – including prehensive plan of action that in- paign to force its solutions to the Taoiseach at 38 5,250 adults and a shocking cluded the calling of a national top of the political agenda. 3,124 children – are officially housing emergency and the imme- ICTU General Secretary Patricia classified as homeless. diate start of a large-scale local au- King warned: “The crisis is impact- In June, Leo Varadkar, aged 38, thority-led, social house-building ing on the living standards of However, these stark statistics replaced his Fine Gael scheme. working people and putting un- colleague Enda Kenny as amount to only the tip of a larger The plan would see 10,000 so- told pressure on incomes.” Taoiseach. It marked a transfer housing crisis iceberg for tens of cial housing units being produced “We will meet with local author- from one political generation thousands of individuals and fam- a year and, if implemented in full, ities, political and housing cam- to another. ilies forced to live in inadequate would prevent a similar housing paign groups to build consensus For many observers it also accommodation. crisis emerging again in the future. around a platform that will deliver marked more than this. Being In September, the Irish Congress The Government failed to re- a solution to this crisis and work openly gay and from a migrant PICTURES: RollingNews.ie of Trade Unions and the One Cork spond positively to ICTU’s propos- to ensure that government re- background, the election of Varad- Project responded to this worsen- als. But ICTU is committed to sponds,” she added. kar ahead of his Fine Gael rival, Simon Coveney, was seen as an ex- “clarified” his comments claiming ample of how Ireland had devel- he had only ever meant that in cer- October oped from a conservative to a tain cases public sector disputes liberal society. should be subject to binding Unfortunately, the new Labour Court decisions. The new Taoiseach’s politics do not repre- Taoiseach’s right-wing credentials Storm Ophelia: SIPTU frontline workers to the fore sent a break with the right-wing were solidified in October, with the first Budget under his leader- Storm Ophelia may be a signal agenda promoted by his predeces- of what is to come as climate sor. During his campaign to be- ship prioritising token tax cuts and come Taoiseach, Varadkar initially the creation of a ‘rainy day’ fund change takes hold. The former proposed a ban on “essential” pub- ahead of dealing with the housing Atlantic hurricane, which lic workers going on strike. How- crisis. struck Ireland on Monday 16th ever, under pressure, he quickly October, provoked the first ever countrywide Red Alert by Met Eireann. The move undoubtedly saved The clear-up after Ophelia July Myers implodes lives but even with extra precautions in place around the country and SIPTU members in the local au- After years of at best off-colour his career ended. The controver- most workplaces closing for the day, thorities, fire, ambulance and emer- eration that followed it. Following commentary, which included at- sialist was forced out of the public three people were killed by falling gency services as well as the Office the storm, SIPTU Sector Organiser, tacks on lone parents, migrants sphere after penning a column for trees. It also led to more than of Public Works (OPW) were to the Jane Boushell, called for “invest- and an amazing ahistorical tirade the Sunday Times in which he al- 330,000 customers being cut off fore in helping people during the ment in remedial work to mitigate storm and in the major clean-up op- against trade unionists commem- leged that some female BBC per- from their electricity supply. the adverse effects from a similar event in the future”. orating the Irish Citizen Army, it sonalities might be higher paid was only when the British public than others because of their Jew- became aware of Kevin Myers that ish heritage. Jack hands on the baton The SIPTU Biennial Delegate union after many years of service Final address: Jack O’Connor August Conference in October saw a was SIPTU Vice-President Gene McGregor cashes in poignant final address by out- Mealy. His success in steering the going SIPTU General President union team in negotiations that Jack O’Connor. protected public sector workers’ If the competition was based on he had to box the US fighter and jobs and the services they deliver He led the union for 14 years, in- who could produce the most although he managed to remain during the economic crisis was cluding during some of its most hype, mixed martial arts fighter in the ring for 10 rounds the among his most significant contri- difficult in the wake of the eco- butions. (MMA) Conor McGregor would eventual winner of this entertain- nomic collapse in 2008. In his ad- have knocked out undefeated ment event was never in doubt. Both Jack and Gene will be the dress, O’Connor thanked his final holders of their positions Secretary Designate, Joe Cunning- world champion Floyd May- The result seemed of little con- colleagues and union members for within the union. In May, a Special ham; Deputy General Secretary for weather, long before the pair en- cern to McGregor and why would their loyalty to him as he worked Delegate Conference voted to Organisation and Membership De- tered the T-Mobile Arena in it be when he earned an esti- for economic and social justice in change the union structures which velopment, Ethel Buckley; Deputy Paradise, Nevada on 26th August. mated €130 million from the en- the face of onslaughts from many means the new leadership team is General Secretary for the Public Unfortunately, for the Irishman counter. quarters. headed by General Secretary Joe Service. John King; and Deputy Also bidding a farewell to the O’Flynn. It also includes General General Secretary for the Private Sector, Gerry McCormack.

November December Arts workers fight bullies Brexit deal done International scandals empowered organisations are to take part in those involved in the arts in Ire- special workshops on sexual ha- The Brexit negotiations take on have been done that will ensure week a compromise, acceptable to land to make public their own ex- rassment and bullying in the work- the appearance of high stakes no hard border in Ireland, only for the Irish government and EU ne- periences of sexual harassment at place, was insufficient. SIPTU game of poker between the EU it to scuppered by Tory infighting gotiators, was reached but not be- work. Unfortunately, the Govern- representatives called instead for a (and Ireland) and a British govern- and resolute DUP refusal to accept fore further damage had been ment response, that board mem- direct link between funding and ment which is incoherent and pos- that Northern Ireland can be endured by Teresa May and her bers and senior staff in Arts good practice. sibly demented. On Monday, 4th treated any differently from other embattled Tory Party. December, a deal would seem to part of the UK. By the end of the 18 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Housing We must waken up to this rental nightmare

tion are too afraid to report it for tenure for renters and avoiding the By fear of notice of termination or spectre of homelessness, all too ev- John-Mark landlords doing substantial work We are seeing ident in Ireland today. McCafferty and then increasing the rent. existing tenants Threshold advocates for a rights- Overcrowding is also common- being driven out of based approach to housing and re- place with one in every 10 now liv- gards adequate housing as WITH over 8,000 people regis- ing in accommodation with more their homes and essential in order to live in a home tered as homeless and an esti- people than rooms. landlords hiding with security, peace and dignity. mated one million people The current system, in which Operating for almost 40 years, living below the poverty line, local authorities are responsible behind ‘substantial services provided by Threshold in- renting in the private rented for the inspection of properties in renovation’ or sale Picture: Bart Everson (CC BY 2.0) clude a housing advice service that sector is fast becoming a path- the private rented sector, is not fit of properties as concerned that the Minister for plays a key role in supporting ten- way to homelessness. for purpose. Local authorities do Housing may introduce a self-cer- ants and a Tenancy Protection Ser- It is time to provide security of not have the capacity to effectively reasons for such tification system which will not vice which directly intervenes to tenure to the one in five of us who inspect and enforce minimum evictions... work and Priory Hall is a case in prevent homelessness. Last year, are in rented accommodation standards. point on the building standards our housing advisors took an un- rather than living at the mercy of In 2014, eight local authorities side. precedented volume of calls, to- landlords gripped by greed. with more than 10,000 tenancies If a certificate does not exist, the Threshold is also witnessing the talling 71,319. Few could be anything but ap- inspected less than 5% of the reg- penalty for renting should be se- mass eviction of tenants in Dublin Threshold also represents palled at the living conditions in istered properties in their area. vere, so that there is no excuse for with cases such as St Helen’s Court clients before the Residential Ten- rental properties across the coun- Counties such as Kilkenny, Louth, being outside the system. in Dun Laoghaire, Gardiner Place ancies Board (RTB) involving issues try highlighted in a recent docu- Offaly and Limerick scored a 100% The present system relies on and North Circular Road. such as invalid rent reviews, sub- mentary Nightmare to Let. failure rate. The overall non-com- landlords being caught. But the With supply at an all-time low, standard property, illegal eviction The RTÉ Investigates findings pliance rate of dwellings stands at prospect of being caught is very we are seeing existing tenants and and invalid notice of termination. are, in all probability, the tip of the 69%. slim. There is no fear of the conse- communities being driven out of With regional offices in Dublin, iceberg. Many of our clients who For over 10 years, Threshold has quences in the absence of regula- their homes and landlords hiding Galway and Cork we also operate a are living in sub-standard proper- been campaigning for an NCT-style tions and proper, robust and behind ‘substantial renovation’ or National Freephone helpline ties lack the basic necessities for a certification system for rented proactive inspections. sale of properties as reasons for 1800 454 454, from 9.00 a.m. to quality of life, such as adequate homes. We firmly believe that a More resources must be allowed such evictions. 9.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, for heating facilities, as well as hot certification system needs to be to the enforcement of fire-safety Despite improvements in legis- any tenant experiencing problems and cold running water. put in place where the onus would standards. Current frontline ser- lation and rights in the private renting, including people who are Many people living in sub-stan- be on landlords to prove their com- rented sector, there is still a long worried about losing their home. vices are scandalously over- John-Mark McCafferty is dard private rented accommoda- pliance with minimum standards. stretched. We are deeply way to go in achieving security of Chief Executive with Threshold

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WISHING YOU ALL A VERY Happy Christmas

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THE POWER UNION proud partner 20 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Comment Solidarity is the best medicine

By Des McGuinness lockers beside ashtrays for the which stands in one of the LAST September I spent smokers – a bizarre situation courtyards in the hospital given it was a TB ward and in five days in Connolly Hos- Connolly’s name was donated by the Cork such contrast to today’s smoking branch of the Irish Transport pital, Blanchardstown. ban. highlights the and General Workers Union When I arrived in Cherry The hospital radio was accessi- importance of (ITGWU) as part of a cam- Ward, having spent 20 ble through individual Bakelite paign to ensure that Con- hours on a trolley in A&E, I headphones and the television public ownership of nolly’s name remains was reminded about the relayed black and white images health services in associated with the hospital. eight months I had spent from Raidió Telifís Éireann. For Connolly’s name highlights there almost 50 years ago. those interested, occupational an age of major the importance of public own- In 1968, I was admitted to therapy involved the making of funding cutbacks ership of health services in an Memorial Hos- baskets and miniature furniture age of major funding cutbacks pital (JCMH) with a diagnosis with lollipop and match sticks. and the expansion and the expansion of privatised of TB. In doing so, I entered an- Matron Peg Gorman was in of privatised care care for those who can afford it. other world, a place of isola- charge of Hospital 2. Meals, rest Both my 1968 and 2017 hos- tion. periods and corridor walks were for those who pitalisations gave me time to Surrounded by grass and organised around visits by the can afford it read, to imagine and reflect, to woodlands the facilities that Consultant Brendan O’Callaghan. value the companionship of housed patients in JCMH in- Hospital’s Connolly bust During these visits, and under others in dealing with illness cluded a three-storey building donated by ITGWU the Matron’s watchful eye, we and the importance of personal encompassing Hospitals 1, 2 were all confined to bed – our Noel Browne, William J. had physical health. The love and and 3, along with a series of sheets doubled back in a taut been a Commander in the 1916 support of family and friends is separate units fronted by ve- fresh air. strip, all ‘tucked in’ and silent. Rising. There was lots of cama- essential for getting better randas, on to which patients’ The daily routine was structured The contrast between the strict raderie and light-heartedness in when people experience ill- beds were once wheeled in all around the taking of tempera- regime 50 years ago and today is the face of the possibility of ness. weathers to benefit from the tures, blood pressures and medica- striking. The experience in 2017 death among the older men. Finally, I wish to warmly ac- perceived curative effects of tion. Sputum mugs sat on the was very different; patients inter- As a TB patient, I was awarded knowledge the two generations act with staff and ask questions, the ‘Tubercolosis Domiciliary Al- of medical and non-medical interdependent and multi-disci- lowance’ which I shared with my staff that I encountered during plinary teams meet with patients parents as well as spending on both stays. What they had in in a friendly atmosphere. Also, toiletries, sweets, books and The common was professional care virtually all staff were Irish-born Irish Times, Monday to Saturday. and individual acts of kindness back in 1968, whereas today The Irish Times was my win- – human solidarity in action. there is much more ethnic diver- dow to the world, where I read Des McGuinness is a member of sity. about the eventful year of ’68 the Region 1 Retired Section of I had hardly been admitted to which included marches by civil SIPTU. JCMH in 1968 before a group of rights activists in the North and older men stood at the end of my in the USA, the Paris Uprising, bed and conducted a mock diag- and anti-Vietnam war protests. I nosis with one playing the role of recall being really shocked by the the Consultant pretending to headlines about the invasion of hold up my x-ray and asking – Czechoslovakia by the Soviet “three, six or nine?” (months) – Union. the treatment timescales for In his biography, Dr Noel Streptomycin, the wonder drug Browne refers to an older gener- for TB at the time. The other ation of TB patients as belonging mock question between the men to a “ghetto of tuberculosis lep- was “the knife?”. ers in Irish life”. It was Browne, My ward companions were Des Minister of Health between 1948 Donegan, Noel Flood and Hugh and 1951, who suggested that the Green. Other names I recall are hospital be named after James William J. Brennan-Whitmore, Connolly. Ronnie Fay, Jack Kinch, Ned The bust of James Connolly, Reilly, James Saunters and Ed- mund Sweetman. Ronnie had been an election worker for Dr

Tickets from €15.00 Subject to booking fee Liberty 21 SIPTU College DECEMBER 2017

Jump Start By Susie The Jump Start training pro- Gaynor gramme is a SIPTU course, de- McGowan signed and delivered as a return-to-learn initiative. It is di- rected at activists who may never SIPTU College is the only My advice? Just do it, have taken a course or who may trade union college in Ireland. not have studied in a very long Nestled in the heart of Dublin time. 8, the college offers training The aim is to encourage them to and courses for SIPTU mem- return to education and to demon- strate how study can be integrated bers, covering a wide variety into their lives; how they can open of topics with something to you’ll never look back up many doors both in terms of suit every level of learning, their jobs and in their personal both in Kilmainham and at lives outside of work. various locations all over Ire- Shop Stewards Courses land. SIPTU College also offers shop I first heard about the college stewards courses from time to time through my union official who was where you can not only increase just finishing up the QQI Level 6 ICTU/SIPTU Trade Union Studies course at the time and it intrigued During class me. there is a lively Trade Union Studies I had reservations about starting mix of debates, a course, I had very little experi- ence of being a trade union activist relevant films and and thought that I would be at a disadvantage but after contacting quizzes the college with my concerns my mind was put at ease and I started the Level 6 the very next term. your knowledge but gain confi- I am happy to say that it is now dence in applying best practice at two years later and I have just grad- work. They are offered at three lev- uated from what was possibly the els – Introductory, Basic and Ad- most fascinating and well-rounded vanced, with the Advanced course I have ever taken. Its six including a QQI Level 5 award. modules cover a variety of subjects To all the activists out there who – employment law, economics, are wondering if it is a right move human resources, health and to start a course, or who think they safety, equality and collective bar- are too young – or too old – to take gaining. Each module is taught by a course, or who think it is possi- experienced activists and tutors who specialise in each of these bly too advanced for them, then I Left to right: Barry Carr, Teresa Thompson, Mary O’Sullivan, Susan Gaynor McGowan, Veronica McCabe, say this – you won’t know until areas. Aideen Kelly, David O’Connor, Vicky Hanrahan, Laura Duggan, Aideen Carberry, David Kane and Adekunle Adeniyi. What I liked most about doing you try. this course was the way in which I wasn’t sure if the courses were each module was taught. You are in for me but there are so many pro- a classroom setting but it never felt grammes on offer at a wide variety like you were at school. The slides us, some of which definitely stuck developed by Tish Gibbons, Head During class there is a lively mix of levels to suit everyone. If you presented each week were written with me. We had discussions and of SIPTU College, who also teaches of debates, relevant films and have a chance to start one, then do in an easy to understand way everyone’s voice was heard, so in the course on a Monday night. quizzes. I love the challenging as- it. As Nelson Mandela said: “Edu- (luckily, as I struggle with some ter- some ways you were learning with- This covers a variety of subjects pect of this course and the way you cation is the most powerful minology). out even knowing it. about our society and economy, end up questioning what you weapon which you can use to Our tutors drew inspiration Educate to Organise democracy, inequality, as well as thought you already knew. I won’t change the world.” from their own lives as activists I have now moved on to Educate left-wing and right-wing politics, to give too much away and spoil the For more information on courses and shared relevant stories with To Organise which is a new course name just a few. fun. please visit www.siptucollege.ie 22 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 SIPTU Migrant and International Workers Support Network

Kolejne szkolenie Migrant Network – przeczytaj i dołącz się do nas! pracę wraz z naszymi Maggie Dembinska irlandzkimi kolegami w pracy i By Joanna po pracy kiedy przychodzi czas Ozdarska na relaks. Spędzając w pracy co namniej 1/3 naszego czasu Shop Steward’zi mogli każdego dnia, warto jest wymieniać się rozumieć i pamiętać, że to, co doświadczeniami, co pomaga dotychczas wypracowali nasi nam zrozumieć i nauczyć się W dzisiejszych czasach, koledzy warte jest też naszego zasad działania Irlandzkich kiedy wielu z nas pracuje czasu i powinniśmy przejąć od przepisów w prostszy sposób. poniżej swoich kwalifikacji, nich pałęczkę, bo jest jeszcze Warto dzielić się informacją i wiele pracy do zrobienia. Nie na niskich stawkach doświadczeniem, nie warto wszystkie bolączki pracowników i doświadcza wielu natomiast czekać aż problemy znalazły swoje rozwiązanie w problemów w pracy rozwiążą się same – bo każdy z przepisach prawa pracy! włączając w to najgorszą nas wie że nic samo się nie Poniżej wypowiedzi naszych możliwą formę zatrudnienia dzieje. Należy rozwijać naszą członków Networku: czyli pracę dorywczą. świadomość dlaczego i jak Najlepszym narzędziem, by korzystne jest członkostwo w dać temu opór jest wiedza i związkach. Spotykam ludzi, jedność/jednoczenie się. ktorzy chcą wstąpić do związku Przepisy prawa i wiedza na ponieważ mają problem. jego temat to podstawa dobrze Hrvoje Vidakovic ‘Odpowiednia Zamiast czekać korzystniej jest funkcjonującego wiedza i informacja być w związkach i nauczyć się przedsiębiorstwa, ale nie tylko, jak takim problemom bo przecież znajomość to podstawa do przeciwdziałać razem z pomocą przepisów prawa pracy pomaga związków. Entuzjazm nam w codziennym życiu jak każdego sukcesu’ towarzyszy nam aktywistom chociażby pewność, że należy tego Networku od początku jego powstania. Spotykamy się, rozmawiamy o problemach które dotykają nas w rożnych Hrvoje Vidakovic, Services miejscach pracy i w różnych Division: “Łączymy Imigrantów którzy ‘Łączymy przybyli do Irlandii w celach Imigrantów zarobkowych aby znaleźć tu Dzięki spotkaniom lepsze życie. Budując więzi z którzy przybyli innymi i ucząc nt. praw jakie jesteśmy w całej przysługują każdemu Irlandii bo uczestnicy do Irlandii w pracownikowi sprawiamy, że celach Irlandia staje się lepszym Networku pochodzą listopada. Tematem przewodnim rolę oskarżyciela, oskarżonego i miejscem do pracy i życia dla z różnych miejsc z zarobkowych szkolenia było śledztwa i obrońcy. Uważamy, że jest to każdego.” aby znaleźć tu postępowanie dyscyplinarne – nie tylko ciekawa forma nauki i Małgorzata Dembińska, całego kraju czy istnieją jakiekolwiek normy, wymiany doświadczeń ale Manufacturing Division: lepsze życie’ które regulują takie działania również świetna możliwość „Mieliśmy możliwość poćwiczyć różne sytuacje na żywo pracodawcy, które mogą spojrzenia na dany problem z firmach. Możemy wymienić się związane z procedurami kończyć się karą dla różnych punktów widzenia. Z spostrzeżeniami i nauczyć się dyscyplinarnymi. Tego typu pracownika? Jak takie różnych powodów nie jest jak rozwiązywać te problemy. treningi otwierają nam oczy, jak postępowania powinny czasem łatwo przygotować linię Daje to również możliwość nam się odpowiednio przerwa w zachować się z różnych wyglądać, żeby spełniały obrony i dlatego niuanse integracji. Dzięki tym wymiarze 8 godzinnej pracy. sytuacjach. Aby móc pomagać wymogi zgodności z prawem. różnych strategii były głównym spotkaniom jesteśmy w całej Czy jest płatna, i ile tej przerwy trzeba wiedzieć nie tylko jak się Uczestnicy mieli okazję nie tylko przedmiotem naszej dyskusji. Irlandii bo uczestnicy Networku się należy, co jeśli pracuje zachować ale również poznać samą teorie ale również Uczestnicy mieli również pochodzą z różnych miejsc z nadgodziny? Podobnych pytań wykorzystać odpowiednio to,co sprawdzić jak teoria realizuje się możliwość spotkania się z Joe całego kraju – to właśnie daje jest wiele - aby pozostać na podpowiada nam prawo. w praktyce. Poza tym O’Flynn’em, Sekretarzem Network łączy nas i pozwala na bieżąco z irlandzkimi przepisami Powinniśmy częściej brać udział uczestnicy szkolenia wzięli Generalnym SIPTU i naukę, wymianę doświadczeń i prawa, najlepszym wyjściem są w takich szkoleniach, bo będąc udział w prelekcji na temat przedyskutować kilka podejmowanie akcji z większą cykliczne szkolenia.W jaki w podobnych sytuacjach sposób zapewnić sobie bezpieczeństwa w miejscu nurtujących zagadnień. pewnością.” pracy, w czasie której omówiono Nasza grupa rośnie. Wiemy uczymy się nie jak reagować ale sprawiedliwe i zbalansowane jak odpowiadać na problemy, jak szeroko pojęte przepisy że na terenie całego kraju Chcesz być częścią warunki pracy jeśli nie ma znaleźć rozwiązanie. bezpieczeństwa i higieny pracy. jesteście w wielu różnych networku? Jesteś przepisów, na które można Odpowiednia wiedza, informacja Dyskutowano o tym, jakie miejscach dlatego też zainteresowany/a byłoby się powołać? to podstawa do każdego ogólne wymogi bezpieczeństwa zachęcamy dołączyć do nas, szkoleniami? Członkowie SIPTU Migrant sukcesu. Przebywając z musi spełnić każdy pracodawca aby budowanie naszej Kontakt: and International Workers adwokatem z SIPTU na tego zatrudniający pracowników. rzeczywistości było łatwiejsze. Support Network uczestniczyli w typu szkoleniach uczymy się Joanna Ozdarska Odbyła się również ciekawa Ważnym jest dla nas aby żyć a kolejnym już szkoleniu, które pod jego okiem jak można [email protected] dyskusja nt. przykładowej nie próbować przetrwać. tym razem odbyło się w unikać błędów. Poza tym takie Evelina Saduikyte sprawy dyscyplinarnej, w której Budować szacunek i pięknym mieście Cork, 3 spotkania potrzebne są aby [email protected] uczestnicy mogli wczuć się w zrozumienie poprzez wspólną Liberty 23 Tradition DECEMBER 2017 Recalling Red October

Bolshevik revolutionaries attack Czarist police in 1917 PICTURE: Public Domain

James Larkin: communist candidate in 1927

William O’Brien: backing for the Bolsheviks

By Ireland initially welcomed then Brian Hanley

THE popular reaction to the Russian Revolution in na- renounced Russian Revolution tionalist Ireland was to wel- come it as a blow to tyranny were on the verge of signing a sheviks Came to Ireland’, in the Ireland. The latter was the largest communist organising was in lead- and imperialism, especially treaty with Britain and they corre- Voice of Labour, in February 1918. English-speaking union affiliated ing the cross-community Outdoor to British imperialism. spondingly cooled on the idea of In the article, he acclaimed the Bol- to the international communist Relief agitation in Belfast in Octo- links with Dáil Eireann. This atmosphere was seen in shevik revolution and stated: “It organisation, the Comintern. ber 1932. events such as a rally in support of The Irish labour movement also means that as society is based In September 1927, Larkin was However, the early 1930s saw the revolution held in the Man- found inspiration in what had oc- upon labour, Labour shall rule”. elected as communist candidate to sion House in February, 1918. The curred in Russia. Tom Johnson, sec- In general, the approach of the Leinster House but bitter division the beginning of the dominance of meeting, which drew an estimated retary of the Irish Trade Union Irish Trade Union Congress was within the labour movement pre- often virulent anti-communist crowd of 10,000 people, was ad- Congress and the , largely positive to the Bolshevik vented him from taking his seat. views within southern Irish soci- dressed by, among others, the wrote an article, titled ‘If the Bol- government until 1921. Then at- The most significant impact of ety, despite the organised commu- ITGWU’s William O’Brien and tempts by Roddy Connolly in nist movement remaining very Irish Citizen Army member Count- Moscow and others to form a Com- marginal. The role of the Catholic ess Markievicz. munist Party of Ireland, as well as Church in condemning commu- The use of the term “Soviet” to divisions wrought by the Treaty describe strikes and workplace and Civil War led to a division on Jim Larkin was nism played a crucial role. takeovers or occupations across ‘It means that as connections with Moscow. An October 1931 Bishop’s Pas- Ireland also became commonplace During the Civil War, the Free elected as toral drew a line that would be between 1917 and 1922. society is based State government also made use of communist maintained for several decades: At official level there were con- upon labour, much anti-communist rhetoric to “Materialistic communism means nections between the republican condemn their republican oppo- candidate to a blasphemous denial of God and government and the revolutionary nents. the overthrow of Christian civilisa- administration in Moscow, both Labour shall By mid-1923, ’s Leinster House exploring the potential for mutual rule’ Irish Workers League and Workers tion… You cannot be a Catholic financial and material support. Union of Ireland were the leading and a communist. One stands for However, by 1921, the Soviets representatives of communism in Christ, the other for Anti-Christ.” 24 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Reviews

SIPTU General President speaking at the Kevin McMahon Memorial Lecture in Liberty Hall Theatre Photo: Dan O’Neill

Young supporters of the Your County, Your Youth, Your Union Local authority recruitment campaign from the The Korean Kickboxing Club in Cabra, Dublin 7 Lessons from the Revolution show their colours on the top of Liberty Hall. Photo: Jason Palmer. By Scott Millar MORE than 200 trade union- that the Western liberal myth that Moscow, views in Ireland towards ists and political activists at- the collapse was brought about by the USSR to the recent positions of An Ethical Republic tended a lecture and debate popular dissent and desire for cap- the Irish Labour Party. focusing on the lessons of the italism is completely false. Rather Kevin McMahon Memorial Lec- Russian Revolution in the Lib- what happened was a "revolution When Ideas Matter: erty Hall theatre on 17th from above" in which the elite of ture co-ordinator, Cian McMahon, Speeches for an Ethical Re- November. the Soviet system, mainly located told Liberty: “Although there are public The inaugural Kevin McMahon in Moscow and St Petersburg, feel- widely differing views on the Rus- By Michael D. Higgins Memorial Lecture was delivered by ing that socialism greatly con- sian Revolution and the state Head of Zeus the distinguished US academic strained their abilities to gain which emerged from it, there is no power, wealth and influence, Professor David M Kotz. denying it was the pivotal political When Michael D. Higgins was This was followed by a panel sought to move towards capital- elected President in 2011, he event of the 20th century. discussion which included ism. said his presidency would as- Professor Helena Sheehan, SIPTU Their perfect opportunity came “As such, it was essential that its pire to be one of ideas and of General President Jack O’Connor, when Gorbachev began to imple- impact – in this its centenary year transformation, based on his vi- historian Dr Brian Hanley, and was ment glasnost and perestroika, in – on the world and, in particular, sion of "an ethical Republic”. the hope, Kotz argues, of building chaired by SIPTU College tutor, progressive politics is properly From the start, he made his pub- Eira Gallagher. a more democratic and responsive considered.” lic speeches a key instrument In his lecture, Kotz quickly out- socialism. His analysis was sup- for such an agenda of change. In He added: “The inaugural Kevin lined the course of the Russian ported by many years of inter- this series of remarkable and ur- Revolution and the circumstances views with leading figures during McMahon Memorial Lecture was a gent speeches, he urges his fel- surrounding the initial founding the fall of the USSR and other sta- great success. The evening was just low citizens to consider what of the USSR. However, his main tistical information on popular as my father would have wished it, makes the good life. He has focus was on the problems and opinion during the period. rosive anxiety might be one which was full of debate asked how human rights, an ac- weaknesses which led to the col- The discussion that followed achieved. He has highlighted which could help inform activists’ tive and empowered citizenry, lapse of the Soviet system in the ranged over a wide number of top- women’s equality and the right the plight of refugees, and approaches to the challenges that early 1990s. ics – from Irish participants in the to health and a life free of cor- he has criticised the The thesis Kotz presented was International Lenin School in we face in society today.” dehumanisation of work. From the hills of Wicklow to the Lenin School in Moscow Organiser: Aspects of the life Lenin International School in agreements that still help to shape and work of Kevin McMahon Moscow, where communist party The recollections industrial relations for workers in Published by SIPTU cadres plot world revolution, and Ireland, ranging from those work- finally onto the picket lines and of Kevin and ing with Bord na Móna on the bog- THE 70 pages of this booklet ORGANISER into the hard graft of organising others reveal a lands of Offaly to security workers Aspects of workers to create a better life for on the doors of Dublin nightclubs. outline the career and all in the modern Ireland. disciplined The booklet is a must-read for all thoughts of the late SIPTU Or- the life and work of It is the story of a man who em- idealism which who are serious about working- ganiser, Kevin McMahon. It is Kevin McMahon bodied some of the best character- class organisation. a story that brings the reader Edited by Scott Millar and Cian McMahon istics of those who constitute the resulted in Organiser: Aspects of the life and on hikes in the hills of Wick- backbone of the workers’ move- agreements that work of Kevin McMahon is avail- low, where young, idealistic ment. able for €6 from the SIPTU Com- IRA volunteers train for a war The recollections of Kevin, and still help to munications Department (contact: of social and national libera- some of those who worked most shape industrial [email protected]) and Connolly tion they wanted to fight. closely with him, reveal a disci- relations Books, 43 East Essex Street, Tem- Then into the classrooms of the plined idealism which resulted in ple Bar, Dublin. Liberty 25 Reviews DECEMBER 2017

The world needs a ‘Yes’

No Is Not Enough By Naomi Klein Inside NAMA Penguin Acclaimed journalist, activist, and bestselling author Naomi Connolly describes later scenes of the bad bank through a series of in- Klein has spent two decades confusion as senior policymakers terviews, witness statements, priv- studying political shocks, climate change, and “brand bullies.” and the Fianna Fáil-led government Review by From this unique perspective, narrowly pushed through the Paddy Cole she argues that Donald Trump is NAMA Act in late 2009 against an not an aberration but a logical ex- opposition united in hostility to if we take what tension of the worst, most dan- the bad bank proposal. Among gerous trends of the past those who warned it would involve appears on the half-century – the very condi- the transfer of huge volumes of tions that have unleashed a rising public assets into private hands was pages of tide of white nationalism the Joseph Stiglitz, the Noel prize-win- NAMA-land, world over. It is not enough, she ning economist. tells us, to merely resist, to say NAMA was initially exempt from to be a fair “no.” Our historical moment de- from those who would divide us Freedom of Information laws and mands more: a credible and in- – one that sets a bold course for over the years operated behind a reflection of the spiring “yes,” a roadmap to winning the fair and caring world cloak of commercial secrecy until reclaiming the populist ground we want and need. the controversy surrounding the project itself, then it is impossible not to view The Hidden Hand With its tales NAMA as a Who Rules the World? of arrests, bailout for By Noam Chomsky Penguin confidential insiders Arguably no one has done more leaks, meetings than Noam Chomsky to question NAMA-Land: The Inside with ministers, the hidden actors who govern Story of Ireland’s Property our lives. In this book the fixer fees and ileged parliamentary contributions philosopher, political writer and Sell-Off and the Creation of and committee meetings north and activist presents his definitive ac- a New Elite insidiously south. Along the way it examines count of those powers, how they By Frank Connolly the role of prominent players, in- work, and why we should ques- Gill Books named vulture cluding the members of the infa- tion them. From the dark history mous Maple Ten, NAMA executives of the US and Cuba to China's HE creation of the Na- funds, and board members, former Minis- tional Asset Manage- global rise to sanctions on Iran, NAMA-land ter for Finance, Michael Noonan, this book investigates the defin- ment Agency (NAMA) and former Secretary General of the ing issues of our times and ex- in 2009, put billions Department of Finance, John poses the hypocrisy at the heart Tof euro in Irish property exposes worrying Moran. of America's policies and actions. assets up for sale. At the time, levels of insider Connolly forensically explores the “largest property firm in the frenzied rush to sell off NAMA the world” was promoted as dealing and assets which spawned a lucrative the only show in town that industry for well-placed asset man- could contain the fallout of potential conflicts agers, surveyors, estate agents, The men who changed our minds the economic crisis by effec- of interest lawyers, accountants and other tively housing all toxic bank- property professionals. The Undoing Project: ing debt. With its tales of arrests, confiden- A True Story Amid the protests, NAMA enthu- tial leaks, private meetings with By Michael Lewis siasts lined up to insist the Irish ministers, fixer fees and insidiously Penguin people would get maximum return sale of its Northern Ireland portfo- named vulture funds, NAMA-land, from the sale of what were now lio, known as Project Eagle, broke in exposes worrying levels of insider FORTY years ago, Israeli psycholo- their assets, which would help pay July 2014 when Mick Wallace TD dealing and potential conflicts of gists Daniel Kahneman and Amos down the State's massive debts. disclosed details in the Dáil of al- interest. Tversky wrote a series of breathtak- NAMA-land, penned by SIPTU leged massive fixer fees associated In the end, if we take what ap- ingly original papers that invented Head of Communications Frank with the £1.2 billion (€1.5 million) pears on the pages of NAMA-land, the field of behavioral economics. Connolly, exposes that myth, asset disposal. to be a fair reflection of the project Their extraordinary friendship in- shines a light on the reality and The scandal contributed to the itself, then it is impossible not to cited a revolution in Big Data joins up the dots on the scandalous early departure from politics of for- view NAMA as a bailout for insid- studies, advanced evidence-based creation of a new elite in Ireland. mer Northern Ireland First Minis- ers. A case of men in suits getting medicine, led to a new approach to NAMA-land begins by taking ter, Peter Robinson, and the arrest rich quick and overseeing the government regulation, and made readers back to that infamous night of a former senior NAMA official, largest transfer of public assets into much of Michael Lewis’s own work in Government buildings in Ronnie Hanna, as well as a former private hands in the history of the possible. Here Lewis shows how September 2008 when future gen- member of the agency’s advisory State. their Nobel Prize–winning theory of erations were saddled with the committee in the North, Frank NAMA-land, is available in all the mind altered our perception of debts of broke developers and Cushnahan. good bookshops. reality. banks. The book charts the progress of 26 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Reviews The people’s revolution the Crown forces into submis- sion in jig time. However, regardless of its weapons capability, this Cork Univer- sity Press production will undoubt- edly stand the test of time as a major ‘go to’ resource on the revolutionary decade, 1912-1923. Contributions from 140 leading historians, including Ruan O’Don- nell, Margaret Ward, Padraig Yeates and Catriona Crowe, 300 original maps and several hundred illustra- tions are woven into an examination of the historical geography of this seminal period in our history. The analysis necessarily covers well-known aspects of the story such Atlas of the Irish Revolution as the establishment of the Irish Cit- Editors: John Crowley, Donal izen Army, Cumann na mBan and the Seán Hogan’s No. 2 Flying Column, O’Driscoll and Mike Murphy Irish Volunteers, the Rising and the Third Tipperary Brigade, during the Associate Editor: John more well-known events of the War War of Independence of Independence. Borganovo More interestingly, the book goes as running joint candidates with dence in Britain and a really interest- James Bible” of the Irish Revolution Cork University Press down less familiar but nevertheless Sinn Féin as well as their own in the ing piece by Fintan Vallely on Rebel (in size at least). interesting and important paths. local elections of 1920. (and Labour) songs, is to be found However, the book is not without ITH over 1,000 One of these is the growth of the All this and much, much more, between the covers of what will its critics who challenge the very con- pages and tipping Irish Transport & General Workers such as support for Irish Indepen- surely be proposed by some as a con- cept of an “Irish Revolution”, Union (ITGWU). Based on work car- tender for the title of the “King believing it a revisionist one. the scales at 5kg, It does come in with a price tag of this book is un- ried out by labour historian Francis W Devine, a series of maps shows its €59 – as hefty as its bulk. In truth though, it is great value for doubtedly in the heavyweight explosion from 11 branches in 1916 One of the less familiar paths the book division of historical works – in those who can afford it, and the pub- to 400 in 1920, less than four years goes down is the growth of the ITGWU. lishers are apparently confident that physical terms at least. In fact, if after the Rising. all of the second print run of 14,000 all those who claimed to have As the book notes: “Its growth A series of maps shows its explosion will be sold on top of the 8,000 bought first time around. been in the pre-Treaty IRA and [also] coincided with the flowering from 11 branches in 1916 to 400 Cumann na mBan had been is- of republican organisations, and the Michael Halpenny sued with a tome of such cali- ITGWU in many areas was closely as- sociated with the republican move- locations less than four years later bre, they could have battered ment.” In fact, the union went as far You’ll never look at Dublin shopfronts in the same way Michael Collins: Dublin guide to that city and to the places One of their numbers, Vinnie 1916-22 connected with the struggle for free- Connell’s book Byrne, who had fought at the Jacob’s Joseph E.A. Connell Jnr dom a century ago. Garrison in Easter Week as a 15-year- It is a handbook for the would-be is a meticulous old, really was a carpenter by trade, Wordwell revolutionary tourist of the Decade and in less than poetic terms he de- of Revolution whose self-guided pas- guide to the city scribed their usual “modus A POEM by Patrick Kavanagh, If sage through its streets is signifi- operandi”: “We’d be told to plug a ever you go to Dublin Town, re- cantly safer than it was for those and the places particular man, but how we did it garded by some as the self- Crown forces, for whom a decade of was up to us.” penned obituary of Iniskeen, Co the rosary would have been more connected with Over on the south side, at 1-8 suited. Great Brunswick (now Pearse) Street Monaghan’s finest, in turn in- Starting at the top of the present the struggle for on the night of 7th April 1919, spired a 2014 publication by Parnell (formerly Rutland) Square at Collins' inside man in the Dublin Dublin City Libraries, “If ever numbers 29 & 30 (beside the People's freedom, a Metropolitan Police’s Special Branch You Go: A Map of Dublin in Po- College and the ICTU offices), was handbook for “G” Division, Ned Broy, smuggled in etry & Song”. Vaughan’s Hotel, one of Collin’s the Big Fellow to look over the secret This latest offering by Joseph A.E. most important boltholes and his de- the would-be police files on republicans. (The Connell Jnr, is a map and description clared “Joint No 1”. event is captured in Neil Jordan’s of the Dublin of another country lad, Moving to present day O’Connell revolutionary epic film and the premises are now a this time from Woodfield near Clon- (formerly Sackville) Street, at the cor- Garda Station). ner with Middle Abbey Street where akilty, Co Cork – the “Big Fellow” tourist There are nearly 500 pages of this dangerous place, particularly for Clarke’s shoe shop is now, was an stirring stuff – you’ll never look at himself, Michael Collins. arms dump for that same “Squad”. Collins practiced an entirely differ- Crown forces if he and his famous Dublin or a shopfront the same squad, the “Twelve Apostles”, had The site was convenient to the place Street, under the cover name of again. ent art, that of waging war on an em- from where they conducted their “George Moreland Cabinet Makers pire, and his Dublin could be a very anything to do with it. Connell’s book is a meticulous deadly business, 10 Upper Abbey and Upholsterers”. Michael Halpenny Liberty 27 Reviews DECEMBER 2017 One woman’s powerful story working-class woman from Dublin’s Review by Kilmainham. Michael Thirty-five years ago, along with nine other Dunnes Stores comrades, Halpenny she refused to handle South African goods and, in a strike that lasted two- and-a-half years, fought South Africa’s apartheid regime on the streets of Dublin – and won. They were for a while, “the deadliest shop workers in the world”. Mary Manning tells how, on foot of her union’s call not to handle South African produce, she was faced with the harsh reality of not only im- plementing that policy but with doing so against an employer, Ben Dunne, who was determined to face them down. Moreover, the Henry Street branch of Dunnes in Dublin where she worked “had a particularly hostile relationship with their staff”. She describes the historic en- counter that launched her and her colleagues into that long and bitter dispute. Spotting a middle-aged woman with two large yellow grape- fruits in her basket, she says to her- Striking Back: The Untold self: “Please don’t come to me, please go to any other till”. But the Mary Manning Dunnes Story of an Anti-Apartheid Stores in 1984 (left), and at the Striker customer doesn’t. Mary’s rehearsed unveiling of a plaque in 2008. words of explanation as to why she Pictures: RollingNews.ie By Mary Manning couldn’t handle the fruit “just robot- with Sinead O’Brien ically stuttered out of my mouth”. Collins Press Even though the woman offered to dela said the Dunnes Stores strikers leave them aside, explaining she did- ‘We took on the establishment, leaving “provided me with great hope during my years of imprisonment, and in- N HIS 1938 poem Epic, n’t know they were South African, them in no doubt about what can the Dunnes manager standing over spiration to millions of South Patrick Kavanagh, referring the till insisted she handle the grape- happen when ordinary people set out Africans”. to a local dispute on the fruits. Mary refused and was ulti- At the end of this book – which is stony grey soil of Mon- mately suspended. Her shop to achieve the extraordinary – the only the story not only of Mary but also of her mother Josephine – she says aghan,I tells how the great classi- steward, Karen Gearon, led a walk- power I have is my story’ of herself and her comrades: “We cal Greek writer Homer out by staff. It was 19th July, 1984. Having put flesh to the words of a took on the establishment, leaving whispered to his mind: “I made hundred “fashionable” anti- them in no doubt about what can an Iliad from such a local row.” apartheid resolutions, the Dunnes opposition in high places. However, union movement and public figures happen when ordinary people set This compelling book is another Store strikers had unknowingly one honourable exception was our such as Seamus Heaney, but increas- out to achieve the extraordinary – story of epic proportions, told not by begun their own Iliad, which was to president Michael D Higgins, then a ingly among the public at large. Crit- the only power I have is my story.” classical poets or Gods “who make take them to South Africa and back. member of the Seanad. But they also ically, they inspired those struggling And what an inspiring story it is. their own importance”, but by a They faced indifference and even had support not only from the trade in South Africa itself. Nelson Man- Narrow account of 1916 centenary celebrations Comóradh Céad Bliain / State to channel the direction of that derived from the imagery of the 1913- and others on the actual anniversary Centenary: Tugann Éire 1916 celebration, in truth it was impossi- 1916 Tapestry. But disappointingly, of the Rising and attended by up to Chun Cuimhne / ble to do so. Thus there are glimpses there is no mention of the Tapestry 80,000, gets honourable if minimal of how ordinary people at home and itself, a major SIPTU project and com- mention. However, there is no cover- Ireland Remembers 1916 abroad embraced the centenary of munity work of art, commemorating age of the many events organised by Government Publications 1916 with such pride and energy. both the 1913 Lockout and Rising. Sinn Féin, including their celebration And, of course, there were occa- Nor of the series of cultural events in of the funeral of O’Donovan Rossa in IN 1917, many people cele- sions on which it was only right that the Hall at Easter 2016, featuring August 2015 which all but eclipsed brated the Easter Rising by reor- the State be brought to publicly and some of the country’s most talented the State’s ceremony in Glasnevin, ganising to carry on the fight. meaningfully acknowledge, probably artists and musicians and attended (which, of course, is more than for the first time, the contributions by President Michael D Higgins. amply recorded). On 12th May of that year a large of women and the Irish Citizen There is, however, coverage of an- Despite the book's shortcomings, banner was hung outside the Army. Thus, as well as the official other initiative which began life with you might consider paying €25, par- old Liberty Hall commemorating commemoration of the Irish Citizen SIPTU – the new Dublin Tenement ticularly if you, your family or your the judicial murder of James Army (ICA) on Easter Tuesday 2016 Museum, first mooted at the 1913 community are name-checked. A Connolly by British imperial- in Liberty Hall, there is acknowledge- Committee in Liberty Hall in the fuller record of how Ireland and the ism. ment of the work of SIPTU in erect- winter of 2011. It has since become diaspora celebrated undoubtedly ing plaques to the memory of the ICA an outstanding flagship project of A hundred years on, this book awaits a more expansive publication in the areas of Dublin in which units Dublin City Council. edited by Ronan McGreevy focuses – a people’s story of the centenary. were based. Finally, “Reclaim the Vision of mainly on State commemorations. There is a glimpse of the Centenary 1916”, a SIPTU-supported citizens’ Although attempts were made by the Michael Halpenny wrap-around on Liberty Hall, itself initiative, led by artist Robert Ballagh 28 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Reviews

Dublin’s vanishing rivers

Barry Ward (left) and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor in Maze

The Rivers of Dublin By Clair L Sweeney Irish Academic Press EVERYONE knows the River Liffey. But many will be less The other familiar with Dublin’s other rivers, the Dodder, Tolka and Camac. And then there are the “vanished” rivers, such as the Poddle, which have long been diverted under- ground. In this fascinating survey of Dublin's waterways big and small, Clair Sweeney guides the great escape reader across the length and breadth of Ireland's capital city, its landmarks, lore and legend. Maze story of how former hunger striker to provide the means of escape. Directed by Stephen Burke Larry Marley (played by Tom Marley plays a long and clever Vaughan-Lawlor of RTE’s game, and Vaughan-Lawlor’s por- Running Time: 93 min Love/Hate) slowly and patiently en- trayal is virtually flawless. Of al- gineers this POW spectacular. After most equal measure is Barry Ward’s The riots that united Belfast EOPLE of a certain age the H-Block hunger strike of 1981, portrayal of the prisoner officer. and even younger will in the course of which 10 republi- If you missed it first time around, recall a steady diet of cans died, he sees the need “to keep an eye out for this excellent IN October 1932, the streets of prove that we still have a pulse and understated movie which has Belfast were gripped by vicious British World War II left”. been well received across the spec- Pmovies which still get a regular rioting that lasted for almost a First to feel the beat of that pulse trum. airing, particularly on TV holi- are the loyalist prisoners who share It may not have a catchy tune but week. day schedules. Principal among Thousands of unarmed those is the 1963 film, The demonstrators fought extended Great Escape whose catchy Marley plays a long and clever game, pitched battles against heavily- theme tune still evokes a ver- and Vaughan-Lawlor’s portrayal is armed police. sion of that period. Unemployed workers and, It tells the (sexed up) story of the virtually flawless. Of almost equal indeed, whole working-class escape of 76 captured Allied airmen measure is Barry Ward’s portrayal of communities, dug trenches and from Nazi Germany’s Stalag Luft III built barricades to hold off the in 1944. All but three escapees were the prisoner officer captured almost immediately, but police assault. this didn’t prevent the film falling The event became known as effortlessly into the pantheon of the Outdoor Relief Riot –one heroic tales of war. the H Block where Marley (an IRA it packs punch and it’s revealing no of very few instances in which Twenty years after the picture’s leader later murdered in 1987 by loy- secret to disclose that the prisoners class sympathy managed to release, in 1983, another great es- alists) and his comrades are impris- actually do escape, and unlike the cape took place. This time 38 IRA oned; he gets them transferred and escapees from Stalag Luft III, half of trump sectarian loyalties in a prisoners succeeded in a mass out of the way with relative ease. them managed to stay at large for a Struggle or Starve: Working- city famous for its divisions. break-out from HMP Maze (Long However, the main target of his long time until killed in action Class Unity in Belfast's 1932 Film director Ken Loach has Kesh), at the time supposed to be efforts is warder Gordon Close with (four) or later captured. Some Outdoor Relief Riots described Seán Mitchell’s book the most secure jail in Europe. whom he builds a determined but evaded arrest to this day. by Sean Mitchell Stephen Burke’s low-budget film as “an important story to tell ... often fraught relationship in order Michael Halpenny Maze, much of it filmed in the now to gain his confidence, and much Haymarket Books An inspiration to unite again in decommissioned Cork Jail, tells the more importantly vital information today’s struggles.” Liberty 29 Obituary DECEMBER 2017

OBITUARY Con Hegarty Unstinting union and community activist FRIENDS and colleagues Con became involved in union ac- Long after his retirement Con were saddened to hear of tivism and played a key role in set- would notify the Construction Of- the death of Con Hegarty ting up a strong building section of fice in Cork of various building the ITGWU in Cork. at 93 years of age. work and construction sites oper- He went on to work with a num- Con was a gentleman in the true ating around Cork City. He pas- ber of the larger construction com- sense of the word. He worked tire- sionately believed that the trade panies, including P J Hegarty and lessly for the union over many union movement was the vehicle Sisk. Con worked on the building years and was still active in organ- for improving the lives of working of the Dunlop plant and the con- ising workers up to recently. people. struction of the Cork Regional Hos- Con served in the Irish Army Con was also a community ac- pital, now known as the Cork during the Emergency and was sta- tivist and helped to improve the University Hospital (CUH). tioned in Castlehyde, Fermoy, Co lives of many people in the local Con remained a staunch trade Cork. After leaving the Army, he community. found work in the construction in- union activist throughout. His ob- He will be sadly missed by all dustry and joined the Irish Trans- jective was to fight for improve- who knew him, particularly his port and General Workers’ Union ments for workers. These family: sons, daughters, grandchil- (ITGWU) in 1947. Conditions on improved conditions on construc- building sites at the time were ap- tion sites today are a direct result dren, great-grandchildren, broth- palling – no attention was paid to of struggles fought and sacrifices ers, sisters, extended family and Con Hegarty: served health and safety, and pay itself in the Emergency and made by the likes of Con Hegarty friends. A remarkable man and was also exceptionally poor. fought forworking people and other members of the section friend. RIP. Concerned by these conditions, since the late 1940s.

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30 Liberty DECEMBER 2017 Sport The Dub A year for women who saved Barcelona in Irish sport Patrick O’Connell: The Man Who Saved FC Barcelona Exhibition at Dublin City Library & Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2 BORN within the roar of what later became Croke Park’s Hill 16, Patrick O’Connell played soccer for Dublin’s Liffey Wanderers, Belfast Celtic, Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday, Hull, Dumbarton and the last all-Ireland soccer team. He went on to manage Ashington (hometown of “Wor Jack” Charlton and then the biggest pit village in Europe); Racing de Santander; Real Ovieda; Seville’s “other team”, Real Betis, which won the Spanish La Liga under him; and finally FC Barcelona. In the teeth of the Spanish Civil War in 1937, he took the team on a tour of Mexico and New York, the

Republic of Ireland women’s team make a stand for equal treatment in April 2017. Photo: Paddy Cole

By Kevin Brannigan on the bench or a greater evil pitch seems to have begun for son with the All-Ireland win- still if you found yourself the women with wins coming in ning Dublin Ladies GAA team Growing up in a 1990’s subbed in their stead. their two opening qualifying and dispelled any bar-stool North County Dublin hous- With decades now beginning games for the 2019 World Cup myths that what the women put ing estate, football; both of to pass those girls who turned against Slovakia and Northern in is in anyway inferior to their Patrick O’Connell the association and indige- up on wintery Saturday morn- Ireland followed up with an im- male counterparts. nous breed, were the ful- ings to play a game they loved, The final itself attracted a crum around which life with; in the beginning, reluctant record breaking attendance of boys, should now be seen as pi- With decades now 46,286 with another record proceeds of which saved the club revolved. from collapse. Yet for all that he died oneers. beginning to pass breaking audience of an average Weekends were divided up in penury in London. As we all prepare to do an- of 303,800 watching at home on between soccer games which al- those girls who He is honoured in Seville and TG4. most always invariably seemed other full revolution of the sun, turned up on wintery Barcelona; with a wall mural in to be played out in a rainstorm these last 12 months will be re- Saturday mornings to With sub-plots about players (where else?) Belfast; a plaque in with no dressing rooms to be membered as a landmark year play a game they and rivalry between the teams Drumcondra’s Fitzroy Avenue two seen and GAA games with ac- for women’s GAA and soccer on loved, with; in the dominating press coverage in biographies; a ballad and a portrait, cess to at least a portacabin to the island. beginning, reluctant the lead up to the final it was a in the hallowed halls of Old Trafford. change in but unlike their ‘for- The year began with victory welcome break to the emo- Now, the Patrick O’Connell Memo- off the pitch as the long ne- boys, should now be tional, almost patronising, call eign’ counterpart were haphaz- seen as pioneers rial Fund plans to launch a 90- ard in nature with leagues glected Irish senior women's to arms ‘follow the girls too’ minute film next year to tell the full crossing calendar years and footballers decided that they message, which used to domi- story of one of Ireland’s earliest foot- never seeming to get finished. had enough of sharing track- nate any woman's show piece balling “Wild Geese”. One thing the two codes had suits and changing in airport pressive away point in the build up. So, if you’re in Dublin between in common was that our male toilet cubicles and from the Netherlands, leaving the Repub- Women's football in both now and 20th December, you could dominated worlds would spo- steps of Liberty Hall announced lic second only on goal differ- codes is now a far cry from the do worse than to pop down to radically be broken up with the their collective decision to ence to the Dutch. days of girls playing with reluc- Dublin City Library in Pearse Street arrival of that most novel of strike if their demands weren’t From trudging up and down tant boys. While it’s hard to pin- and see this exhibition, which was things to an early teen boy, a girl met. the Magazine Fort in Phoenix point the breakthrough point officially launched recently by or sometimes multiple girls! The radio phone-in shows Park to hard hitting and to the the highs of 2017 should in time Dublin’s Lord Mayor Micheál Mac We (read I) would observe quickly jammed up with career point half time team talks from turn out to have not been the Donncha, and footballers Niall these creatures with confused FAI apologists but with a hugely manager Mick Bohan, the excel- zenith but rather the consolidat- Quinn and Paddy Mulligan. silence and throw a mini- sympathetic public behind lent ‘Loosehorse’ produced a ing of both inside the main- If you miss the exhibition, there’s tantrum when their talent them all demands were met. documentary called ‘Blues Sis- stream. a new book on him by Sue O’Connell would see us begin weekends Since then, a new era on the ters’. This charted the 2017 sea- and a 2012 TG4 sports documentary, Paddy Don Patricio. Michael Halpenny Liberty 31 Crossword DECEMBER 2017 PRIZE DRAW To win a €200 One4All voucher Liberty courtesy of JLT Insurance Crossword (see back cover)

1 2 3 4 5 6 ACROSS DOWN 7 8 7 Pie chart part (6) 1 A company specialising in computer 8 To go over again (6) manufacture. (4) 9 10 9 Bangkok native (4) 2 Trangresses the picket line. (13) 10 Characterised by the 3 Chair part (7) expression of love. (8) 4 City transport before buses. (5) 11 12 13 11 Side by side (7) 5 A genre which combines American 14 13 Where Pago Pago is (5) and European. (13) 15 16 15 Ancient weapon (5) 6 A caretaker of a building. (8)

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*Correctly fill in the crossword to reveal the name and address and you will to be entered into a The winner of the crossword hidden word, contained by reading the letters prize draw to win a €200 One4All voucher in the shaded squares from top to bottom. The winner of the crossword quiz will be competition in the October published in the next edition of Liberty. edition was Jimmy Howard, Cork. Email the hidden word to [email protected] or post to *Terms and conditions apply. Communications Dept., Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 along with your Answer: Disruption

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THE RIGHT TO READ, SOMETIMES WE ALL NEED A SIPTU Solidarity with Cuba are planning a trip to WRITE & SPELL LOAN FOR THE IMPORTANT Cuba in October 2018 as a follow up to the three THINGS IN LIFE previous trips in 2009, 2013 and 2015. M FILLING Í R NO FO T TRIP DETAILS: Í E -T G A 10th October 2018 Depart Dublin, Ireland – IN K If you're a SIPTU L I Amsterdam, Netherlands - Havana, Cuba L N member in the E G P Ri g ht Dublin Region, the 20th October 2018 S Í

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