Vol.13 No. 5 June 2014 ISSN 0791-458X CRISIS AT BAUSCH PRIVATISATIONdscsdcsdcsdcsd THREAT cdscdscdscdsDEFENDING IRISH AND LOMB TO BUS SERVICES UNIVERSITIES Page 2, 6, 7 PagePage xxxxxxxx10 PagePage xxxxxxxxx 22

REMEMBERING No to THE TUAM BABIES further Page 9 budget ENDING THE HOUSING CRISIS cuts Page 13 by Frank Connolly Labour in Government must insist that there will be no further cuts affecting working fami- lies or those who depend on public services in the October budget, SIPTU President Jack O’Connor has said. He said the plan for a further €2 billion in cuts or LIBERTY new taxes is not justified in the light of recent excheq- CROSSWORD uer returns which are €1.2 billion ahead of target for the first five months of the year. WIN A HOTEL BREAK O’Connor said that the new leader of the Labour FOR TWO... Party must resist the call for the €2 billion adjustment in any talks with Fine Gael over Budget 2015 and to Page 31 leave the Government over the issue, if necessary. 1122 33454 5 “If the public finances remain as good as this for the 7 8 remainder of the year there will be absolutely no justi- 9 10 fication for a budget of anything remotely approaching Activists from the SIPTU Fair Deal for Cleaners Campaign held a series of colourful events to mark 111211 12 13 International Justice Day for Cleaners on Monday, 16th June in Dublin, Cork and Galway. 14 €2bn. Therefore, it is perfectly feasible to insist that 15 16 Pictured at the event in Connolly Station in Dublin were from left to right: Galyna Korytko, 17 there must be no further cuts affecting working 18 19 20 Jay Esteron and Carmen Maria Villanueva See page 3. Photo: Darragh O’Connor Continued on page 2 2 2 Liberty In this month’sLiberty JUNE 2014 News Bausch and Lomb workers accept cost savings deal

Paris Bakery SIPTU members in Bausch and by 11 days of talks between union which it was decided to put them to representatives, lead by SIPTU Vice- ballot. The result was announced on sit-in Lomb have voted to accept a cost savings deal which management President, Patricia King, and manage- Monday, 16th June. SIPTU Organiser Alan O’Leary said: Page 5 has said will secure the future of ment. The talks’ process was facilitated by the Labour Relations “These proposals were very difficult the multinational’s contact lens Commission (LRC) and broke up for our members to accept. However manufacturing plant in Water- without agreement after two enhanced compensation means that ford. marathon overnight sessions con- these cuts won't be felt for some time The crisis at the Bausch and Lomb cluding on the morning of Thursday, which provides a vital cushion. Also, St James’s SIPTU plant in Waterford began on 29th 12th June. The LRC then published a new gain sharing commitment from the company equivalent to 10% of May with a shock announcement to the final proposals tabled by the Committee savings on unit labour costs shared workers that Valeant, the owner of management side. equally among workers provides an interview the company, was seeking 200 job The agreement includes a wage re- opportunity to mitigate the losses.” Page 11 losses plus a 20% cut in wages or it duction of 7.5% in basic pay; elimina- In a letter to workers the Valeant would close the facility. tion of some bonuses; one hour Chief Executive Officer, J. Michael The demand for cuts was not due added work per week and a reduction Pearson, stated that the agreement to falling profit margins but based on in the Sick Pay scheme. The company would enable management to “keep Rosie Hackett a claim by management that €20 mil- also agreed to work with the IDEAS the Waterford plant open and viable Bridge opened lion in cuts were necessary to keep Institute to develop innovation in the for the long term.” He also commit- the Waterford plant open as payroll operation of production lines. ted his company to further invest- Page 17 costs were running at 30% higher These proposals were presented to ment in the plant; the letter also than in the company’s facility at a general meeting of SIPTU members praised the “constructive negotia- Rochester, New York. in the company canteen on the tions” between union leaders and The announcement was followed evening of Thursday, 12th June, at management.

LGBT Rights training course Strike at Roadstone Woods Ltd Page 20 Strike action by SIPTU members The strike action will continue Due to the unrealistic demands of began at Roadstone Woods Ltd until a fair resolution of the dispute management these talks broke down. facilities across the country on is achieved. Union representatives are prepared Monday, 16th June, in a dispute SIPTU Organiser, Davy Lane, said: to engage with the company in real- concerning an attempt by man- “Over the last number of months istic and meaningful negotiations Jimmy Hall’s agement to implement major both SIPTU and the TEEU have en- when it indicates it is willing to do story cuts to workers’ wages. gaged in negotiations with the man- so.” agement of Roadstone Woods Ltd. Page 24 Ballot on Irish Rail proposals Plight of Filipino SIPTU members in Irish Rail are clude definitive clarity on exchequer The SIPTU National Rail Commit- subvention for the rail service for the tee decided on Monday, 16th June, to rural poor to ballot on fresh proposals for cost saving measures in the com- next three years and a guarantee that put the proposals to a ballot of mem- Page 26 pany. the company will not seek further bers. The ballot will take place from pay reductions or changes to condi- 19th June until 6th July and will be According to SIPTU Sector Organ- tions of employment during that counted on 7th July. iser, Willie Noone, the proposals in- time.

Sport SIPTU to study Aer Lingus/DAA pensions report Page 29-30 SIPTU will carefully study the (IASS) which was issued on representatives in Aer Lingus and final report of the Expert Panel Monday, 16th June. the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) on the resolution of industrial “We will carefully study the report on its content and recommenda- relations issues in the Irish Avi- over the coming days and will con- tions,” said SIPTU Pensions Policy Advisor, Dermot O’Loughlin. ation Superannuation Scheme sult with our members and their

Continued from page 1 – No to further budget cuts families or the people who depend which are largely the result of grow- ment Bank. Editor: Frank Connolly, SIPTU Head of Communications on public services,” Jack O’Connor ing employment in the economy. “If it could be established in time Journalist: Scott Millar said. “Of course, the levels of growth for September it could compete at Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU), Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) & William Hederman “We have already come out publicly must be maintained in order to en- auctions for the €400bn in low inter- Publications Assistant: Deirdre Price calling on the incoming leadership of sure that the gap between tax rev- est loans for the SME Sector which enue and spending does not expand Administrative Assistant: Karen Hackett the Labour Party to insist on this as a has just been announced by the Eu- beyond 3% of GDP by the end of 2015. Produced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labour. red line issue in any talks with the ropean Central Bank. Generating jobs Printed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin. This is why we are urging the Labour Fine Gael Party and we have also is the key to recovery and gradually Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views. Party within the Government to ramp called on them to make it clear that improving living standards once If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: up its emphasis on measures to stim- [email protected] they will leave Government on this ulate the growth of domestic demand. again. After that, the next most im- portant element is increasing wages Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, issue if necessary.” This accounts for three quarters of Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 He said that it was possible to GDP and two thirds of it is comprised which also increases employment be- SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor • Vice President, Patricia King • achieve the deficit target of less than of consumer spending,” he argued. cause it improves spending power General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn 3% of GDP without anything re- He said the Government must within the economy. We have to use Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, motely like a €2 billion correction press ahead quickly with the estab- every opportunity to press the case,” Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: [email protected] given the growth in tax revenues lishment of the new Strategic Invest- Jack O’Connor said. See page 15. Liberty 3 News JUNE 2014 Housing top priority for Dublin City Alliance OR the first time pro- He added: “The parties and indi- There was a broad welcome for gressive parties and viduals in the Dublin City Alliance Burke’s election as Mayor given his Independents have share many core beliefs and the many years of service on the coun- come together to agree housing crisis will top the agenda, cil for the citizens of the city. F both in terms of assisting those During the centenary celebra- a programme for the running who are homeless and seeking to tions of the 1916 Rising, in 2016, of Dublin City Council over increase the number of social the position of Lord Mayor will be the next five years. housing units.” held by a Sinn Féin representative. Following last month’s election, The agreement will also see the Sinn Féin with 16 councillors is which returned a clear majority of roles of Lord Mayor of Dublin and the largest party on Dublin City left-wing councillors to Dublin Deputy Mayor shared between Council. The party’s councillor in City Council, an agreement on members of the Dublin City Al- Beaumont-Donaghmede, Mícheál mayoral appointments and general liance. Mac Donncha, said: “The size of policy concerns was reached be- In early June, Independent coun- the Sinn Féin vote was based on Dublins new Lord Mayor Christy Burke with his granddaughter tween Sinn Féin, Labour, Greens cillor Christy Burke was elected as our opposition to austerity includ- Mairead Manning (left) and his daughter Sandra Reid (right). Photo:Photocall and some Independent council- Lord Mayor as part of the agree- ing the Local Property Tax and lors. ment with Sinn Féin’s Larry O’- Water Charges. It was not some Labour Councillor and SIPTU Or- Toole taking the position of overnight sensation but due to the Dublin. The Alliance may help il- achieve a budget for 2015 and sub- ganiser, Brendan Carr, said: “This Deputy Mayor. Over the next five many years of work of our activists lustrate this to people with its sequent years that is equitable, is the first time there has been a years the positions will be held on in communities across the city.” focus, in particular, on housing that adds no further to the finan- left controlled council. It will re- a proportional basis by Sinn Féin, He added: “We believe there is a and employment.” cial burden on citizens and, where flect the clear concerns of the vot- Labour and Independent council- need for a clear alternative to be The Dublin City Alliance has also possible, eases that burden, but ers of Dublin.” lors. presented for the country and committed to work together to fully maintains Council services. ‘Walk and talk’ at first trade Activists mark International union youth summer camp Justice Day for Cleaners

SIPTU to study Aer Lingus/DAA pensions report RELAND’S first trade union tre, University College Dublin asked par- youth summer camp took place ticipants to understand power dynamics SIPTU members who celebrated International Justice Day for Cleaners in Carlingford, Co Louth last in their activism and to question pre- at Ceannt Railway Station Galway on Monday 16th June. conceptions about privilege and oppres- I weekend (12th - 14th June) sion under the title ‘The Personal is Twenty-five young activists including Political.’ Dr. John Barry, Professor of trade unionists, students, unem- Green Political Economy, School of Poli- CTIVISTS from the SIPTU also held at Cork University Hospital where ployed workers and activists from a tics, Queens University Belfast also Fair Deal for Cleaners Cam- cleaners were joined by supporters from the number of progressive campaigns spoke. paign held a series of colour- SIPTU Cork District Council. ful events to mark came together under the theme “Ac- Eleanor McKenna, an unemployed A Mary McBride, a cleaner from St Luke’s young worker from Drogheda, Co Louth, International Justice Day for Cleaners Hospital who took part in the Dublin events, tivism and the Connection between participated in the event, in Dublin, Cork and Galway on Mon- Progressive Social Movements and explained the value of the commemorations. “I did Activist Academy with the day, 16th June. She said: “We are often invisible to the Organised Labour.” Young Workers Network so participating In Dublin, cleaners from a wide range of public. Yet without the work we do, many of Ethel Buckley, SIPTU National Cam- in Carlingford Summer School seemed workplaces gathered at Connolly Station paigns and Equality Organiser, one of like the obvious next step in becoming our most important facilities including hos- during morning rush hour to hand out cards the organisers of the event, said: an activist in the labour movement. En- pitals, railway stations and universities, sim- “This was a new initiative that we gaging with other young activists, from in celebration of the day to passing com- ply could not function. This day is about were excited to present to young ac- both sides of the border, was a very wel- muters. They were joined by members of the reminding people about the value of our tivists. There was a good bond between come aspect for me. Hopefully the Sum- Dublin Resistance Choir who delivered a se- work to society.” participants from different unions and mer School will become an annual event ries of rousing renditions of traditional International Justice Day for Cleaners is campaigns. Many current issues were in the trade union calendar.” union songs. celebrated by trade unions throughout the debated that are of interest to young Carlingford Summer School was a Later in the day a similar event was held world and commemorates cleaners who trade unionists.” Two guest speakers joint initiative of the Young Workers challenged participants and provoked Network, Nevin Economic Research In- at St James’s Hospital. In Cork and Galway, were beaten off the streets by police in Los thought and debate. Dr. Katherine O’- stitute and Trademark. cleaners held commemorations at Kent and Angeles on 15th June, 1990, during a protest Donnell, Director, Women Studies Cen- Ceannt Stations, respectively. An event was for union recognition rights. 4 Liberty JUNE 2014 News

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At the solidarity “soapbox” event outside Dáil Éireann on Wednesday 11th June, from left to right: Duduzíle Moyo, Nokulunga Vezí and Oklamí Bello Photo: William Hederman Damage of 2004 citizenship referendum marked by ‘soapbox’ at Leinster House event KLAMÍ Bello was born in the Constitutional amendment approved Ireland two years ago. Be- by the referendum has split families, di- cause of the citizenship vided the entire population, and caused O referendum passed in June hardship for many people in Ireland. The 27th amendment to the Constitu- 2004, he is not an Irish citizen and tion, ratified by the referendum, meant faces possible deportation. He is pic- that children born in Ireland would no tured with his mother Nokulunga longer have an automatic right to citizen- Vezí (right) and Duduzíle Moyo at a ship. Birthright citizenship entitlement solidarity “soapbox” event outside was changed to, in effect, a blood-based Dáil Éireann on Wednesday 11th citizenship entitlement, guaranteed only June to mark the 10th anniversary of to children born in Ireland one of whose parents is already a citizen, or entitled to the referendum. citizenship. Oklamí and Nokulunga live in a “direct The amendment was sold to the public provision” accommodation centre in Cork. in various ways in 2004. Then justice min- Asylum seekers living in direct provision ister Michael McDowell said it would pro- are not allowed to work and must survive tect maternity services from “pregnancy on a weekly payment of €19.10 a week. tourism”. It has done nothing to improve Currently 4,278 asylum seekers live in di- the Irish healthcare system and has had rect provision centres, of whom 1,590 are terrible consequences for Irish-born chil- children. dren and their families, some of whom At the event, migrants shared their ex- continue to suffer in the direct-provision periences and recorded the consequences system. of the referendum. Over the past 10 years, Liberty 5 News JUNE 2014 As bakery sit-in ends, it’s time to close gap for locked-out workers...

By Mick Halpenny

T WAS a great day for the Paris Bakery em- ployees on Tuesday, I 10th June when the Rev- enue Commissioners an- nounced they were putting the company into liquida- tion. That meant their 19-day sit-in was ended and the 25 workers in- volved could now apply for their unpaid wages, holiday pay and other entitlements from the State’s Insolvency Payments Scheme administered by the De- partment of Social Protection. The workers had been engaged in a sit-in at their place of work on Dublin’s Moore Street ever since their employers closed doors with- out warning in late May, leaving workers owed roughly €125,000 in unpaid wages and other benefits From left to right: Corneliu Rotaru, Inna Kovalska, Johanexis Joa, Paloma Vaz Marcal, Mael Daumas, and entitlements. Anissa Hosany, Matilde Naranjo and Eduard Worse still, the locked-out work- Claihnet Photo: Photocall Ireland ers had no means of getting the money from either Paris Bakery or the State because their employers had not gone through any formal sympathy as well as anger with the law over how it deals with employ- cerned would be able to apply for change the law to make sure no insolvency procedure, such as public at the unfairness of the cur- ees of companies that have ceased payment of outstanding monies other workers have to go through bankruptcy, receivership or liqui- rent law on employee protection trading but have not been formally from the Department of Social Pro- what we had to!” dation. in the event of insolvency – an wound up as opposed to those in tection. But perhaps the last word should They began a campaign of occu- issue Congress on which has been firms subject to a formal wind-up That’s the case that was argued go to another of the workers’ pation and publicity to highlight campaigning for a number of years. procedure. by a joint delegation of Congress, spokespersons, Inna Kovalska, Congress Legal Officer, Esther So Congress is proposing to pull MRCI, and Paris Bakery workers, who told the Labour group: “The their plight. Lynch, points out the law here is Irish law into line with provisions who addressed the Labour Parlia- other lesson from our campaign is Supported by the Migrant Rights not only unfair, it’s also out of step under the European Directive on mentary Party group, chaired by that workers should join unions to Centre Ireland (MRCI), trade with European legislation. Insolvency, so that when an em- Louth Labour TD Ged Nash in the be stronger so that maybe we can unions, including SIPTU activists, And Congress is not the only or- ployer has ceased trading and pay- Dáil on Wednesday, 11th June. deal with these kinds of situations and Irish Congress of Trade Union ganisation that has a major prob- ments to employees have stopped As Eduard Claihnet, one of the before they get bad. President, John Douglas, they took lem with the current set-up. permanently for a period of six spokespersons for this remarkable “The Government can help by their case to the public, on to the Last year in the High Court, Jus- weeks or more, then the company group of workers, said: “We are making it easier for workers’ airways and to the Dáil. tice Mary Laffoy also flagged up should be “deemed” insolvent. very happy for ourselves but now unions to be recognised.” Their campaign struck a chord of the “unfairness inherent“ in the That means the workers con- we want the Government to 6 Liberty JUNE 2014 News ‘It’s like working with a By Scott Millar strategy of attracting multination- T 11.30 a.m. on als to Ireland. Thursday, 29th May, Jemma Mackey, who is vice-chair a well-dressed man ‘Pay cut or else’ demand shocks of the SIPTU workplace committee A strode into the and has worked at the plant for 15 canteen of the Bausch and years, recalls “a fairly good rela- Lomb manufacturing plant in Bausch and Lomb employees tionship” with management. Waterford. Although most wages at the More than 400 workers were as- side the plant, workers knew the duced himself as the Vice-Presi- Lomb last year. plant are in line with the industrial average of approximately €35,000, sembled, having been called to an news would not be good. dent of Manufacturing for Velanta, He then read a short statement emergency meeting only an hour saying that the company was seek- a job at the unionised company In a calm and assured Californ- the global pharmaceutical com- before. With camera crews and ing 200 redundancies at the Water- was highly-prized and seen as se- journalists already gathering out- ian accent, Angelo Conti intro- pany which took over Bausch and ford Plant and a 20% wage cut for cure. all workers. The company was taken over by Conti added that failure to com- the Canadian headquartered phar- ply with these demands would maceutical multinational, Valeant, mean the closure of the plant; he last summer, in a deal that workers then walked out. heard was finalised at executive “It was the first time we had ever golf outings in the US. seen him, it was a bombshell,” re- At that stage Valeant immedi- calls Pauline King, a SIPTU shop ately announced its intention to steward in Bausch and Lomb target 10% to 15% job cuts and a where she has worked for 13 years. programme of cost-savings across “There was shock in the canteen. the global business. No questions were allowed to be In Waterford, the take-over had been viewed with a measure of trepidation but as the months ‘It was the first passed local management said that time we had ever the new owners had not been in- quiring about changes and con- seen him. It was a cerns dissipated. But the shock announcement at bombshell... there the end of May has left the 1,100- strong workforce (800 of whom are was shock in SIPTU members) concerned for the canteen. their families and community. Jemma said: “It has affected peo- He just read out ple, there is a lot of anger. Morale is at rock bottom. the statement “Many also feel a sense of be- trayal. In recent years the workers and that was it. have worked with management on many changes, introducing new People were just technology and work practices.” dumbfounded. She added: “Personally, a 20% wage cut would mean €158 out of It was horrific’ my weekly wage. I have three teenage children, my daughter is currently doing her leaving cert asked. He just read out the state- and she has got her place in college ment and that was it. People were but is now saying, ‘You won’t be just dumbfounded, it was hor- able to afford to send me’. It is not rific.” only my future but hers at stake.” SIPTU Bausch and Lomb work- Pauline is in a similar situation, place committee chair, Johnny Cur- she told Liberty: “I can’t afford it ran, said: “The only reason they and I don’t know anyone in our gave for the pay cut was that the workplace that can. Everyone is work was being done for less in committed to all that they earn, their plant in Rochester in Amer- it’s all going out.” ica. John, who is dad to a three year “Their profits are still good here. old and the sole wage earner in his In the space of a year we have gone household, said: “If I was to take from getting a pay rise to being this cut in pay, I would be in diffi- told if they don’t get the cuts they culty. want, that’s it, they’re gone.” “It will also devastate the local Bausch and Lomb was estab- economy. They are talking about lished in Waterford in the early taking €20 million at least out of Bausch and Lomb manufacturing plant in 1980’s. The construction of the the local economy every year. Waterford – a key employer in the area contact lens manufacturing plant “It is going to have a knock-on was heralded as a major achieve- effect for everyone in the South ment for the State’s industrial East – restaurants, bars and shops. Liberty 7 News JUNE 2014

Waterford: employment gun to your head’ black spot

Waterford has been particularly hard hit by job losses in the current economic crisis. The major company closures in the city and county have included:

Waterford Crystal closed its manufacturing plant in January 2009 with around 1,000 jobs losses. Some months later the Waterford Crystal showroom opened in the city that saw 100 jobs created.

Talk, Talk, the UK based company closed its call centre in October 2011 with less than one month’s notice and the loss of 575 jobs.

ABB wound down its manufacturing plant which produced distribution transformers in Waterford over late 2009 and early 2010 with 178 job losses.

Teva Pharmaceuticals has cut more than 300 jobs since 2009.

Bausch and Lomb SIPTU shop stewards Pauline King, John Curran and Jemma Mackey GlaxoSmithKline in Dungarvan Events at the plant have spread plete lack of political action to pro- Like the Bausch and Lomb work- cut 130 at its pharmaceutical foreboding throughout the town. tect their interests. ers some politicians have also con- plant between 2010 and 2012 “Everyone is talking about it in Jemma said: “We have been very nected the dispute to a much the town,” added Jemma. “Every much let down by the Govern- broader struggle. On Monday, 16th man, woman and child are afraid ment. [Minister for Jobs, Skills and Johnny said: “Something new because they know of the impact it Enterprise] Richard Bruton and the has happened here with this im- June, workers There have also been is going to have. IDA we reckon were in touch with mediate threat of closure. If this numerous other smaller job the company for two months be- works this will be the new future agreed to accept “You walk into a shop and every- losses including at Guhring one fears for it. The workers in fore the announcement but did for multinationals in this country. the proposals put Bausch and Lomb also contribute not inform the workers.” “Our reliance on the sector and Tools where 38 workers were to many charities in the area. Last A statement by IDA Chief Execu- approaches to negotiations with by management made redundant in 2011 as year €40,000 was given to the local tive, Barry O’Leary, which sympa- multinationals has to be exam- during protracted well as in businesses including hospice.” thised with the need for Bausch ined, particularly when you have Within minutes of Conti’s an- and Lomb to “cut its cost base” has politicians in the US calling for the negotiations and restaurants, shops and other nouncement, SIPTU was in contact caused extreme disquiet among company to ‘bring the jobs home’.” based on a promise service providers which relied with management and a talks the workforce. Pauline added: “What is happen- on the patronage of workers process aimed at saving jobs had Local politicians were more sup- ing in Bausch and Lomb is being of new investment begun. portive with several – including watched by the whole of Ireland. It employed in decent Following initial meetings, Labour TD, Ciara Conway, and would seem that multinational by Valeant in the manufacturing jobs. skilled mediators from the Labour Sinn Féin Senator, David Culli- companies feel they are capable of Waterford plant. Relations Commission became in- nane – pledging their support for just doing anything they want. volved on Monday, 9th June. How- the workers in a meeting with a “You are trying to work with a See page 2. ever, a key concern of the workers SIPTU delegation on Monday, 2nd gun to your head.” is what they believe was a com- June. 8 Liberty JUNE 2014 News Public sector workers ballot for strike in the North IPTU has joined all Around 1.5 million refuse collec- Since 2010, low paid local govern- rided by politicians and the media. salary of £14,000 and above being other unions across tors, social workers, town planners, ment workers have lost out in real “Public sector workers deliver first given only a 1% increase, while those the North in balloting librarians, care home staff and other terms by an estimated £2,831 a year. class services, often in very difficult at lower grades will be paid little S local government employees are ex- Belfast City Council employee and circumstances and mostly to the more than the minimum wage.” members working in local pected to walk out of work for 24 SIPTU activist, Garret Ó Fachtna, told most vulnerable in our society. We Following the 2011 public sector government, housing, educa- hours across the UK on 10th July. Liberty: "Given the continuing eco- need to continue the fight for public walk-out over pension reforms, the tion, further education, li- Following a pay freeze lasting three nomic, political and ideological at- sector jobs, terms and conditions and Conservative-Liberal Democrat coali- braries and some voluntary years and 1% pay increase last year, tacks on public sector workers over a fair and realistic rate of pay." tion will have presided over Britain’s sector organisations over the it has been decided that workers the last number of years, I think that SIPTU NEC member, Phelim Jen- two biggest post-war strikes as the rejection of the National have had enough and they wish to our members see little choice but to nings, who works for Newry and planned action proceeds. Joint Council (NJC) employ- send a very strong message to the vote for industrial action. Mourne District Council, said: “Our employers’ side that they want and “Prices continue to rise, almost as members are infuriated by a pay The result of SIPTU’s ballot is ex- ers’ side pay offer of 1%. expect a decent pay rise. fast as the value of our work is de- offer that will result in workers on a pected on 29th June. Longest hunger-strike in Palestine history marked Organising and pay on agenda at Dublin protest at new Medical Devices Forum

Protesters at Dáil Éireann mark the 50th day of the hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners. Photo: Fatin Al Tamimi

S the longest mass fails to fulfil the international cri- hunger-strike in teria for a just trial”, “inhumane and degrading”, and notes that Is- Palestinian history Medical Devices Forum passed its 50th day, a rael uses it to “suppress the legit- members at Galway meeting A imate and peaceful activities of protest was held outside Le- activists”. inster House on Thursday Almost 80 hunger-strikers have 12th June by members and been hospitalised, and their lives By Frank Jones supporters of the Campaign are now in danger in what is the longest mass hunger-strike in THE newly set up Medical organise workplaces in the sector. vised by a number of members to Free Marwan Barghouthi Devices Forum has been told and All Palestinian Political Palestinian history according to It was agreed to revisit the issue at that some deals partly or wholly the campaign. that SIPTU represents the the Forum’s next meeting in Sep- involving monetary pay increases Prisoners and the Ireland- In response, the Israeli state is majority of workers who are tember. had been secured in their employ- Palestine Solidarity Cam- trying to fast-track legislation that organised in the sector. It was noted that some former ments. This led to a wider discus- paign. will allow force-feeding of the However, it was also pointed out The protest was joined by sev- SIPTU members had moved to un- sion about the benefits of strikers, an act the UN Special that many of the 250 workplaces eral TDs, including Joan Collins, Rapporteur on torture has la- organised workplaces after being monetary increases over percent- belled a form of torture. There is employing 25,000 workers nation- Dessie Ellis, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, made redundant and, as such, age rises for lower paid workers, Seán Crowe, John Halligan, speculation in the Israeli press wide remain unorganised. Thomas Pringle and Richard Boyd- that the government will allow Fifteen members drawn from 11 these ex-members would have a and what constitutes ‘lower pay’. Barrett. strikers to die to test the response separate employments attended a much greater understanding of the A healthy discussion followed on the Palestinian street. Some 125 Palestinians prison- recent meeting of the Forum in benefits of being in a union. with all agreeing that the Forum ers in Israeli jails embarked on an Protesters called on the Irish Galway. The meeting also discussed the would continue to monitor this open-ended hunger-strike to government to condemn and call success the section had in securing area and leave it as a standing item protest against Israel’s use of ad- for an end to Israel’s widespread Between them they represent ministrative detention, a form of use of administrative detention, more than 4,000 SIPTU members wage increases generally in line on its agenda for future meetings. internment without charge or which is in violation of the Fourth in the Medical Devices Section of with the 2% strategy adopted by It is hoped the Forum will meet trial, against Palestinians living Geneva Convention which states the Manufacturing Division. three times each year with much of that internment can be used the Manufacturing Division. under military occupation. Forum members discussed the im- There was some debate as to its work depending on continued Amnesty International has “only if the security of the detain- called for an end to the practice, ing power makes it absolutely pact collective bargaining legisla- whether this was the time to contact among the membership calling it “arbitrary detention that necessary.” tion could have in helping to change strategy. The Forum was ad- between meetings. Liberty 9 News JUNE 2014

Christy Moore presented the award for music to Clondalkin musical trio Sandra, Pamela and Mary Jessica Corcoran who performed live at the fifth Traveller Pride Awards on 11th June 2014. Christy said; "I love the vein of Traveller music and song that runs right through our traditional music. John (Jacko) Reilly, Maggie Barry, Johnny and Felix Doran, The Keenan Family and Pecker Dunne are just a few of the singers and musicians whom I have encountered along the way. I sing many songs from these sources. I value deeply The Traveller tradition. It is an important part of what makes Irish culture what it is today". SIPTU College in

Show of solidarity: vigil for the Tuam babies outside Leinster Waterford links up House on Wednesday 11th June with Traveller project Photo: Photocall

TEREOTYPES were challenged and a valuable insight into S issues affecting the Traveller community was No woman, no cry given to students of the By Hilary Minch from men and women who experi- tional gathering. Many who joined ICTU/SIPTU HETAC Equality enced life in mother and baby us had been born in mother and Module at SIPTU College Wa- sight and maybe prejudices, the E stood in the homes and from survivors of the baby homes or had given birth terford in a presentation on vast majority of us were incor- soft evening light. industrial institutions and Magda- there. lene laundries. Some had experienced abuse Monday, 26th May. rect in our linking of the person Babies’ clothes, and the description,” Margaret toys, flowers on We listened to representatives and trauma in the homes or had The Waterford Traveller Com- W from organisations that have spent survived abuse in other institu- said. munity Health Project made the the railings of Leinster The session outlined issues, a lifetime campaigning for rights tions. Others came because they presentation as part of the pro- House. both historic and current, facing One message read: "For the ba- and justice. Words cannot convey cared. People came with their chil- gramme developed by tutor Travellers and sought to sepa- bies we hold in our hearts and not the pain, the hurt, the terrible in- dren and their memories. Margaret de Courcey to raise rate the myths from the realities in our arms" and another "For the justice – but the speakers from the The speeches, music and lament awareness of Traveller ethnicity. about the community. It con- mothers, the love and support you Adoption Rights Alliance; Sur- gave way to a spontaneous rendi- She told Liberty: “As [it is] one cluded by listing the positive never had is here today". tion of Bob Marley’s great anthem. of the nine grounds under the achievements of a number of A haunting lament on the tin The magical voices of the Discov- equality legislation, we all too ‘It was a refusal to Travellers, including a barrister, whistle rose above the candles, our ery Gospel Choir, Liam O Maonlai, often pay lip service [to it] in psychotherapist, PhD graduate bowed heads. Remembering the remain silent in Karan Casey, Mary Coughlan, Don favour of developing more de- and a political writer. 796 Tuam babies. Remembering Baker and Frankie Conway. tailed discussions on other “While I provide the more for- the women forced to give birth in the face of such a The audience responded. We areas such as gender, age, dis- mal training requirements, the mother and baby homes across Ire- held hands, formed a huge circle. ability etc. I felt the opportunity terrible wound guest speakers play a vital role land because society didn’t want We sang and tears fell: to explore in more detail this in bringing their issues out to them. “No, woman, no cry, area would enhance our aware- deep in the soul the class for more detailed dis- Remembering the children who No, no, woman, woman, no cry. ness on the serious issues that cussion.” were born in the homes, who died, of our country’ Woman, little sister, don't shed confront the Traveller commu- Margaret invites shop stew- were left in unmarked graves or no tears, nity.” ards and union activists from were adopted. No, woman, no cry.” Contributors to the presenta- vivors and Victims of Institutional the southeast to join the course, The vigil on Wednesday, 11th The crowd was slow to disperse, tion included Waterford Trav- Abuse Northern Ireland; the Aish- which continues in September. June was more than remembering. an urge perhaps to linger in the eller Community Health Project linn Education and Support Cen- The two-year programme is based It was a show of solidarity. It was a warmth and compassion. manager Emma Maguire and de- tre; Amnesty International Ireland; on six modules, each module refusal to remain silent in the face As I wandered along the shrine velopment worker Nan O’Reilly, the Bethany Survivors Group, Ire- taught over 10 weeks. Students of such inhumanity, in the face of of babygrows, flowers, toys and who is from the Traveller com- such a terrible wound deep in the land were incredibly articulate, candles on the railings of Leinster can opt in and out of modules. munity. soul of our country. speaking from the heart and House, I spoke to a woman. For details please contact Mar- At the start of the session stu- The importance of not just being united in raising their voices for She had been a baby in one of garet de Courcey, on 0876784725 dents were presented with a se- shocked and outraged, but of doing justice. the homes and had discovered her or [email protected]. This ries of photographs and something about it and not turn- The response on social media to origins. course is also open to all other descriptions and asked to link ing our backs. A call for justice in the Justice for the Tuam Babies At 7.00 p.m. the nursery door ICTU union activists in the south- each statement to a picture. “As the form of a full, open judicial in- page was huge – more than 8,500 was locked. There were no night east. expected, because of our stereo- quiry into all mother and baby likes in five days. feeds for tiny babies. No warm typical expectations based on homes. Most importantly it was a About 1,000 people took part in caresses or hugs. Just the sound of space for stories, for testimony the march and vigil. It was an emo- crying. 10 Liberty JUNE 2014 News Thin end of the wedge By Scott Millar

MAJOR campaign to highlight the threat to A flawed plan the travelling public and to decent jobs The National Transport Authority (NTA) Aposed by plans to privatise 10% has a number of objectives it wishes to of Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus achieve by tendering out routes, and in services has been launched by each area the plan is flawed. the SIPTU Transport Sector. Value for money for the taxpayer: An SIPTU Utilities and Construction independent Deloitte report on the Cost Division Organiser, Owen Reidy, and Efficiency of Dublin Bus and Bus said: “The National Transport Au- Éireann in 2009 confirmed that: “PSO thority has decided to put out to (public service obligation funding, the tender up to 10% of Dublin Bus money given by government to provide routes and all Bus Éireann Services the service also known as subvention) in Waterford City from 2016. This current funding for Dublin Bus and Bus will be a bad deal for commuters, Éireann is relatively low when bus workers and the exchequer that compared to comparable operations in will ultimately have to foot the bill other countries in Europe.” Since the when this ideological experiment time of that report the subvention from fails.” the State to Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann “We in SIPTU believe in the pro- has been slashed by 30% and 25% respectively. motion of an adequately funded, in- Compliance with contracts: Dublin tegrated public transport system in Waterford Bus Éireann drivers the interest of the social good. We Andrew Quigley, Francis Coughlan Bus and Bus Éireann are contracted by must learn from other jurisdictions and Peter O’Toole. Photo: Scott Millar the NTA to provide particular bus that have gone down the privatisa- services on a five-year contract. Within tion road and ensure we don’t make the terms of such a contract there is a the same mistakes. range of compliance clauses and “In its 2011 election manifesto Waterford bus workers resist NTA plans targets. Both companies are fully Fine Gael had sought the tendering compliant with their contractual obligations. Any objective analysis of of 100% of public bus routes. This IN WATERFORD, Bus Éireann The threat to Waterford City will no longer receive the service the most recent published performance was prevented by Labour in govern- workers are organising to resist services from 2016 was the subject they do now with non-commercial reports from the NTA – for the third ment but there is concern the Fine NTA plans to put out to tender all of a public meeting held in the routes or services slowly cut away. quarter of 2013 – clearly indicates both Gael aim is the eventual destruction City Service routes. Peter O’Toole, Tower Hotel on Thursday, 15th “What they are doing in Water- companies surpass the contractual of public bus services and their re- a SIPTU Shop Steward at the Bus May. The large crowd, which in- ford is just the thin end of the targets set by the NTA. placement by a private monopoly.” Éireann depot in Waterford, said: cluded local councillors and wedge and will be implemented SIPTU believes a wide-reaching Customer experience: Dublin Bus and “This is not about bringing down Oireachtas members, was in- elsewhere. Bus Éireann has a pub- public debate concerning the future Bus Éireann have been continuously fares or improving services, all lic service ethos and is account- investing in improving the experience of public transport is needed. These this is an attempt to move public able but a private operator is only of customers over recent years. In discussions must include citizens services into the private sector.” ‘It is about working towards profit.” Dublin Bus developments include RTPI and transport users, trade unions, He added: “If the City Service Waterford Bus Éireann driver (Real Time Passenger Information) at local authority representatives, the goes in Waterford there will be no protecting a Francis Coughlan said: “We need more than 500 bus stops, RTPI through regulator and other stakeholders. need to have a Bus Éireann depot service which to highlight that this is a national apps and text SMS, wifi across the fleet Reidy said: “We must reject out of in Waterford because the inner issue not just a local issue. It is and 100% wheelchair accessibility. This hand the simplistic tabloid demon- city services can be run out of the has done its job about protecting a service which contrasts with the UK where many bus isation of transport workers em- depots in other cities. If that hap- for decades’ has done its job for decades.” services have been privatised. UK pens it is not 35 decent jobs being Peter added: “We have pre- government surveys indicate 46% of lost in Waterford but 180. sented the NTA and politicians passengers have stated services have “We have decent jobs. From our formed of the real concerns the with information on the failings got worse since deregulation with only ‘This will be a 16% stating things have improved. earnings we contribute through staff of Bus Éireann and the trav- of privatised bus services in bad deal for tax and spending in the local econ- elling public have. Britain, Germany and elsewhere. Compliance with EU legislation: The commuters, bus omy. The loss of these jobs will be Waterford Bus Éireann Shop In many countries there is pres- NTA and the Government can fully a further blow to the local econ- Steward Andrew Quigley said: sure to restore public services comply with the relevant EU directive workers and the omy in Waterford which is already “We also fear that privatisation whereas here they are seeking to on the provision of bus services and the reeling from many job losses.” will mean the public of Waterford repeat the failures of elsewhere.” terms of the Dublin Transportation Act exchequer that 2008 by maintaining the operation of the current five-year direct-award will ultimately ployed in CIÉ as if they were a cos- Éireann and Dublin Bus workers will delegation of Dublin Bus and Bus contract model. The legislation allows have to foot the seted group of workers. transfer along with buses to routes Éireann representatives, the actual for the maintenance of such a contract model where the Authority “is satisfied “Clearly, they are not: they are operated by private companies. motivation behind this proposal be- bill when this Under TUPE (transfer of undertak- came crystal clear when the issue of that the continued adequacy of the working people on modest incomes public bus passenger services to which ideological going through a challenging time ings legislation) the maintenance of TUPE was queried. It is clear the such drivers' terms and conditions of overall aim is further cuts to work- the contracts relate can only be having made significant sacrifices guaranteed in the general economic employment are guaranteed. ers' conditions of employment, a experiment fails’ in 2009 and 2013 to sustain and interest by entering into such direct- However, Owen Reidy added: “At lowering of standards and a poten- award contracts.” maintain their company’s viability.” a recent meeting between senior tially fragmented provision of bus It is intended that current Bus personnel of the NTA with a SIPTU services.” Liberty 11 Workplace Committee JUNE 2014

St James’s Workplace Committee: organising for the future It’s back to basics at St James’s CROSS the health and increased sick leave because pital but believes that the key is or- sector, SIPTU mem- people are stressed in their jobs as ganising at ground level. bers are facing in- they are being left on their own.” “An individual can’t do every- A creased challenges Workplace Committee members, thing and we need to get people or- due to changes to work prac- such as John Mooney, who repre- ganised. Currently, the union is tices, funding cuts and the re- sents maintenance staff, have di- seeking to get new interns and in- lentless push to privatise rect experience of the public sector creased numbers of the non-na- services. recruitment moratorium. tional staff into membership.” In St James’s Hospital, Dublin, He told Liberty: “I worked in the Tina believes that there is a these challenges have re-invigo- main building going around the growing realisation among workers rated interest in union activity. floors. A job came up on the tractor In recent months, the SIPTU St and it was all explained to me James’s Workplace Committee has what the conditions were and I been holding regular monthly said I would take it. ‘I’ve decided to meetings and held shop steward “Then the man that was partner- elections to ensure all sections ing me retired. I’m left out there get involved where SIPTU members work are come involved. He said: “I started to do.” However, the years of on my own now. If anything hap- represented. in this hospital as a contract union/management partnership pened to me in an isolated part of now because Paddy Dingle, who is SIPTU cleaner over 30 years ago. I’ve now did bring many benefits for work- the hospital, no one would know.” the union needs Chief Shop Steward in St James’s, been working for 17 years in mate- ers that must now be defended. A perceived lack of proper en- told Liberty: “I want the union in rials management. Tina Kelly, who represents gagement between management “The union was a lot stronger 20 housekeepers, has worked at the and union representatives at all to be built up to this hospital to be seen as one that levels is also causing problems. has a grip on change, so that peo- years ago; nothing went on in the hospital for 27 years. hospital without its involvement. She said: “When I started as a According to Eugene, manage- the organisation ple from other hospitals can come ment tends to communicate “with down and see how we deal with That broke down about five or six part-timer, we only had two weeks it was before’ years ago. I’ve decided to get in- holidays and through partnership each other but not with the work- concerns. ers on the floor”. “St James’s should be seen as a volved now because the union we ended up with four weeks hol- This approach can lead to prob- platform of how the union deals needs to be built up to the organi- idays, we had sick leave, we were lems. John recalls: “I drive the trac- with the new situation.” sation it was before.” brought into the pension tor at the weekend and one Recent months have seen a new Referring to the decline in union schemes.” Saturday I went to drive it to a part “that you can’t stand on your own, network of shop stewards elected activity at the hospital, Committee The situation has changed dra- of the hospital and there was secu- that you need people around you.” for all departments from support Vice-Chair, William Higgins, ad- matically since the onset of the fi- rity guard there saying I couldn’t As a new worker representative, staff, which includes materials mits that “things had died away”. nancial crisis with staff under drive it in. People are not even she also underlined the essential managers, housekeeping, porters, “We had a committee here over increasing pressure to maintain being told about changes until need for shop stewards training. radiographers and other non-nurs- 20 years ago and it died away. It the proper functioning of the hos- they happen.” Eugene added: “You’re going to ing medical staff. wasn’t that people had lost inter- pital for patients. The newly-invigorated commit- make mistakes sometimes but SIPTU members, such as Eugene est; just everything was going Paddy said: “The main problems tee is intent on challenging these with the group around you, it Burke, who had not previously smoothly, money was around and are the moratorium on recruit- situations. Paddy represents the won’t just be an individual having been active in the union have be- there seemed be less for the union ment, overtime budgets being cut workforce on the board of the hos- to make all the decisions.” 12 Liberty JUNE 2014 Economy People willing to wear the hair shirt no longer

is impossible to forecast this with any great degree of precision. By So long as there are no wildcard Vic Duggan negative surprises – unknown un- knowns! – in the second half of the year, it may well be the case that the Government will need to an- One thing about nounce only minimal new auster- ity measures in October’s budget. the 2015 budget But this is far from guaranteed. Looking beyond 2015, things get is for sure: the even murkier. The national debt is more than a fifth larger than the en- planned €2 billion tire annual output of the economy, more than double the 60% of GDP spending cuts level permitted of euro zone mem- bers. New European rules, more- and tax hikes will over, mean that this level should fall by a 20th of the excess every be watered down year – so by more than 3% in 2015. Does this mean more austerity? for reasons both Again, the growth rate is the critical variable. If the economy gets a tail- economic and wind, as investment comes back from unsustainably low levels for political instance, the debt-to-GDP ratio could fall rapidly as it did in the 1990s. On the other hand, if growth disappoints, and if interest VER since the Troika below 3% of GDP, in line with Ire- the Central Bank and the timing of recent upbeat assessment that, rates spike higher, then further ad- left late last year, the land’s legal obligations as a euro receipts from the National Lottery with the return of strong economic justments would be necessary to Government has been zone member. – that won’t be in play next year. growth, no further austerity meas- ensure the national debt doesn’t While the Government could ask As in last year’s budget, there ures would be needed in 2015 on spiral out of control, never mind making noises about for an extension, as other countries may be some once-off creative ac- top of the already enacted water Eeasing the burden of austerity putting it on a sustainable down- such as France have done, it is counting to hit the 3% target. This charges. The big “known un- on Irish families. There is also ward path. likely they will not want to squan- would mean less need for politi- known” here is the growth rate it- While an EU-level deal on Ire- a sense that now Ireland has der – as they see it – their hard- cally toxic spending cuts and tax self. While the ESRI’s analysis is land’s legacy debt from the bank- “regained its sovereignty”, and won credibility with those who hikes this side of the general elec- predicated on GDP growth hitting ing crisis could be a game-changer, the economic emergency can lend us money – the EU, IMF and tion, but would do little for the 3.5% in 2015, for instance, the events have shown this is some- be considered over, people are particularly the financial markets. long-term sustainability of the pub- OECD’s Economic Outlook, thing that can’t be counted on. not willing to wear the hair It is therefore likely that October’s lic finances. published in May, forecast a more Even in a best-case scenario, how- shirt any longer. This is pre- budget will be carefully calibrated The ESRI made headlines with a sedate 2.2% growth rate. In truth, it ever, there will not – and should to meet the 3% “letter of the law”. not – be any swift return to the cisely the message the govern- In the first five months of 2014, ing parties have taken from giveaway budgets of days passed, tax revenues came in €446m ahead no matter what happens in elec- the drubbing they received in of target while spending came in So long as there are no wildcard tions. the recent local and European €155m below target, meaning the negative surprises in the second After a hat-trick of regressive elections. deficit is about €600m lower than budgets, where the less well-off At best, 2015 will be the last full was expected by this time of year. half of the year, it may well be the have shouldered a larger propor- year before the next general elec- If these trends were to be main- tional share of the austerity bur- tion. The electoral reckoning could tained through the rest of 2014, it case that the Government will den, it is questionable whether well come much sooner than early is quite possible that the starting the FG-Labour government can re- 2016, meaning October’s budget point for 2015 – on which Octo- need to announce only minimal verse this trend at the same time could be the last before the Gov- ber’s budget sums will be calcu- as targeting income tax relief at ernment faces the voters again. lated – would be more than €1 new austerity measures in middle-income households and While there are differing opin- billion better than had been envis- October’s budget. But this is far putting more emphasis on cutting ions on how and when to get there, aged. Against this, however, must spending – which hurts the less there is broad agreement that the be discounted a number of one-off from guaranteed well-off harder – rather than rais- budget deficit should be brought measures – such as income from ing revenue. Liberty 13 Economy JUNE 2014 Putting a roof on our economic recovery...

By Micheál Collins and for housing and untapped poten- Daragh McCarthy tial for additional supply. On the demand side there are underlying market needs linked to OUSING has been the structure of the population, the slow recovery in employment one of a number of and a gradual emergence of lend- issues that has sat at ing capacity. Hthe core of Ireland’s Furthermore, the demand for so- recent economic collapse. cial housing remains extremely The severity of the decline in high with 89,872 households commercial land and property recorded as on waiting lists in May prices, followed by the decline in 2013; more than twice the level in residential prices and associated employment and economic activity dress the waiting lists and boost Table 1: Irish house completions, average prices and comparisons has impacted hard on the econ- economic activity and employment with income/earnings (i.e. how many multiples of annual income omy. ‘Housing... a in the construction sector. the house costs). 1995-2013 Aside from the legacy bank res- Relative Structured on a commercial Relative to Relative to key sector of the No. of Average to cue costs, the completion data in disposable gross basis, and perhaps drawing on Year dwellings house gross Table 1 point towards levels of ac- household average economy was let some of the funds available from completed prices (€) household tivity well below normal. income earnings the new Ireland Strategic Invest- income Similarly, uncertainty and high get out of control ment Fund and other sources such 1995 30,575 77,994 3.43 4.18 - mortgage debts continue to sup- as pension funds, a plan to build press spending and broader eco- and allowed to 1996 33,725 87,202 - - -- nomic activity. The housing sector, alter from its 20,000 additional units over four an important part of a normal years seems feasible. 1997 38,842 102,222 - - - economy with sustained employ- core role of These units would be in addition ment, investment and consump- to the 4,500 units that NAMA has 1998 42,349 125,302 - - - tion, remains worryingly accommodation committed to provide. Based on 1999 46,512 148,521 - - - suppressed. Along with this, many to instead pursue Department of Finance job multi- thousands of households are in plier estimates, such a scheme 2000 49,812 169,191 4.87 5.88 - negative equity, there is an emerg- would create approximately 16,000 capital gains’ 2001 52,602 182,86 - - - ing price ‘bubble’ in some urban jobs in the sector (4,000 per areas while affordable housing is annum over each of the four 2002 57,695 198,087 - - - unattainable. years). The expensive lessons of recent 2005. 2003 68,819 224,567 4.96 6.24 - years must not be lost. Excessive On the supply side, a profile of An investment of this magnitude house prices were not good news the unemployed points towards would move Ireland closer to the 2004 76,954 249,191 5.05 6.45 - for the economy and society gener- large numbers of males with skills average level of public investment ally. A key sector of the economy and experience in the skilled as a percentage of GDP in the EU. 2005 80,957 276,221 5.41 6.82 - was let get out of control and al- trades who are unemployed. As that programme winds down, 2006 93,419 305,637 5.55 7.00 - lowed to alter from its core role of Across Europe in 2012, 7.2% of the broader housing sector should accommodation provision to in- those employed worked in the con- be in a better place to absorb these 2007 78,027 322,634 5.39 6.72 - stead pursue capital gains. struction sector while the Irish fig- workers and maintain its return to- 2008 51,724 305,269 5.04 6.22 8.30 A further legacy of the recent ure was 4.7%, a number that wards more normal levels of activ- economic collapse is that policy implies that more than 50,000 ity and employment. 2009 26,420 242,033 4.28 5.27 6.57 makers are reluctant to engage in workers are likely to regain em- Given Ireland’s recent economic anything related to housing. ployment in this sector as it recov- history, recovery must not mean a 2010 14,602 228,268 4.22 5.29 6.32 However, just because previous ers and returns to levels equivalent return to the ways of the past. A to European norms. 2011 10,480 230,303 4.35 5.51 6.41 policy initiatives were flawed and new era for housing policy is re- inappropriate does not mean that However, as a return to normal quired. It must be one where the 2012 8,488 220,415 4.22 5.44 6.11 current and future initiatives are conditions is awaited for the hous- primary aim is to provide afford- to be avoided. ing market, there is merit in Gov- 2013 8,301 234,301 - - able homes that are fit for purpose, - The collapse in house comple- ernment investing in a new social Note: This table updates an analysis from Drudy and Collins (2011). Household income data are averages from housing programme. as opposed to excessive capital the CSO’s Household Budget Surveys and Survey on Income and Living Conditions. Disposable income is income tion figures (see Table 1) has oc- after taxes and social transfers. Average earning data is only available from 2008 onwards. curred despite recovering demand This would simultaneously ad- gains for investors.

SIPTU President, Jack O’Connor, has “This initiative would coincide with the cente- provision of housing to the development of “Monthly progress reports should be published called on the Government to launch a nary of the Democratic Programme of the First funding vehicles to provide low interest loans by the Task Force. This major social project Dáil. A high level Task Force should be set up, enabling citizens to acquire accommodation or would be an appropriate way to commemorate major national social initiative to solve chaired by the Tánaiste and populated by the retain their homes. the memory of Connolly who always insisted the housing crisis over a five year Departments of Finance, Public Enterprise and that ‘Ireland apart from its people means noth- period. Addressing the Labour Party Reform, Social Protection and Environment (in- “A sustained effort should be made to ensure ing to me’. leadership hustings in the Communica- cluding the Local Authorities) to develop and im- that this initiative acquires the character of a plement an all-embracing programme which pivotal national project connecting with all “In any event, we should not shame ourselves tions Workers Union headquarters in mobilises all available resources, including layers of our society. as a nation by allowing this appalling housing Dublin on Saturday 14th June, he said: NAMA, the NTMA and the Strategic Investment scandal to continue while we commemorate the fund. Its mandate should extend from the direct memory of the heroic people of 1916.” 14 Liberty JUNE 2014 Comment Setting out the values that will nurture a new Republic point around which to organise a the income of the bottom 10% of civil society that is increasingly Irish earners. By fragmented. They provide a tem- The 2014 report of the Intergov- Niall Crowley plate on which to develop alterna- ernmental Panel on Climate tives to the directions currently Change stated that catastrophic cli- being pursued for Irish society by mate change can be averted with- LAIMING Our Future policy makers. is proposing the de- out sacrificing living standards, However, these values do not that the cheapest and least risky velopment of a ‘Decla- have much traction either popu- ration for a New way of dealing with global warm- C larly or politically. These are not ing is by abandoning all dirty fossil Republic’ and its content will the values that influence or shape fuels, and that current emission be discussed and developed policy or practice across the State. over the coming year. cutting pledges by the world’s na- There has been no concerted ef- tions make it more than likely that It will be launched to coincide fort to trace out their practical im- the 2°C global warming limit will with the centenary commemora- plications for policy, budgets, or tions in 2016 and the general elec- be broken. institutional reform. The Irish Government has pro- We have yet to establish the comprehensive blueprint for an al- ‘...the need for an ternative Ireland based on a com- ‘The Irish Govern- alternative to the mitment to these values. Back in 2010, Claiming Our Fu- ment has produced boom-and-bust ture identified policy alternatives to be prioritised. These included a climate change economy, a more the need for a sustainable alterna- equal society, tive to our boom-and-bust econ- bill with no binding omy, a more equal society, change change the way we in the way we govern ourselves, targets for emissions govern ourselves, decent and sustainable jobs, radi- reduction and no decent jobs, radical cal reform of the banking system, and reform of our public services. pathways to achieve reform of banking, A number of themes have emerged out of these to focus the emissions reduction’ public sector reform’ work of Claiming Our Future. Income equality has now come tion planned for that year. on to the international agenda with work by Wilkinson and Pick- duced a climate change bill with no A wide range of civil society or- Delegates at Claiming Our Future’s ett on binding targets for emissions re- ganisations will, hopefully, get in- 2010 launch event in Dublin The Spirit Level and by Photo: COF Thomas Piketty on Capitalism in duction and no pathways to volved in the process of developing the 21st Century. Even the Interna- achieve emissions reduction. this declaration. tional Monetary Fund has raised it. A Claiming Our Future delibera- Meetings have been held in of values that united them. point for the ‘Declaration for a It has yet to gain any real posi- tive event on political reform Dublin, Cork and Galway to Equality, environmental sustain- New Republic’. ability, participation, accountabil- These values continue to pose a tion in the political or popular dis- found significant support for re- develop the idea. A draft document ity, and solidarity were chosen. challenge for Irish society and Irish course in Ireland, despite the top form and empowerment of local is being put forward to focus These values provide the starting politics. They offer a valuable 10% garnering more than 14 times government, electoral processes discussion. that secured greater diversity Organisations around the coun- among political representatives, try and in all sectors of civil society New climate bill has no binding and recognition of the democratic targets for cutting emissions might then hold events to discuss Photo: Francesco Cavallari contribution of civil society and this and feed back their ideas for protection for its advocacy work. the final declaration. Since then the Government has A deliberative event in 2015 tried to abolish the Seanad and, on would then consider and agree on failing to do this, has refused to re- the final ‘Declaration for a New Re- form it. They have disproportion- public’. ately cut funding for community This should be an ambitious groups and are now trying to pri- blueprint for an alternative Ireland vatise this work. that would be capable of mobilis- These three themes will feature ing support and of having a real in the ‘Declaration for a New Re- impact on the political process. public’. There are many more Claiming Our Future emerged themes, such as decent work, out of such a deliberative event. In human rights, and a living wage for 2010, a thousand people deliber- example. ated on the future in Dublin’s RDS. We hope that a wide participa- It was a powerful moment as tion in this process will broaden people from across the full spec- the agenda and secure wide sup- trum of civil society agreed on a set port for this initiative. Liberty 15 Liberty View JUNE 2014 Liberty By JACK O’CONNOR SIPTU General President View A Red Line for Budget 2015 – No Further Cuts

Budget 2015 is now rapidly looming. the Government’s forecast of 4.8%. Tax rev- The Government must press ahead quickly This is a crucial juncture on the road enues are 2.9% ahead of target and income with the establishment of the new Strategic tax reflecting higher employment numbers Investment Bank (entitled Strategic Invest- to the future. The plan that was ulti- is ahead by 7.8% over the same period last ment Banking Corporation - SIBC). This was mately agreed with the Troika by the year (actually this seems to bear out the as- one of Labour’s best achievements in the present Government commits us to sessment that there are more jobs being cre- negotiations with Fine Gael on the Pro- ated in Ireland pro-rata than in any other gramme for Government after the General cut the gap between tax revenue and country in the EU at the present time). Election of 2011. It is quite clear that they public spending to below the equiva- have been meeting stiff resistance in their lent of 3% of GDP next year, (as against If the public finances remain as efforts to bring it about since. It is key to in- this year which was the original target jecting hundreds of millions of euro in job good as this for the remainder of generating “off balance sheet” investment agreed by the previous Fianna the year there will be absolutely into the economy, because it could raise low Fail/Green Party administration). interest loans from the German KFW Bank no justification for a budget of and the European Investment Bank. A further €2bn “adjustment” is pencilled in anything remotely approaching to the Government’s fiscal plan to achieve €2bn. it. This would entail a combination of cuts If it could be established in time and new taxes. Of this, €500m is estimated for September it could compete from water charges and about €300m from the Haddington Road Agreement. This If the public finances remain as good as this at auctions for the €400bn in for the remainder of the year there will be low interest loans for the SME absolutely no justification for a budget of Sector which has just been The EU Commission has anything remotely approaching €2bn. announced by the European recently been out demanding Therefore, it is perfectly feasible to insist that there must be no further cuts affecting Central Bank. an even bigger adjustment working families or the people who depend than €2bn. This is on the on public services. This demand will form the cornerstone of our pre-budget submis- If it could be established in time for Sep- grounds that the Government sion and we will expect that it would also tember it could compete at auctions for the is too optimistic about growth be the case with the wider trade union €400bn in low interest loans for the SME projections for next year. movement. We have already come out pub- Sector which has just been announced by licly calling on the incoming leadership of the European Central Bank. the Labour Party to insist on this as a red would leave about €1.2bn to be made up. line issue in any talks with the Fine Gael Generating jobs is the key to recovery and The EU Commission has recently been out Party and we have also called on them to gradually improving living standards once demanding an even bigger adjustment than make it clear that they will leave Govern- again. After that, the next most important €2bn. This is on the grounds that the Gov- ment on this issue if necessary. element is increasing wages which also in- ernment is too optimistic about growth pro- creases employment because it improves jections for next year. Of course, the levels of growth must be spending power within the economy. We maintained in order to ensure that the gap have to use every opportunity to press the However, it is becoming increasingly clear between tax revenue and spending does not case. that we can get to the 3% target without any- expand beyond 3% of GDP by the end of thing remotely like a €2bn correction. The 2015. This is why we are urging the Labour exchequer returns for the end of May are Party within the Government to ramp up its running €1.22bn ahead of target for the emphasis on measures to stimulate the first five months of the year. If this position growth of domestic demand. This accounts is maintained, the deficit for this year will for three quarters of GDP and two thirds of come in at just over 4.1% of GDP as against it is comprised of consumer spending. 16 Liberty JUNE 2014 Community Don’t be afraid to ask citizens’ rights offices who will as- By sist you to find the information Frank you need. McDonnell And if you have spent a lifetime paying taxes and charges, it’s only NE of life’s essential right and proper that you should lessons when it have access to any and all State comes to dealing supports that you are entitled to. with the State is A good example of a financial O support that many people may not never be afraid to ask what you might be entitled to. be aware of is as follows: An unfortunate fact of these If someone is on a State pension straitened times we live in is that of €230 per week, his/her spouse, while we still have (some) rights regardless of age, could be entitled Deirdre McCarthy, project coordinator with Community to a qualified adult payment of Technical Aid, describing the likely impact of privatisation. and entitlements, the State will Photo: Darragh O’Connor not always be rushing forward to €153 per week. let you know what they are. Not only this, but this money is A good example of this was the quite properly paid separately into Government’s failure to highlight the spouse’s bank account. a recent positive change with re- An important point to bear in gard to prescription charges. mind with this example is that the Until December of last year med- spouse may be better off seeking a ical card holders suffering from a qualified adult payment on the Communities resist range of “prescribed illnesses”, in- strength of their partner’s contri- cluding epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, di- butions, as this could be worth abetes and cerebral palsy, were more than the alternative of a re- required to pay a €2.50 levy for duced pension entitlement. each prescription item. There are a number of other As the charge was levied on each entitlements available depending privatisation item, it could easily add up to as on circumstances such as home much as €20 per month in some improvement grants and HSE fuel OMMUNITIES that ethos.” been met with a wall of silence cases. Many pensioners were allowance payments (in addition Against Cuts launched Community Project Co-ordina- from the Department. Workers struggling to cope with these costs to the normal fuel allowance) to tor, Tommy Coombes, from Blue- simply don’t know if they will and some were having to forgo tak- its campaign against name just two. bell CDP outlined the challenges have a job this time next year.” ing vital medicines as they could C the privatisation of For people suffering from certain facing those working in the sector. At a recent meeting at the not afford the imposition of mul- categories of illness there is also community programmes at a tiple levies each month. He said:“Our community is vir- Labour Relations Commission, the long-term illness book which packed press conference in tually under siege with issues of SIPTU, IMPACT and Local Devel- Following an intensive lobbying entitles people to medicines with- campaign led by SIPTU’s Limerick Dublin last month. fear, debt, rent arrears, unemploy- opment Companies who deliver out any charge (including prescrip- The 13th May launch at the LCDP agreed a joint approach District Council, this levy was abol- tion charges). ment, early school leaving, drug ished with regard to these pre- Buswells Hotel, which was chaired to deal with issues arising from Finally, there is recourse to a and alcohol abuse, anti-social be- scribed illnesses. by broadcaster Vincent Browne, privatisations and alignment. Community Welfare Officer for ex- haviour, lack of housing mainte- The only problem was that the saw contributions from a number In recent weeks, thousands of ceptional needs payments if peo- nance, social isolation added to an Government didn’t bother telling of SIPTU community activists and ple are in real financial difficulty. over-riding feeling of abandon- people from local communities anyone that it had made this others working in the sector. Two books which I would highly right across the State change and as a result many peo- The community sec- have attended public ple could still be paying the charge recommend on this subject are En- titlements for people over 60 and tor delivers a range of meetings to oppose unawares. You’d almost think they services to the young, the privatisation plans. didn’t want people to know! Entitlements for People with Dis- old, unemployed and Following a meeting Thankfully, there are civil society abilities, both published by the Cit- disabled on behalf of with the Department organisations such as trade unions, izens Advice Bureau. the State on a not-for- community support groups and Frank McDonnell is chairperson of of Environment on SIPTU’s Limerick District Council profit basis. Wednesday 11th June However, the De- SIPTU Sector Organ- partment of Environ- iser, Eddie Mullins, ment, Community and said: “workers have Local Government is questions about their planning to subject the future and don’t even Social Inclusion and Community ment and indifference from those know if they will have a job this time next year, however the De- Activation Programme (formerly who are charged with protecting partment is unwilling to negoti- the Local Community Develop- the most vulnerable.” Deirdre McCarthy, project coor- ate. We will now be meeting with ment Programmes or LCDP) to shop stewards and members to dinator with Community Techni- competitive tendering from 2015, plan our next steps. cal Aid, describing the likely effectively privatising the pro- Communities Against Cuts is a gramme. impact of privatisation, said: coalition campaign group compris- Social researcher, Brian Harvey, “Community projects will, at best, ing SIPTU Community Campaign, Medical card holders with speaking at the launch, said: “The be forced into competition with the Community Workers Co-op, ‘prescribed illnesses’ community sector has developed each other. At worst, we will be Citywide and other community ac- no longer have to pay prescription charges over 20 years with an ethos of co- eradicated. tivists. A number of high-profile operation and inclusivity – com- “When it comes to the future of actions will be rolled out by the petitive tendering goes against our project and our jobs we have campaign in the coming months. Liberty 17 Community JUNE 2014 SIPTU meets minister over fears for jobs By David Connolly

SIPTU delegation led Labour Relations Commission. At the meeting Minister Burton will not be put out to tender in Local Development Companies for by Vice-President, On JobPath contracts, senior of- confirmed that the Local Employ- 2015, or for the foreseeable future. more than 20 years. Patricia King, met ficials at the meeting informed the This assurance will be a great re- Despite this, however, the Envi- with the Minister for delegation that a number of ten- lief to hundreds of workers em- ronment Minister, Phil Hogan, de- A ders had been received and were ployed in the Local Employment cided that the programme should Social Protection, Joan Bur- being evaluated. Service and Jobs Clubs managed by be made available through a public ton, on 4th June to discuss a However, while it had been orig- the Local Development Compa- tendering process from 1st January range of issues of concern to inally announced that four individ- nies. next year. Community Sector workers. ual contracts were to be issued in Over recent months there have This tendering process is now These included the contracting May, this was more likely to occur been persistent rumours, fuelled under way and is causing extreme out to the private sector of the new in September. by answers to Dáil questions and stress for the thousands of workers DSP JobPath programme as well as The delegation outlined SIPTU’s comments by local DSP officials employed in these companies. job security for union members in opposition to the privatisation of that the Department was obliged In response to this, SIPTU organ- Local Employment Services and these services and that the JobPath to contract out these services by isers along with IMPACT officials Jobs Clubs. programme should be delivered Burton: assurances public tender, as is happening with and the LDCs Employer body, Irish The delegation also highlighted through the existing employment given over tendering the new Social Inclusion Commu- Local Development Network, met the need to put in place the formal services. to the private sector nity Action programme from the with senior officials in the Depart- mechanism for engagement as rec- It was proposed that a further Department of Environment, Com- ment of Environment on 11th June ommended in a recent agreement meeting should be held with the munity and Local Government. to progress the LRC recommenda- covering Local Development Com- DSP minister when the evaluation ment Service, Jobs Clubs and other This programme has been the tions. Communities resist panies (LDCs) brokered at the process was completed. community-based programmes main source of core funding for privatisation Rosie Hackett remembered

At the opening of the Rosie Hackett Bridge were Rosie’s nephew John Gray, Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar, SIPTU General Secretary Joe O’Flynn, Sabina Higgins and Emer Costello. Photo: Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

A HOST of Rosie Hackett’s proud listening to the story of her life and O’Brien, who regularly came across relatives from across Dublin and an archival recording of her voice, Rosie in the ITGWU’s newsagent Britain gathered in Liberty Hall on to be an emotional experience. and tobacconist shop on Eden 19th May, the day before the new The lecture was based on an arti- Quay during the late 1940s and public transport and pedestrian cle written by Curry for the official 1950s,” Curry told Liberty. bridge across the Liffey was opened Dublin City Council booklet Cross- “At the Liberty Hall lecture on in her name. ing the Liffey in Style: Rosie Hack- the 19th, when I read May’s de- Historian James Curry gave an ac- ett Bridge, which was launched at scription of seeing Rosie (a woman count of Rosie Hackett’s extraordi- the Dublin City Library and Archive she greatly admired) angrily con- nary life, including her on Friday 9th May by the city’s front a ‘big brawny man’ in the involvement with the Irish then Lord Mayor, Oisín Quinn, union’s shop in 1947 after she felt Women’s Workers Union during who also formally opened the he had slighted the men and the 1913 Lockout, in the Irish Citi- bridge 11 days later. SIPTU General women of 1916, the room was zens Army and the 1916 Rising Secretary Joe O’Flynn also spoke at filled with smiles and laughter at when she served with Constance the bridge opening on behalf of the Dublin naming its newest bridge At the launch of Crossing the Liffey in Markievicz in St. Stephens Green. union. after a woman you wouldn’t want Style: Rosie Hackett Bridge at the Dublin City Library and Archive (left Family members found the “One of the audience members to cross!,” he said. to right): Laura Paul, Bill O’Brien, May process of seeing dozens of photo- at the packed booklet launch was O’Brien, James Curry. Photo: Pól Ó Duibhir graphs of Rosie on a big screen, and SIPTU’s first Equality Officer May 18 Liberty JUNE 2014 Supporting Quality Get that Summer Feeling with the Brands and Products of Supporting Quality Supporting Quality is a consumer campaign which aims to protect quality jobs in Ireland by promoting quality goods manufactured in Ireland and quality services provided by fellow workers

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Like our campaign on Facebook and be entered into a draw to win a €100 voucher Terms and conditions on our Facebook page Liberty 19 Supporting Quality JUNE 2014 Ballygowan goes Gold to back war against cancer BALLYGOWAN has officially Gold campaign. and healthcare professionals. unveiled a major new cam- At the heart of its pledge to sup- Furthermore, a donation made to paign to raise funds to sup- port the charity, Ballygowan –a the charity for every Gold bottle sold port increased cancer Supporting Quality product – has with all monies going to fund essen- awareness across Ireland and unveiled plans to turn Ballygowan la- tial nursing services, supporting can- to fund vital cancer support bels gold. From now until September, cer patients and their families at services for those who battle Ballygowan Gold bottles will bear a home. against the disease every day. specially designed label promoting The Ballygowan and Irish Cancer Working with the Irish Cancer the Irish Cancer Society’s National Society partnership will be supported Society, and its campaign partner Cancer Helpline – a free nationwide by a large-scale marketing campaign Marie Curie Cancer Care in North- information service staffed by oncol- fronted by comedian Des Bishop. The ern Ireland, Ballygowan is asking ogy nurses, providing information initiative has also garnered the sup- consumers to join the fight against and support on cancer to the general port of broadcaster Mairead Farrell, cancer and support the Ballygowan public, cancer patients, their families whose life has also been touched

Help Ballygowan raise funds to support the fight

Brolly good show: against cancer. broadcaster Mairead Farrell and comedian Des Bishop both back This summer Ballygowan labels are turning Ballygowan campaign gold to support the Irish Cancer Society. For every gold bottle sold, a donation will by cancer in the past. the National Cancer Helpline free- be made to help fund much needed Night Speaking at the launch of the fone number so that anyone out Nursing Services. Every bottle will make Ballygowan gold campaign, Des there with a query or concern a di erence so part of it and support Bishop said: “Behind the cancer about cancer can get the support statistics, real lives and real people they need. Ballygowan Gold in your store today! across Ireland are impacted by this He added:“Together, with Bally- For Point of Sale Materials and more information please deadly disease. Both my family gowan, we won’t stop until cancer contact your local Sales Representative. and I know only too well how does.” tough this fight can be. Leonie Doyle, Director of Brand “For this very reason, the cam- Marketing at Britvic Ireland said: paign from the Irish Cancer Society “This campaign empowers Irish and Ballygowan really struck a chord with me. It consumers to provide allows everyone to much needed support play their part in to a cause that touches the fight against one in three of our cancer, both lives. through raising awareness and most “Ballygowan is a importantly, raising proud Irish product money to fund vital with a strong heritage nursing services.” and we hope that John McCormack, SUPPORTING consumers’ trust in CEO of the Irish QUALITY our brand will trans- Cancer Society, said: Protecting Quality Jobs in Ireland late into much “Striving towards a Promoting Quality Irish Products future without can- needed support for cer is at the very the fight against cancer in Ireland.” heart of everything we do at the Ballygowan Gold is available na- Irish Cancer Society. Partnering tionwide in 500ml, 750ml, 1L and with Ballygowan enables us to 2L bottles until September 2014. reach a mass audience with a can- Join us in the fight against can- cer awareness message. cer and ‘B part of it’ by picking up Limited edition gold labels available across 500ml Still, 750ml, 1L & 2L Still ranges. “We are truly heartened that in a limited-edition Ballygowan Gold addition to raising funds to sup- bottle between now and Septem- port the cancer cause, millions of ber or get involved on Facebook; Every bottle makes a di erence. Choose to part of it. Ballygowan bottles will bear the https://www.facebook.com/Bally- Irish Cancer Society name and also gowanIrishWater. 20 Liberty JUNE 2014 News Retired train driver to head up Senior Citizens Parliament FORMER train driver and organisations whenever and wher- Rail Committee for 12 years and mittee member of the CIÉ Social union activist, John Walsh, ever that might be. served as its chairman for five Club and served on Irish Rail’s has been elected President of He told Liberty: “There is a need years. Joint Consultative Council (JCC) the Irish Senior Citizens for older people to stand together He also served on the ICTU and was its Joint Chairman. Parliament. and not accept cuts and other Group of Unions for approximately Outside of Irish Rail and union John worked for Irish Rail at charges that might be inflicted on nine years and sat on the executive responsibilities, John is a former them. of that group. Waterford, clocking up 46 years – Chairman and Secretary of the Res- “We need to motivate older peo- He was on the Standing Orders 37 of them as a train driver. idents’ Association in Mooncoin. ple to stand up and fight for the Committee of SIPTU and was its He served in the Defence Forces After his retirement in 2006, rights they have earned during chairman for many years with re- with the FCA for seven years and John – who lives at Grange, Moon- their working life.” sponsibility for the smooth run- An Slua Muiri for 12 years. coin, Co. Kilkenny with his wife, Throughout his working life, ning of annual conferences among Mary – became involved with the John was involved with other tasks. He is currently Chairman of the Waterford group of SIPTU Retired ITGWU/SIPTU at local and national During his time with Irish Rail, Waterford Branch of the Irish Members’ Committee. level and held a number of senior John was also Safety Representa- Naval Association and is the Now as President of the Irish positions, including Rail Section tive for the Waterford area cover- group’s National Honorary Treas- Senior Citizens Parliament, John Secretary for 34 years. ing the track to Arklow on the east urer. has underlined his commitment to He was also a branch delegate coast line, to Athy on the Dublin His other interests are photogra- work vigorously on behalf of older and served two terms as Vice Pres- line and to Cahir on the Limerick phy, golf, GAA, soccer, travel, DIY John Walsh: committed to people and has vowed to make ident and three terms as President. line. and spending time at the family’s work hard for pensioners himself available to all affiliated John was on the SIPTU National He was for many years a Com- mobile home in Rosslare Strand. First LGBT rights in the DUBLINBUD NILB workplace training course THE NUMBER one issue for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people is equal rights at work – being able to PRIDEIRP ED work in an environment where you can be fully open about your sexuality without fear of discrimination. PARADEPPAAR EDAR E That was the main finding of a 2009 survey, ‘Burning Issues’ con- ducted in 2009 by the National Les- bian & Gay Federation of Ireland (NLGF). Sponsored by SIPTU and SaturdayadrutaS y 28th JunenuJht82y e the Equality Authority, the survey was aimed at gaining more insight into LGBT lives. According to ICTU figures, 56,000 SIPTU LGBTQ Network invites all SIPTU trade union members in Ireland members to march with the Network on identify as LGBT. Approximately 20,000 of those are SIPTU mem- this year’s Pride Parade in the capital bers. That workers’ rights ranked higher than marriage equality or other major issues offers an oppor- tunity for the trade union move- Front (left to right): Vanessa Lacey, (TENI), Tom O’Driscoll (Head of Legal Assemble 1:30 pm ment to take action. SIPTU and its Unit), Chris Rowland (MISC) Rachel Mathews-McKay (SIPTU LGBTQ LGBTQ Network are concentrating Network). Back row: Dr Judy Walsh (School of Social Justice, UCD), Ethel efforts on identifying and meeting Buckley (National Campaigns & Equality Organiser), Mags O’Brien (Tutor), Parnell Square West Dr Aideen Quilty (School of Social Justice UCD), Richie Keane (SIPTU those needs. There are a number of LGBTQ Network). valuable ways in which we can do this, including visibility, solidarity and equality training. (MISC) and the staff of the Legal Therefore it is vital that we are aware Recently the first ‘LGBT in the Rights Unit. of how equality in the workplace is a Workplace’ training day was held at Ethel Buckley, National Campaigns critical priority for lesbian, gay, bisex- SIPTU College, organised by SIPTU’s and Equality Organiser, said “the goal ual and transgender people. EQUALITY UNITES US Campaigns and Equality Unit, with of this first training day on LGBT in “I am certain the specialist training the help of the Legal Rights Unit, ac- the Workplace was to increase the ca- received on the day will prove to be SOLIDARITY STRENGTHENS US tivists from the LGBTQ Network, pacity and expertise of staff in those invaluable both for myself and my SIPTU College staff, TENI (Transgen- departments that are on the frontline colleagues when representing LGBT der Equality Network Ireland) and ac- of dealing with LGBT workers’ cases members on equality issues. FOLLOW US ON: ademics from the UCD School of in the workplace and at third par- “The course allowed us to under- Social Justice. ties.” stand first-hand the experience of MISC Advocate Deirdre Canty said LGBT workers. We gained a very @siptulgbtq There were 28 participants, prima- rily Information Assistants and Advo- of the day: “As advocates in SIPTU’s valuable insight into the concerns cates from the Membership MISC, we are the biggest single user and fears of the LGBT community email: [email protected] Information and Support Centre of the employment rights bodies. in the workplace.” Liberty 21 News JUNE 2014

Dunphy holds seat in TCD board election

SIPTU representative, Sheila Dunphy, from the ISS staff A&E services in Navan category in Trinity College Dublin was re-elected to the Board of TCD in the recent elections. Sheila, who originally won the must not be reduced seat in a by-election caused by the illness and death of SIPTU shop steward, the late Noreen Murray, polled 449 votes – more than twice that of the nearest contender, Mary Foody.

! Venezuela Ireland Network

Bastille Day – time to focus on another Revolution Let’s keep this one alive!

Venezuela - What’s really happening? A talk followed by Q&A: Alvaro Sanchez Charge d’Affaires, Venezuelan embassy to Ireland and the UK)

Introduced by: Jack O’Connor, SIPTU General President

On: 14th July at 7 pm At: Liberty Hall, Dublin Time: 7pm

RSVP

SIPTU members were among those who marched in Navan on Saturday, 17th May, in support of the Save Navan Hospital Campaign.

HE SIPTU Meath Dis- some of the overcrowding in the ices in Navan Hospital in 2015.” trict Council and Accident and Emergency Depart- SIPTU Organiser, John McCam- SIPTU Louth District ment in Lourdes Hospital, ley, who represents members in Council are jointly Drogheda. the local health service, said: T calling for the reten- SIPTU Louth District Council “Enough is enough. Our members tion of full services in the secretary, Paul Henry, said: “We in- in both hospitals are on a day-to- newly built Accident and tend to bring all union workers in day basis working under extreme Emergency Department in both hospitals, along with our pressure. If the plan to close the Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan. members in other workplaces in Navan Accident and Emergency The retention of these services the region, into a campaign that Department is not stopped it will would not only benefit the local will make clear to the Minister and lead to our members being placed community in the North Meath HSE the level of opposition there in an unsafe working environ- area but would also assist in easing is to their plan to reduce A&E serv- ment.” 22 Liberty JUNE 2014 Defend the Irish University

Grant Thornton is an assurance, tax and advisory firm with a declared Irish revenue of $63 million and a global revenue of $3.8 billion. It claims to be " the fastest growing

Access denied – Trinity College Dublin: Irish universities are in firm in Ireland". danger of being captured by business interests. Photo: Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

agenda. However the stark reality is that the crisis faced by higher ed- ucation will simply not be solved by a dollop of private equity in- volvement. No amount of private colleges, on-line or otherwise, can substitute for the massive infra- We must defend structure and long history of the higher education system. The time is clearly now ripe to present an alternative to the mar- ket non-solution presented by the Grant Thornton report . Certainly, neither higher education staff nor students should, or can, be asked to suffer any further. Staff should not be subject to any further dete- our universities rioration in their pay and condi- tions. The current moves towards A report by Grant Thornton on the Irish growing firm in Ireland". They are Looking to the future, student ever greater casualisation of staff a big player in business consul- numbers are forecast to grow by need to be halted. university system is flawed. It sees higher tancy and have taken it upon more than 25% by 2030. In terms As to students they already pay themselves to produce a series of of its contribution, the State grant a very high charge (€3,000 per stu- education as something to be subjected reports on the state of higher edu- has declined from 40% of the total cation in the Republic, similar to dent) which places an unsustain- in 2007 to 25% in 2011. The sector to narrow profit interests rather than as a exercises carried out by them in able burden on many households. has reached an inflection point, ar- the UK . Current discussions around stu- public good, writes Ronnie Munck of gues the report, or what the rest of However, their first report on dent loans should be halted and a us would call a crisis. Defend the Irish University the financial health of Irish Higher cap placed on all charges. Higher This report does not even Level Institutions paints a sorry education is a public good and so- EFEND the Irish Uni- vaguely understand that education of a higher education system picture, and one of which higher ciety at large needs to have a is, in fact, a public good. It tells us versity, represents the that is recognised as a public education staff in the frontline are greater say in the future. A broad that stripped of non-profitable interests of those good and which cannot and all too well aware. Between 2007 social engagement with the future D and 2011 student numbers across courses and with its main func- who teach, research should not be subjected to nar- of higher education could produce tions outsourced it might be seen and work in higher education. row market and private profit the sector rose by 26% while the a momentum towards adequate as a sector in which private equity Our Charter (defendtheuniver- interests. State grant felt by 25%. We might funding for a higher education sys- also add that staff income dropped firms would be interested. Within sity.ie) has gathered over 1,000 Grant Thornton is an assurance, tem geared towards social needs by more than 20% over the same higher education we now see the tax and advisory firm with a de- and not private profit. signatories, and we are now clared Irish revenue of $63 million period, and numbers were reduced emergence of closely integrated working closely with the Union and a global revenue of $3.8 bil- through the Employment Control economic, political and State inter- Ronnie Munck is a lecturer in DCU and a of Students in Ireland in pursuit lion. It claims to be " the fastest Framework. ests coming together behind this member of the DCU SIPTU Section Committee Liberty 23 Know Your Rights JUNE 2014

CONTRACTS OF INDEFINITE DURATION

favourable manner than a compa- rable permanent employee and also to prevent the abuse of exces- sive continuous fixed-term con- tracts. In this instance, Rosie will be seeking to address the use of continuous fixed-term contracts and so will be seeking a contract of indefinite duration (CID). What is a Contract of Indefinite Duration (CID)? A CID has all the attributes of a permanent contract. There is no actual definition under the Act but the High Court has declared that the contents of the CID should mirror the last fixed-term contract, but have no termination date. The obvious value of a CID to Rosie would be that it would somewhat alleviate the insecurity surround- ing her position at each year’s end and strengthen her hand when dealing with credit institutions. It would be unwise to suggest that a CID offers ultimate job security to Rosie given the volatile nature of the restaurant trade. How does Rosie qualify for a CID Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Farrell/Photocall Leon Picture: under the Act? The fundamental rule is that a worker has to have two or more continuous fixed-term contracts with an aggregate duration of more than 4 years. Rosie had just started her fifth year, therefore she would seem to have an entitlement. Rosie fights for rights at Has the employer got a defence? The employer can raise the de- fence that there are objective grounds for justifying the decision to continue with fixed term con- tracts, other than grounds based on the fixed term status of the em- ployee. Such grounds must be the Strangled Serf cafe provable and capable of independ- ent audit. In this case it would be difficult to see how Mr Carnee service needed under the Unfair So what can Rosie do? contract of indefinite duration could mount such a defence. Dismissals Acts. He makes an ex- The first thing Rosie should do is under the Protection of Employees By ception for Rosie. contact the SIPTU Membership In- (Fixed-Term Work) Act, 2003. How can Rosie bring a claim and can Tom O’Driscoll Rosie is a great chef and is the formation and Support Centre at she be punished by the employer for real secret behind Con’s success. 1800-747881. This Centre has re- What is the purpose of this doing so? When Con disappears nightly in a covered an average of €4 million legislation? The Union can refer her claim for a OSIE works as a chef in plume of exhaust fumes and Ar- in compensation per year for The Fixed-Term Act comes from a CID to the Rights Commissioner and mani, the diners at The Strangled European Directive and was part of a restaurant owned by SIPTU members since its inception onwards in an appeal to the Labour Serf tuck into the culinary delights in 2010 and has advised and repre- a suite of protective legislation put Court, if necessary. It is also unlawful celebrity chef Con produced by Rosie. sented thousands of members in in place to protect “atypical” work- for an employer to penalise any em- Carnee. Known to his She has just started her fifth year that period. ers. Its purpose is basically two- ployee for taking a claim under the matesR as “Chilly” Con Carnee, he of employment, unlike her co- In this instance the advice would fold: to ensure fixed-term workers Act. epitomises coolness. He im- workers, but she has received a be for Rosie to consider seeking a cannot be treated in a less Rosie won’t be getting the sun, presses the impressionable fixed-term contract each year be- moon and stars as a result of her ginning on January 1st and ending mostly by having his own TV pro- union membership but she will be af- on December 31st. forded protection, advice and repre- gramme and also by driving an The obvious value of a CID to Rosie Rosie has a feeling of uneasiness sentation. She might well go on to electric-blue Maserati. and wants a singular contract that would be that it would somewhat help organise some of her co-workers To Rosie and her co-workers his is more tangible and secure. at The Strangled Serf. “Chilly” moniker fittingly portrays She recently applied for a car alleviate the insecurity surrounding Any similarity between this story the outright, cold disdain he has loan and her bank refused on the and actual living beings is purely co- for employees' rights. Con’s idea of basis that it considered the series her position at each year’s end and incidental. having a competitive edge means of fixed-term contracts to signify a Always contact your Union for ad- “possessing” low-paid workers precarious employment relation- strengthen her hand when dealing vice before considering a claim under who could be readily exploited and ship. Rosie took out SIPTU confi- with credit institutions the Protection of Employees (Fixed- cast aside before they had com- dential membership some years Term Work) Act as each case needs to pleted the mandatory 12 months ago. be assessed on its own merits. 24 Liberty JUNE 2014 Review When Jimmy’s Hall took on Church and State... IMMY’S Hall, the story of and sharp wit and filmed beauti- Jimmy Gralton’s at- fully by director Ken Loach, tempts at providing en- Jimmy’s Hall combines a tender J tertainment, education love story (Simone Kirby plays the and inspiration for interest here) with a political con- young people in Leitrim in flict which erupts when Gralton, the 1920s and 30s is an excel- his neighbours and republican sup- lent portrayal of the tensions porters attempt to stop an eviction between working people, the Catholic Church and the main by a landlord in a large estate in political forces of the State neighbouring Co Roscommon. during the post-revolutionary In the ensuing fallout, Gralton is Focussed: Director Ken Loach hunted down by the Garda acting period. during shooting of Jimmy’s Hall After his hall was burned down for local political and church inter- soon after the Civil War, Gralton ests and becomes the first and only left for the US but returned in the hall on his family farmland where Irish citizen of the Free State to be early 1930s as De Valera and his everything from Irish dancing and banned from his own country and resurgent Fianna Fáil were forming music, boxing, art and literature deported to the US, never to re- a one-party government for the classes are provided, Gralton locks turn. first time. horns with the local parish priest As with The Wind that Shakes On his return, Gralton (played who objected to the carry-on and, the Barley, Loach challenges the by Barry Ward) found that change in particular, to the socialist’s in- was in the air but that many things troduction of African-American Irish audience to recall and con- stayed the same – not least the re- jazz to the north Leitrim commu- front our history and perhaps pressive power of the church and nity. learn the lessons of the past and Visionary: Barry Ward who plays its allies in politics and the police. With a screenplay by Paul he does so in a hugely entertaining republican socialist Jimmy Gralton After successfully re-opening the Laverty which is full of humour way. Liberty 25 Mother Jones JUNE 2014 Mother Jones Festival back for third year A FESTIVAL and summer school honouring Mother Jones, an icon of the trade union movement in the US, returns for a third year to Cork, the city of her birth, and runs from Tuesday 29th July to Friday 1st August. Festival goers can expect a packed programme of lectures, films and gigs over four days at the Firkin Crane theatre and Maldron Hotel in Shandon. This year The Spirit of Mother Jones festival has invited along a number of speakers, including American academics and Mother Jones experts Rosemary Feurer and Iconic Corkonian: James Green as well as prominent Mother Jones civil rights lawyer Gareth Peirce. A series of events on 31st July particular delight that Prof Feurer will examine the struggle of min- was returning to the festival. ers and their communities with a He said: “Rosemary Feurer’s con- special showing of the film The tributions to packed crowds at the Battle of Orgreave and a talk by inaugural festival in 2012 were Ann Scargill and Betty Cook, a well received and her devotion to founder member of Women Mother Jones in the United States Against Pit Closures. has ensured the growing fame of James Green and Rosemary this extraordinary Cork woman Feuer will also speak on the legacy will forever be honoured.” of the infamous Ludlow Massacre He added: “We are delighted that of striking miners in Colorado in the construction of the new mu- the centenary year of the outrage. seum to Mother Jones at Mount Music highlights include gigs by Olive Illinois, her final resting the Mother Jones Ceili Band, Wild- place is going ahead and will be flower Bluegrass band and folk completed in 2015, this is largely singers Si Kahn and Ann Feeney. testament to the magnificent ef- Jim Nolan, of the Cork Mother forts of Professor Feurer and her Jones Committee, said there was committee.”

Raising the flag: a sculptor’s dream

SCULPTOR and artist Stuart marched to Dublin Castle with the going on hunger strike for 16 days Dunne is seeking assistance with Irish Citizen Army under the com- with other republicans seeking the his ambitious project to sculpt a mand of Capt Sean Connolly and release of all political prisoners. A maquette or scale life-size statue of Molly O'Reilly, was a dispatch carrier between Molly died on 4th October, 1950. model of the proposed who raised the flag of Ireland over City Hall and the GPO during the Dunne is looking for practical statue of Molly O’Reilly raising the flag over Liberty Hall a week before the Rising. material, including bronze, copper Liberty Hall in 1916 Easter Rising of 1916. In 1922 Molly and other mem- and tin as well as finance in order At the age of 14, Molly O'Reilly bers of Cumann Na mBan rejected to realise his dream of completing from Gardiner Street, Dublin, the Treaty with Britain. the work before Easter 2016, the hoisted the green flag with the Free State troops arrested Molly centenary of the Rising and to gold harp of the Irish Citizens on the orders of Richard Mulcahy, have it erected in a suitable out- Army over Liberty Hall a week be- minister for defence during the door space in the city. fore Easter Sunday, 1916. Civil War. To contact Stuart tel: 087 4156749 On Easter Monday, Molly She was freed in 1923 after email: [email protected] 26 Liberty JUNE 2014 International Irish Famine link to plight of Filipino rural poor

leading member of the Philippines National Democratic Front - Luis Jalandoni also spoke of the the priesthood and married his Ahas likened the plight late Jack Hynes, an Irish mission- soulmate, Lulu. Together with their of Filipino workers and peas- ary who lived and worked in the children, they moved back to Ire- ants today to the situation of Philippines, particularly in the is- land. He was a devoted family man the Irish people during the land of Negros for many years and who campaigned for Fr Niall Famine. NDFP Chief International Repre- integrated with the poor people, O’Brien and eight others impris- sentative Luis Jalandoni made the learning their language. oned by the Filipino government in comments on May 20th as he un- “He stood with them in facing the 1980s. veiled a stone memorial to honour the military who threatened them When Redemptorist priest, Fr. the victims of the infamous on behalf of the landgrabbers. He Rudy Romano was disappeared in Doolough Famine Walk of 1849. Each year pressure group Afri or- joined the fisherfolk in going out to July 1985, he led the Filipino Irish ganises a walk to retrace the route sea and who ‘live on the edge of Group in launching a one-year daily taken by a desperate group of because of the risks they take’.” picket at the US embassy to famine victims in search of food “When Marcos imposed martial protest against the abduction. from Louisburgh to Doolough. law in 1972, he and his colleagues When Jack Hynes died in 2006, In his speech Luis Jalandoni said working people in the Philippines brought food and supplies to the the Filipino people presented Lulu faced a “fierce struggle for food freedom fighters in the mountains. with a wooden sculpture with the sovereignty” with 70% of the pop- The dictator launched a policy of inscription, “Jack Hynes, Hero of ulation surviving on less than encirclement to isolate the revolu- the Filipino People.” €1.70 a day. tionary forces. Jack and his col- “In his honour, and with the aim “This measly amount is insuffi- cient to provide the basic daily leagues broke through that of keeping alive his legacy of out- need for food. Upon sickness, encirclement. They transported standing solidarity, a group of us there is no money for medicines, freedom fighters across enemy Filipinos and Irish people are much less for housing and school- lines. Jack rescued torture victims launching “The Jack Hynes Soli- ing.” Despite the poverty of most and brought them to safety for darity Project”, with the assis- of the population, he pointed out that the Philippines was a country medical care. tance of Afri. Jack was very of vast natural wealth and re- “The revolutionaries most involved in the Famine Walk; he was sources. hunted by the dictatorship were present in 1988 at the very first Jalandoni asked: “Why is this retrieved from danger by Jack. He Famine Walk. We sincerely hope such, in a country with 9.7 million and his colleagues like Pat and that the Jack Hynes Solidarity hectares of fertile agricultural land, marine resources abounding in Vinny Healy, and Donal MacDonald Project will effectively help in fish, rich mineral resources with risked life and limb to help the lib- building a strong solidarity be- the country number 3 in the world eration movement.” tween the Irish people and the Fil- in gold deposits, number 4 in cop- In the mid-70s, Jack Hynes left ipino people,” Jalandoni said. per, number 5 in nickel, and num- ber 6 in chromite?” He continued: “This situation of hunger, poverty, disease, and death in the midst of plenty is, I think, similar to the situation of the Irish people during the Famine. Jack Hynes on the Doolough famine walk in 2004. Photo: Derek Speirs “As James Connolly pointed out Partnership programme that gives prived of their lands in favour of in his book, Labour in Irish His- away the land to foreign corpora- multinational firms like Dole, min- tory, the Irish people produced tions, mining companies, and agri- ing corporations like Xstrata and enough for the entire population business firms. It is also a struggle Glencore, and logging companies. during the Famine, in fact, more against Monsanto, Zeneca, Syn- “These destroy the livelihood of than double. genta, and other such corporations the peasants and indigenous peo- “Enough grains and other food that steal the farmers' seed vari- ple, and ravage the environment. were produced, but these were ex- eties and render the farmers de- While these multinationals and ported to England. Connolly de- pendent on genetically modified clared the English administration varieties. The Philippine peasant their local cohorts reap super prof- of Ireland during the famine a movement, with two million mem- its, the working people are denied colossal crime against the human bers, struggles in the legal demo- their basic right to food, health, ed- race.” cratic sphere. It unites with other ucation and life. Jalandoni said that the current Asian movements in the Asian “In the face of the intolerable ex- struggle for food sovereignty in the Peasant Coalition,” he said. ploitation and oppression, a move- Philippines is the fight against He said that policies dictated by Coni Ledesma and ment for national and social Luis Jalandoni from the land grabbers who take away the the US through the IMF, the World liberation has arisen since the late Philippines unveil a Famine land of the peasants and indige- Bank, and the World Trade Organi- Memorial on the grounds of 1960s. The struggle for food sover- Delphi Lodge during the nous peoples. zation, in collusion with sub- 2014 Famine Walk eignty is within this liberation “It is a struggle against the servient Philippine governments, PICTURE: Rob Fairmichael Manila government's Public Private ensure that the peasants are de- struggle.” Liberty 27 Book Review JUNE 2014 The French are on the sea Capital in the averaging 1% throughout written In this sense it combines the Twenty-First Century history. worst of capitalism with the worst By Thomas Picketty He attributes the rapid economic of feudalism. activity of the 19th and 20th cen- His remedies to the current in- HOMAS Picketty’s turies to industrialisation, global equalities in society have been dis- Capital in the Twenty- wars and huge population growth. missed as utopian. In short, he First Century has be- He stresses the importance of pop- advocates progressive taxes on come something of a ulation increase to overall eco- wealth, more democratic control of T nomic growth. financial institutions and more publishing sensation, top- ping best-seller lists the As the poorer countries ‘catch- transparency in global finance. world over. up’ with the West and as popula- He notes the limitations of na- He has almost reached the status tion increase begins to slow-down, tion states to impose effective of ‘celebrity’ which is no mean so too will economic growth return taxes on capital due to the myriad achievement for a ‘mere’ econo- to its historical lower average. This number of tax avoidance and tax mist. So what is all the fuss about? will lead to further widening be- evasion measures available to the And do we really need another cri- tween the rich and the rest as in- wealthy. tique of capitalism? herited wealth will become more The EU must act in concert, he Well, probably the most impor- critical and in this sense he claims states; tax competition between tant thing that Picketty has the “past will devour the future”. states is ultimately only in the in- achieved, through his admirable A significant achievement of the terests of capital and not the citi- academic endeavours, is to anchor book is its ability to demystify the zens of Europe. He commends the economics firmly within the safer complexities of modern capital- Financial Transaction Tax. He ad- harbour of the social sciences. ism. vocates that corporations be re- He sees the limitations of eco- Picketty claims that “Capital is quired to make a single declaration nomics and reminds us “that his- not that very different from what of their profits at European level. torical experience remains our it was in the 18th century. Only its The tax-take should then be dis- principal source of knowledge”, form has changed; Capital was tributed proportionate to individ- once mainly land but is now indus- but he also chastises those within Outlining the problem: ual states, on a wages or sales the wider social science field who French economist trial, financial and real estate”. basis. He challenges the reader to Thomas Piketty All societies rely on universal explore new forms of participation dismiss every statistic as a “social Photo: Sue Gardiner construct”. value systems for their existence. and governance in society and notes that “the market and the bal- lot box are merely the polar ex- tremes in organising collective decisions”. ‘Our reliance on So what as trade unionists can inflation to justify we learn from Picketty? Principally, Picketty debunks wage claims will ‘trickle-down’ economic theory. Be- tween 1986 and 2008 wage deter- no longer be mination in this State was based adequate; the on wage increases linked to infla- tion. more fundamental The distribution of wealth within society was peripheral to question of the determining the share between distribution of capital and labour. Capital in the Twenty-first Century brings this wealth between issue back centre stage. labour and capital Progressive taxes on capital will, however, only bring us so far; it is must be addressed’ ‘after the fact’ as it were. The only civic organisations that can effec- tively look at the ‘pre-distribution of wealth’ are trade unions. His publication comes at a Modern capitalist societies, with Our reliance on inflation to jus- timely moment and will no doubt their professed equality of rights tify wage claims will no longer be prove an important intellectual for all citizens, contrast sharply adequate; the more fundamental tool for a growing student body with the very real inequalities of question of the distribution of who are challenging the neo-liberal living conditions. wealth between labour and capital syllabi that are presented as the to- To overcome this contradiction, must be addressed. tality of economic thought in uni- Picketty says “it is vital to make As we look for a larger pay-divi- versities throughout the world. sure that the social inequalities de- dend in the months and years Picketty’s central thesis is that rive from rational and universal ahead Capital in the Twenty-first the return on capital exceeds eco- principles rather than arbitrary Century will give serious intellec- nomic growth. He supports this contingence”. tual weight to our argument. claim with a dizzying array of eco- Thus we live in a world of meri- France has always produced a rich nomic data and statistics stretch- One of his solutions: tocratic hope. The ‘American philosophical vein that has armed ing back over centuries. Simply Progressive taxation Irish radicals with sound intellec- Photo: National Nurses United dream’ is now the dominant translated this means that the rich world-view. The reality of modern tual reasons to challenge societal are getting richer. capitalism, however, is that it norms; Thomas Picketty continues This doesn’t come as a surprise riod between 1945 and 1980 as world became less unequal. His “combines the arbitrariness of in- this proud tradition. to many of us. Maybe not, but in very much the exception over the predictions for the coming century herited inequalities with a merito- Adrian Kane reading his book as he relays eco- long epoch of capitalism. This pe- are quite stark; he reminds us that cratic discourse that makes the Thomas Piketty will speak at nomic trends over the centuries, riod, for most of the western over the long term, economic ‘losers’ responsible for their situa- the TASC AGM in Dublin on you begin to see the post-war pe- world, was the only time when the growth has always been quite low, tion.” Friday 20th June. 28 Liberty JUNE 2014 Book Review

Stop supplying to Israeli prisons, Desmond Tutu tells G4S DESMOND Tutu recently led Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, philoso- rael's prison system, G4S is com- said children were reportedly ill- protesters in London cam- pher Noam Chomsky and others, plicit in violations of international treated in the prisons and called on paigning against British secu- wrote an open letter to G4S manage- law and participates in Israel's use G4S to "terminate its contracts with ment, published in the Guardian, of mass incarceration as a means by facilities where children suffer rou- rity firm G4S's role in tine physical and verbal abuse". maintaining prisons and deten- demanding the company stop sup- which to dissuade Palestinians from plying equipment to Israeli prisons. protesting Israel's systematic G4S, which employs 8,000 in Is- tion centres in the West Bank "G4S helps the Israeli Prison Serv- human rights abuses." rael, said it "takes very seriously our Desmond Tutu: criticised G4s over and Israel. ice to run prisons inside Israel that The protesters claim that human obligations to ensure that our activ- its alleged role in facilitating Israel's The South African retired arch- ities do not contribute to human “abhorrent prison system”. hold prisoners from occupied Pales- rights organisations have docu- Photo: Photocall bishop and Nobel peace laureate tinian territory, despite the Fourth mented "systematic torture" and ill rights abuses". G4S, which employs 625,000 peo- challenged the company over its al- Geneva Convention prohibition of treatment of Palestinian prisoners, in- ple in 125 countries, including Ire- leged role in facilitating "Israel's bru- the transfer of prisoners from occu- cluding children held in solitary con- from the UK. Three G4S security land, is also likely to face further tal occupation and abhorrent prison pied territory into the territory of finement, at some of the Prisons. guards who had restrained system" at the company's annual questions over the death of Jimmy Mubenga have been charged with the occupier," they wrote. In a separate letter to the Mubenga, an Angolan national who general meeting on 5th June. "Through its involvement in Is- Guardian a number of British MPs manslaughter. All three deny the Tutu, along with film directors died while he was being deported charges. Curragh 1914 – a mutiny or a very British coup? A Question of Duty: The Cur- when a 19-year-old Serbian nation- reflective of a wider rift within the Ashbourne. This one is just as ragh Incident 1914 alist student, Gavrilo Princip, shot British establishment which precip- intriguing, well-researched and By Paul O’ Brien dead Archduke Franz Ferdinand of itated a crisis in civil and military re- readable as all his earlier work. Austria in Sarajevo in late June of lations. Had it not been for war in In his penultimate chapter the au- (New Island Books, 2014) thor points out that "any army is THE Curragh Military Camp, Kildare, that year. Europe, that crisis could have pro- The ensuing events propelled two pelled Britain into the modern-day only a flicker away from becoming March 1914. Most of the British of- imperial power blocs to a ruinous sequel to the Civil War of the 17th an armed gang. The only thing that ficers, including their general, prevents this is military disci- world war resulting in millions of century. threatened to resign from the army pline..." needless deaths and, ironically, their In summary, Paul O'Brien argues The same British army were rather than be deployed to the north own imperial demise. Britain, or that the successful threat of resigna- of Ireland to face down opposition tested and found severely wanting rather England, had some previous tion by the Curragh “mutineers” in this regard not long after, with from unionists to the Home Rule Act form in civil conflict (leaving aside gave confidence to the unionist which would give a measure of self- the killing of civilians on Bachelors the ongoing class war and the Jaco- opposition to Home Rule, already Walk in Dublin after the Howth gun- government to Ireland. bite Rising of 1745). However, the emboldened by the support of running and during the 1916 Rising Was it a mutiny, or worse, part of last full-blown one was in 1645 re- powerful figures in the establish- with the murder of unarmed civil- a "very British coup”, facing down sulting in the deposing and execu- ment. But it also stiffened national- ians in North King Street and in Por- the lawfully elected government tion of Charles I. ist resolve and support for the Irish tobello Barracks in Rathmines. A and the equally lawful will of the This latest book by historian Paul Volunteers. flicker away indeed – and not too British parliament which those very O'Brien not only deals with the mil- The book is yet another from this many obvious pangs of conscience officers were sworn to uphold? ing point of international relations itary issues around what was called prolific and skilled military histo- about it among the British army of- It is hard at this remove of time, was the possibility of civil war on “the Curragh Mutiny” but also the rian of 1916 and follows on previous ficer corps either, including over the on the centenary of what would be British soil. Of course, we now wider political context. He shows it titles covering battle sites of the Ris- litany of horrors in the North and called the Great War, to credit that know that this threat was swept was not just the petulant act of a ing such as St. Stephens Green, elsewhere in recent decades. in the summer of 1914, the big talk- away (or rather under the carpet) few professional soldiers, but rather The Four Courts and The Battle of Michael Halpenny

OBITUARY Owen Curran – a man of the highest integrity It was with sadness and Executive Committee of the Irish College where he developed a love and his patience, understanding regret that we learned of the Congress of Trade Unions, the for rugby and for many years he and insight proved invaluable in sudden death of Owen A. Dublin Council of Trade Unions, was a regular at club matches in resolving many industrial prob- Curran on 5th May. Owen was the Dublin Printing Trades Group, Templeville Road and interna- lems in the printing trade. He also the General Secretary of the the International Graphical Feder- tional games in Lansdowne Road. possessed a great sense of humour Irish Print Union for 25 years ation and the European Graphical After he left school Owen followed and was a great raconteur. and headed its negotiating Federation. his late father into the printing As a union colleague he was a team in the discussions Following his retirement in trade and worked for many years pleasure to work with at all times which lead to the transfer of January 1999, Owen devoted a lot in the Irish Press prior to taking up and he was a man you could trust with your life. He was truly one of engagements to SIPTU in of his time to assisting with adult his union position. The closure of education and he was also a mem- Irish Press in 1995 was a source nature’s gentlemen. 1998. the ber of the Senior Citizens Parlia- of great disappointment to him as Owen is survived by Ita, his A lifelong trade unionist, Owen ment. He researched and wrote a he had so many personal friends beloved wife of over 50 years, his served on the Executive Commit- book on the history of the Irish who lost their jobs as a conse- three sons, Eugene, Paul and Kevin tee of the IPU prior to taking up Print Union from the time of its quence. and his daughter Margaret. the position of General Secretary. origin as the Dublin Typographical A man of the highest integrity, Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís He served the union with distinc- Provident Society in 1859. Owen was greatly respected by AW tion as its representative on the Owen was educated in St. Mary’s union members and employers, Liberty 29 Sport JUNE 2014

Dundalk versus UCD. Can the Lilywhites go all the way this season? Photo: Dundalk FC Keeping tabs on the title challengers

By Brendan O’Brien of it being harder to defend the season break allows us to sit back you name the seven players at the Billy Dennehy title has manifested itself on the and enjoy the FIFA World Cup in 2014 World Cup finals who have E'RE NOW at the Saints. Brazil scored a goal against Shamrock halfway stage of Liam Buckley’s men are by no Finally, including friendlies, can Rovers? (Answers below). the SSE Airtricity means out of the title race, but W League season, they will be conscious that they are which provides a timely op- also in a battle to secure a Euro- portunity to assess what has pean spot. been a very open and exciting Pat’s have scored some outstand- campaign. So what’s the ver- ing goals this season, with striker dict so far? Chris Forrester’s volley from the At the top of the table, it’s devel- halfway line perhaps the best goal oping into a four-way battle for scored by anyone in the world this both the three European places year. Check it out on YouTube! and the title. Shamrock Rovers make up the Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk side fourth team in the title-chasing having made the early pace have pack and have improved signifi- made top spot their own for most cantly on the last two disappoint- of the season to the delight of the ing seasons. Oriel Park faithful who’ve been Trevor Croly's squad has been treated to the exciting attacking improved with the additions of football for which Kenny is former Irish international Stephen renowned for. McPhail and upcoming star Ryan Their star player has again been Brennan. If Croly can sort out the attacking midfielder Richie Towell goals, then the title may be theirs whose outstanding performances for the taking. again this season demand interna- At the other end of the table, tional manager Martin O'Neill to Athlone Town seem already con- have a look. signed back to the First Division, The question for Dundalk is: can having found their season back in they go one better than last season the Premier Division tough going and finally land the title? indeed, culminating with the de- Cork City, currently in second parture of boss Mick Cooke on the place, are also having a terrific sea- back of a string of poor results. son and have brought the smiles Bohemians have also drifted into back to Turners Cross as they’ve one of the European spots, but the danger zone and face a huge played very entertaining football have they got the depth to main- battle to try and avoid the prospect in front of great attendances. tain the title charge? of a relegation play-off at the end Former Hoops player Billy Den- Defending champions St of the season. nehy has been outstanding for the Patrick’s Athletic have found this So that's it for a couple of weeks Some of the best independent wrestlers in the world will descend Leesiders, who look certain to bag season hard going as the old adage in our domestic league as the mid- on the Liberty Hall Theatre on Saturday 19th, July for a once off night of fantastic wrestling action on the edge of Dublin's River Lif-

fey. Some of the names set to appear are EL LIGERO (Voted the UK's

Answers: 2011/12 League Europa PAOK vs - (Greece) Salpingidis Dimitris 2011/12; League Europa no.1 wrestler for the month of April 2014 by British wrestling

League 2011/12; Giovani dos Santos (Mexico) - vs Tottenham Hotspur Europa League 2011/12; Veirinha (Portugal) - vs PAOK vs - (Portugal) Veirinha 2011/12; League Europa Hotspur Tottenham vs - (Mexico) Santos dos Giovani 2011/12; League

Bolanos (Costa Rica) - vs FC Copenhagen Champions League 2011/12; Christian Noboa (Ecuador) - vs Rubin Kazan Europa Kazan Rubin vs - (Ecuador) Noboa Christian 2011/12; League Champions Copenhagen FC vs - Rica) (Costa Bolanos round-up on Challange TV). Former WWE developmental wrestlers Shola Ameobi (Nigeria) - friendly vs Newcastle United 2009; Karim Benzema (France) - friendly vs Real Madrid 2009; Christian 2009; Madrid Real vs friendly - (France) Benzema Karim 2009; United Newcastle vs friendly - (Nigeria) Ameobi Shola OMEN and the 7ft monster TRON are also set to cause chaos. 30 Liberty JUNE 2014 Sport

Rebels, Jacks and Rossies

By Matt Treacy this alludes to Dubs waving union with the frequency of manned Tipp relatives of mine swear County”. flags on the occasion of Queen Vic- lunar landings. that the hardest items thrown Kildare are “the Lily Whites” but ITH the return of toria’s visit to the city in 1900. They are also known as the were oranges but the idea of Tipp also “the Flour Bags”. Contrary to the Champi- No such thing. Dublin Corpora- “Stone Throwers” which some people throwing away food is that being a scurrilous allusion to onship, not only tion refused a vote of homage, and claim is a reference to the mili- hardly credible. their alleged habit of losing games do GAA support- there was a major riot in which tancy of the county during the Offaly are the “Faithful County” they ought to win, it in fact refers W James Connolly and Sean O’Casey, Land War. or, more recently, the “Biffos”. to their having forgotten to bring ers get to watch their coun- then of this parish, took part. Others darkly suggest that it Both sound disarmingly tender their jerseys with them one time ties in action again, but we Jackeen is a much older term of and harmless, like Biffo the Bear. I and having to stop off at a mill in also get to abuse one another abuse for Dubs and refers to the propose “Sly Puck in the Back of Leixlip or Lucan and borrow some something desperate. sleazy habits of what the Ameri- the Head County” as a more de- flour bags which with strategic So it is handy to have recognised cans called “stage door johnnies” ‘It is handy to scriptive moniker. re-tailoring were fit for purpose. terms of abuse distinct from the who preyed on innocent girls from have recognised And Wicklow as the “Garden Oh, and Dublin won the match. officially sanitised nicknames ap- the country. County”, is perhaps an abbrevia- So, when you are watching your proved by the GAA. Anyway, even if Jackeen is pejo- terms of abuse tion of “We Buried the Ref in the team on the field of play, and you The ones generally used often rative, we have adopted it, and also distinct from Back Garden” county. are gripped by paroxysms of rage at have a bit of a nasty edge to them. call ourselves “the Jacks”. Carlow are for some bizarre rea- the treachery and go-be-the-wall So while Cork people like to style And there are others. Roscom- officially sanitised son known as the “Scallion slyness of the opposing team, and themselves “the Rebels” in mem- mon are “the Rossies”, but their nicknames Eaters”, also as “Piss-in-the-pow- your children have their faces cov- ory of their support for 15th cen- neighbours prefer the sobriquet ders”; a reference to their prema- ered with their jerseys in mortifi- tury pretender to the English “sheepstealers”. approved ture decommissioning prior to the cation at your antics, perhaps throne Perkin Warbeck who lived So common was the practice by the GAA 1798 Rebellion. reflect a while on the historic and in Mayfield for a while, everyone down Ming’s way back in the day It is noteworthy too that some of cultural roots of the horrible epi- else calls them “langers”, which is that there was a story that the first the counties most famous for their thets you are hurling at the pitch the impolite local term for the Roscommon man let into heaven 'robust' style of football have been and rival supporters who have male member. was thrown out by St. Peter after refers to their habit of throwing rewarded with deceptively benign moved seats and abandoned you We Dubs are “the Dubs” or oth- he was caught trying to rob the things, including stones, at the op- monikers. within a red-faced sweating cordon erwise “Jackeens” or even worse! Lamb of God. position. There is some evidence A bit like those tropical insects sanitaire. Jimmy Keaveney was once Tipperary, according to Babs of that from the Munster hurling that disguise themselves as flow- But to hell with them all. You are bizarrely called “an oul fish and Keating, will always be the “Pre- final in Killarney in 1971 when ers. Take for example Armagh. enjoying yourself! chip man”. The Jackeen one is in- mier County” even though these Tipp supporters pelted the Limer- “The Orchard County” rather than teresting as it is often claimed that days they only win the All Ireland ick goalkeeper. the more descriptive “Flying Elbow Liberty 31 Liberty Crossword JUNE 2014 PRIZE DRAW Liberty to win two nights for two people Crossword in one of Ireland’s Fair Hotels

1122 3 4455 6 ACROSS DOWN 7 8 1 Across 1 Places of law or tennis (6) 7 On the move (6) 2 Arm or leg (4)

9 10 8 For news or writing (6) 3 Despicable sort (7) 9 Kaffiyeh wearer (4) 4 Whirls (5) 10 A Canary Island (8) 5 300 stood against Persia (8) 11 12 13 11 To physically attack (7) 6 Dexterous (6)

14 13 Where a dinner is placed (5) 12 Can fall from space to earth (8) 15 Not old people (5) 14 Defamation (7) 15161615 1177118817 James Joyce's greatest work (7) 16 Moon does this to the earth (6) 19 20 City in North East of Scotland (8) 18 Liveliness (6) 21 Computer operator (4) 19 Euro fractions (5) 20 21 22 Severe (6) 21 Gorbachev was its last leader: Abbr. (4) 23 Banner (6)

22 23

The winner of the crossword *Correctly fill in the crossword to reveal the along with your name and address and you will hidden word, contained by reading the letters to be entered into a prize draw to win two nights competition in the May edition in the shaded squares from top to bottom. for two people in one of Ireland’s Fair Hotels. was Emmet Field, Blackrock, Email the hidden word to The winner of the crossword quiz will be Co. Cork [email protected] or post to published in the next edition of Liberty. Answer: Election Communications Dept., Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 *Terms and conditions apply.

The Progressive Film Club Jim Larkin SIPTU BBasicasic Presents Credit Union EEnglishnglish Scheme Films from Venezuela ïﶟ}ª}‘u      nŠŠ}‘uŠnœ£ïu‘}ª}Ÿ¶Š ït—ŸttŸ—tïu‘}Š}ŠŠŠ}}‘‘}Šu EL Chico que Miente 2.00pm If you are interested in joining ï‘—ªn Ąª_‡}‘uïGđ‡‡_ªĄnª—‘ï  }‡ïu‘}‡GGđđ the Jim Larkin Credit Union ï  ‘‘u  uŠ}£zŠ}£zt—Ÿt—Ÿ—Ÿn}u‘0nenŸ£—Ÿn}u‘ 0nenŸ£ Tel: 01-8721155 or email: [email protected] Right Here, NowNow La Hora Cero 3.50pm Opening Hours::sruoHgninepO Write -.m.p7yadsruhT .m.p51.8- ForFor moremore informationinformation call: Saturday 9 3039dtS 0 a m 1 0021 noon00.2 TOM GILMARTIN TomTom O’BO’Brien,rien, Liberty HHallall Thehe MT Man Who BrWan Broughtoughho Dough Downot a Twn Taoiseachaoiseach TTel:el: ((01)01) 858 6311 and Exposed the GrGreedeed and CCorruptionorruption or Jeanean KJor Kennedy,ennedyennedy,, SIPTU CCollegeeolleg att the Heara Heart of IIrishish Prt Politicsolitics TTel:el: ((01)01) 858 6498 ByBy FrankFFrrrankank CConnollyonnolly The Jim Larkin Credit Union is regulated by the Saturday 28th June 2.00 pm Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority (IFSRA) The AvailableANewvvaa ilableTheatre in all 43 East Essex street, goodAdmissionogo d Free bbookod ok shops www.progressivefilmclub.ie