Vol. 17 No 1 February 2018 ISSN 0791-458X Section 39 campaign Precarious Work Political Winter progress by Sector Olympics Page 5 Page 8-9 Page 34 Changes needed to precarious work Bill by Scott Millar Proposed legalisation on precarious work cannot deal with the problem and must be changed in five key areas if it is to benefit the hundreds of thousands of people enduring unac - ceptable working conditions. In order to secure an effective end to the spread of precarious jobs in all sectors of the economy, SIPTU is involved in a high level political campaign to drive home to the Government and opposition politicians the need to amend the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017. SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley who is lobbying the Government for the union along with Congress and affiliates said: “Unfortunately, as the Bill stands it is largely toothless in dealing with the scourge of precarious work which is destroying the quality of life of workers across the country. It simply does not go far enough in a Amy Kelly, USI Vice President for Campaigns and SIPTU/DCTU Activist Des Derwin at the National Homeless and Housing Coalition number of key areas to provide workers with the protections they need meeting in Liberty Hall on Saturday 10th February. Activists are planning a national protest on the housing crisis on 7th April. See pages 18-19. in order to achieve fulfilling work and home lives. Photo: Dan O’Neill “This Bill is a response to the SIPTU campaign against precarious work and similar drives by other unions. We remain committed to bring the fight for secure and fair work to a successful conclusion.” Solutions to the Crossword 5 6 3 4 She added: “In this fight we have been greatly encouraged by the level 1 2 8 of support shown by all the major opposition parties for the series of Page 35 Housing Crisis 10 13 amendments proposed by Congress which seek to ensure this Bill does 2 1 14 what the Government claims is its aim – to put a stop to precarious Page 18 -19 16 17 0 work.” 19 2 Continued on page 2 22 WORKERS RIGHTS CENTRE 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday [email protected] 2 Liberty In this month’sLiberty FEBRUARY 2018 News NI Women’s Football Team demand respect Page 4 Restoring tax relief for union subs Page 14 Liberty View Liberty Page 15 Photo left to right: SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn with Mary Maguire, Mary Hunter, Aileen Hennigan, Marilyn View Roantree, Máire Byrne from the Irish Guild of Embroiderers. Photo: Dan O’Neill Tapestry volunteers honoured at Fat Cats Pay Page 16 reception in Liberty Hall On Monday 19th February, SIPTU hosted an afternoon of appreciation for the volunteers who made the Great Lockout tapestry in Lib - Working in the erty Hall. The tapestry, commissioned by SIPTU, and designed Port of Cork by the late Cathy Henderson and renowned artist Page 22 Robert Ballagh, was a large collaborative visual arts project made by volunteers who created over 30 pan - els to commemorate the 1913 Lockout and the Easter Rising of 1916. SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn presented cer - Turkey’s climate tificates of appreciation to over 50 trade union ac - tivists who contributed to the project, as well as of fear members of the Irish Guild of Embroiderers, the Irish Page 27 Patchwork Society, RADE (Rehabilitation through Art, Photo left to right: Mary Enright and Mary O’Reilly from the Drama and Education), the Irish Countrywomen’s As - Liberty Hall Tapestry group discussing the life of Thomas sociation, a number of Dublin schools and other com - Ashe. Photo: Paddy Cole munity arts groups. The Strike Continued from page 1 — Changes needed to precarious work Bill Trade unions are demanding the tablished with a maximum of five working hours cannot be reduced Against War Bill is amended so that it ends ‘if hours intervals. Currently up to 13 below a certain minimum. Page 28 and when’ contracts, introduces hour bands are proposed in the 5) Strengthen penalty clauses in workable banded hours contracts Bill. i.e. rather than a contract spec - the Bill. Increase the amount an and includes effective deterrents ifying that a worker can be ros - employer must compensate a for employers who breach its con - tered to work each week anything worker for breaches of the legisla - ditions. between 11 to 24 hours there must tion, from a maximum of four In order to achieve these aims be a tighter specification, of, for ex - weeks’ pay to 104 weeks’ pay, the Editor: Frank Connolly, SIPTU Head of Communications Congress has proposed amend - ample, working between 11 to 15 latter figure being the norm in Journalist: Scott Millar ments in five areas; hours a week. This means the most industrial relations legisla - Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU), Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) & William Hederman 1) Radically tighten up the defi - number of bands specified in the tion. Shift the onus of proof of a Publications Assistant: Deirdre Price nitions in the Bill of various cate - Bill will have to increase from the breach in adherence to the legisla - Administrative Assistant: Karen Hackett gories of workers, in particular proposed four to eight. tion from the worker to the em - Produced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labour. casual employees, in order to re - 4) The ‘look back’ period which ployer. This will mean that Printed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin. move a loop-hole which could be is reviewed in order to adjudicate employers, if challenged, will have Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views. exploited by unscrupulous em - on average weekly hours worked to to be able to prove they are adher - If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: ployers and actually lead to an in - be reduced from 18 months to 12 ing to the legalisation. Congress [email protected] crease in precarious work. months. This means that workers General Secretary, Patricia King, Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union, 2) Establish a minimum three- will be able to secure contracts that said: “We are confident that there Liberty Hall, Dublin 1 hour payment for workers, at their more accurately reflect the average is sufficient support for the SIPTU General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn • SIPTU General Secretary Designate, Joe Cunningham • SIPTU Deputy General Secretary - Private Sector, Gerry McCormack • normal rate of pay, when they are amount of hours they work each changes we have put forward and SIPTU Deputy General Secretary - Organising & Membership, Ethel Buckley • called into work, even if they are week in a 12 month period. Being are hopeful they will be realised at SIPTU Deputy General Secretary - Public Service, John King. sent home immediately because able to secure a contract that more the next stage of the legislative Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, work is not provided. accurately reflects hours worked process, in order to deliver greater Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: [email protected] 3) Narrow the bands in banded can assist in securing loans and protection for workers.” hour contracts so that they are es - benefits and ensure that See page 8-9 Liberty 3 News FEBRUARY 2018 Workers and students join forces in ONE Galway project THE ONE Galway initiative was publicly launched on Thursday, 15th February, at a meeting in the Mick Lally The - atre in the city which was at - tended by more than 100 trade union and student ac - tivists from across the county. ONE Galway is about organising workers, their families and com - munities to influence change and create a future in which there is ac - cess to decent work, decent pay and a decent standard of living for all. The launch was attended by rep - resentatives of trade unions oper - ating in Galway city and county, NUI Galway Students’ Union, Gal - way and Mayo Institute of Tech - nology Students’ Union and the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. The meeting agreed to focus on two key campaigns initially. These are precariousness at work and the housing crisis. Among those who addressed the meeting was SIPTU General Secre - tary designate, Joe Cunningham. Dr. Michelle O’Sullivan, right, of the He said: “ONE Galway is a collabo - University of Limerick speaks about the rative initiative comprising trade impact of precarious work during the and student unions operating in ONE Galway launch (above). National the Galway area, supported by the Pictures: Dan O’Neill Irish Congress of Trade Unions and face workers – particularly stu - Homeless the Galway Council of Trade dents, younger workers and those and Housing Unions. from our migrant communities. Coali tion “It will be led on the ground by “It involves a much deeper level officials and activists of both of collaboration b etween all such or - movements collaborating on key ganisations at workplace and societal concerns to workers and students, levels to organise, campaign, educate creating partnerships with organi - and communicate with workers and plac e application in quality place - sations who share common goals listen to their concerns.” ments. in order to improve conditions and The students’ unions are keen to achieve decent work for all.” become involved in such initiatives to “We believe that this can be He added: “ONE Galway will also secure a better future for students. achieved through greater co-oper - work to better equip and increase NUIGSU President, Lorcán Ó ation and collaboration with the the capacity of the trade union Maoileannaigh, said: “It is vitally im - trade union movement and we movement in Galway city and portant that we ensure students get look forward to working closely county to deal together with the the best opportunities to consolidate monstration many different challenges which their learning through practical work - with it into the future.” National De .