Please be aware when you are shopping that you can support Irish jobs. The food and drink sector is a major employer in Ireland and as well as serving the Irish market it also is part of our improving exports market. The following food and drink manufacturing companies are among those that recognise unions and negotiate with their employees through the unions on terms and conditions of employment, the only fair system which protects the standards of living of workers. If you buy Irish food, confectionery, drinks & other products you help to: • Support thousands of Irish jobs from food processing to product packaging to transporting and warehousing to the shop counter. • Contribute billions in income tax, corporation taxes and VAT into the Irish Exchequer every year. • Ensure that bigger companies sustain hundreds of smaller firms in the local economy that supply ingredients, technologies and maintenance services. • Help maintain employment opportunities across the country in urban and rural communities. • 10 Challenges on health P5 • Blank cheque for banks P14/15 • Diary of a Southside Senator P13 Vol. 10 No.1 January 2011 ISSN 0791-458X CHANGE IS IN THE National Executive of SIPTU dominating the 31st Dáil. SIPTU “For three years SIPTU and four year austerity plan set out by the (NEC) has urged union members to General President, Jack O’Connor, said Congress have argued for an alternative outgoing Government which places the vote for the Labour Party and transfer that it was clear that the current deep economic and fiscal strategy to protect burden on working people and fails to Yto other partOies and candidatesUeconomRic and social crisis couldHnot ANDS and create jobs and to avoid the sav - impose any significant burden on the that support the principle of social sol - be resolved by a Government commit - age attack made on the incomes and wealthy in our society,” Jack O’Connor idarity in the forthcoming general elec - ted to the brutal austerity and anti- living standards of working people in said. tion. worker programmes of the past three this country. During the long-awaited general Following a lengthy discussion at years. “We opposed the terms of the election campaign political parties and the NEC meeting in Kilkenny on Friday “While every voter has of course recent EU/IMF loan facility which 21st January, the NEC has effectively the right to exercise their democratic candidates will be exposed to unprece - recommended to the 200,000 SIPTU choice in the privacy of the ballot box, places an impossible burden on the dented scrutiny in relation to their members that they use their consider - the NEC has taken this opportunity to Irish tax payer and we opposed the policies and their plans to bring the able voting power to prevent right-of- express its view as to what is best for Finance Bill which gives effect to the crippled Irish economy out of reces - centre parties and those that encour - our members and their families,” Jack unfair December budget. sion.The fact that Labour Party was age social division and inequality from O’Connor said. “We are equally opposed to the the only party to oppose • Continued P2 2 Liberty JANUARY 2011 NEWS POLICIES , not personalities, should King said. “There are huge concerns over decide the outcome of the general elec - the quality and delivery of our health tion, and for SIPTU members the key service not least in relation to access to Aconcerns are the protectNion of jobs and EWBy PATDRICIA AKING Wemergency care and cNancer treatments.” incomes and a strategy for economic “Tens of thousands of children attend recovery, SIPTU Vice-President, Patricia sub-standard school buildings and the King has said. quality of public services generally has With more than 440,000 people out been savaged over recent years.” of work and an estimated 100,000, “The most vulnerable communities mainly young people, expected to emi - have been hit through cuts to community grate over the next two years, the party or programmes and employment schemes parties that can deliver real economic while the sick and old are now, more than growth is the priority for union members ever treated as second hand citizens.” Employment Agreements which protect “We are facing four years of austerity and their families, she told Liberty. “Only a radical political alternative the incomes of over half a million work - under the plan agreed with the EU/IMF “SIPTU members are also deeply can address these fundamental problems. ers,” Patricia King said. and a new Government will have to be concerned that any new Government Policies, not personalities, should deter - forceful enough to re-negotiate those reverses the unfair, and financially unjus - However, there is much more at stake mine who forms the next Government and terms in such a way that the burden is tified, cut to the minimum wage and in this election campaign including the who leads us to a fairer and more just shared more equally by those with the resists the clear effort, endorsed during vicious attack on incomes in the recent society,” she said. the discussions with the EU/IMF to dis - budget through tax increases and the ability to pay more and particularly by unfair introduction of the Universal those who got us into this unholy finan - mantle the structures of the Employment Patricia King is Vice-President of SIPTU Regulation Orders and the Registered Service Charge, she said. cial mess in the first place,” Patricia SIPTU NEC calls on members to vote Labour • From Page 1 is the view held by many on the also been pressing for many government of the left and will Congress and SIPTU over recent the disastrous bank guarantee NEC that a strong Labour Party years for the right to collective continue to fight for that out - years, the NEC has recommend - scheme in the Dáil in late presence in a government bargaining to be enshrined in come but we must ensure that ed to our members that their September 2008 had a major which, on the basis of current domestic law and the Labour the influence of Fine Gael or any first preference votes should go impact on the deliberations of opinion polls could be led by Party leader, Eamon Gilmore, other centre right party is bal - to the Labour Party in the forth - the NEC while its proposals for a Fine Gael, is essential if the gave a commitment to introduce anced in the next government.” coming election the outcome of State investment bank and the advances made by SIPTU and such legislation when he “While we recognise that which is so vital for the future of necessity for an urgent injection other trade unions in respect of addressed Congress at its bien - other parties have endorsed our working people, to ensure bal - of funds into job creation meas - job and income security are to nial conference in 2009,” Jack proposals for recovery and ance in government.” ures was also significant. be protected. O’Connor said. “Of course, we growth, and many other detailed More importantly, however, “SIPTU and the ICTU has would prefer to see a Labour led policy positions promoted by Liberty 3 NEWS JANUARY 2011 USC change welcomed MEET SIPTU’S but it’s still not enough UPROAR at the impact the Universal look for a job. Among the hardest hit Social Charge (USC) has had on work - will be the elderly, particularly those ers’ pay in January may have forced a forced to take up employment DÁIL HOPEFULS U-turn on the Government – but the because they cannot get by on their changes fall far short of what is need - inadequate pensions.” ed, SIPTU researcher Lorainne Pat Cody The expected €80 million short - Mulligan has claimed. fall in tax will be recouped through a The Labour Party has not She said: “The announcement held two seats in the that Medical Card holders will be sub - surcharge of 3% on self-employed Wexford constituency since ject to a maximum rate of 4% rather people earning more than €100,000. the 1950’s but that could than 7% does not disguise the fact Lorainne Mulligan described this change very soon. Pat Cody that this vulnerable group are still as “a welcome step” in redressing the works as a nurse in St required to contribute beyond their unfairness of Budget 2011 which Senan’s Psychiatric Hospital means by remaining liable for the 2% actually benefitted very high earners. in Enniscorthy. He is mar - and 4% rates. She added: “For example, a self- ried with one child. He is a “They were exempt from the old employed person on €175,000 would member of the SIPTU health levy and did not pay PRSI if Nursing Sector and Psyc- have paid €1,931 less under the USC unemployed.” scheme as originally set out in the hiatric Nurses committees Lorainne Mulligan pointed out Budget, than under the old system, and an honorary branch that Medical Card holders now face when they were liable for the income organiser. The people of an expense while they have to get by Wexford now have a chance, on lower social welfare payments – and health levies. not only to elect a second especially if they are unemployed. “It is now crucially important to Labour TD, but to send an She said: “In fact, bringing low- ensure loopholes and exemptions that experienced union activist income households into the tax net in facilitate avoidance are not allowed to and nurse to the Dáil on this way will not incentivise anyone to emerge.” their behalf. Pat’s election campaign kicked off in style on 5th January when it was officially launched by Waste workers in vote to Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore, in Enniscorthy.