WINTER 2014 VOL: 16 NO. 4

Season’s Greetingsto all our Members

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Dear Colleague,At the CWU Biennial Conference in 2010 a motionfrom the Dublin Postal Delivery Branch whichstated; “This conference mindful of the economicburden already placed on our members, instructs theincoming NEC to campaign vigorously against anyattempt to introduce water charges” was passedunanimously. The decision by the Irish governmentto introduce water charges through a new entitycommonly known as Irish Water meant that the NEChad to give effect to that motion. At that time, agroup called Right2Water came together co-ordinated by a number of trade unions and supportedby many left-wing political parties and broad-basedcommunity organisations. The Right2Water has onebelief and that is that water is a human right, and oneobjective which is to have water charges abolished.The Union’s presently involved in Right2Water arethe CWU, Mandate, UNITE, Opatsi and the CPSU.

It is worthwhile looking at the historicalbackground to the government’s introduction ofwater charges. One needs to go back to the late ’70’swhen an election promise by the former Fianna Failleader Jack Lynch, to abolish domestic rates, resultedin the biggest single party majority in the history ofIreland. This resulted in the removal of domesticrates from Local County Councils with the financeslost due to be replaced from central taxation. Indeed,there was a Bill passed in the Dáil increasingconsumption taxes in order to fund the monies lostthrough the abolition of those domestic rates. Up tothen, Councils through those rates provided manyservices including Bin Collections and Waterservices. Of course, it came as no great surprisewhen the monies paid through the new tax revenuesbegan to be pushed in other directions, leaving manyCouncils starved of investment. This of course,forced Councils to introduce Bin Charges in order tomake up for the shortfall in payments from centralgovernment. The massive opposition to bin chargesresulted in Councils being forced to privatise thoseservices in many parts of the country, leading us tothe ridiculous situation we have today, as evidencedin the Greyhound Dispute. What were oncereasonable well-paid pensionable and union jobs, arenow non-union jobs, generally being paid theminimum wage with little or no added benefits, suchas pensions etc. Of course, the cynics amongst usbelieve that the abolition of domestic rates wasdesigned to take such jobs from the public sector and

Editorial

Editor: Steve FitzpatrickSub-Editor: Imelda WallIssued by: Communications Workers’ Union,575 North Circular Road, Dublin 1.Telephone: 8663000 and Fax: 8663099E-mail: info@cwu.ieIncorporatingthe PTWU Journal, THE RELAY andTHE COMMUNICATIONS WORKERThe opinions expressed by contributors are not necessar-ily those of the CWU.Photographs: John ChaneyPrinted by Mahons Printing Works, Dublin.

Contents

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Postal Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9

Organising Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13

On the Road: CWUHA Convoy 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

FM Downes Mortgage, Travel or Health Insurance . . . . 15

The banking bonus culture is on the way back . . . . . . . 16-17

Education Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-21

Isolated by Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21

CWU launches new Conference Centre Website . . . . . . . 22

UNI Global Union Europa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Right2Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-26

An Post Employees’ Credit Union Car Draw . . . . . . . . . 27

Telecoms Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-29

Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31

Youth for Decent Work Awards 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

The Rowland Hill Memorial Fund of Ireland . . . . . . . . . 33

Equality Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35

Health & Safety Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-38

ESCCU Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Lest We Forget – Flanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-41

CWU People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42-44

Halligan Insurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

CWU Membership Application Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47-48

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to move them to the private sector to allow the owners ofthose companies to make massive profits. Therefore, theworkers suffer and the customer suffers, but the goldencircle profits. Of course, one of the results of theabandonment of domestic rates has been theunderinvestment in water infrastructure. Someopponents to Right2Water have attempted to portray thegroup as being against investment in water infrastructure,but of course, this is nonsense. We all understand theneed for that investment and most of us are bemused asto why there was such a lack of investment, particularlyduring the tiger years, but of course the answer is thatunderinvestment during times of austerity usually leadsto privatisation as private capital comes to the rescue ofgovernment and takes this worrisome problem off theirhands. It seems to me that it is no surprise that DenisO’Brien’s, Sierra, has the major contract for theinstallation of water meters and given his previousconnections with the Fine Gael Party, it should come asno surprise to anybody else. It also ignores the fact thatwe already pay for water through general taxation. Thereis no doubt that the recent tax cuts in the budget couldhave been diverted to pay for infrastructural developmentbut instead the government decided on a policy which insimple terms will transfer wealth to the better off insociety through granting them tax cuts which will be paidfor by the less well-off through a water tax which isregressive. If there is one lesson to be learned from thehistory of Irish Water, it surely is that where possible, weneed to maintain jobs in the public sector which areconnected to the provision of services that our society sobadly needs. The privatisation of those services, whetherit’s bins, water, hospitals, schools, the list goes on andon, means poorer services, poor employment pay andconditions with massive profits for the few.

Organising the Right2Water group has not been an easytask as there are many opinions about what we should doas there are different groups involved. Therefore, we seeit as our role to try and keep the broadest number ofpeople involved, using the common denominator of theiropposition to water charges. We are very aware that thereare individuals and groups under that umbrella who areno friends of the trade union movement. There are peoplewho would ask us to exhort people to break the law andthere are other people who believe we should issueinstructions to our members’ not to pay and that we shouldalso organise a national strike. Many of the peoplepushing that agenda know that trade unions are not in aposition to fulfil any of those demands. For example, itwould be extremely difficult to deliver a national strike incircumstances where only five of over forty unions in thecountry are involved in this group. Therefore, at somestage there is the likelihood that many of these people willturn on us, if and when, we believe we have taken thisproject as far as it can go.

It is however, very important to underline the fact thatthe Right2Water group have to-date been extremely suc-cessful. For the first time in Irish history, massive public

demonstrations havemanaged to move andchange governmentpolicy. The change inthe water tariffs willsave many people ap-proximately €10 perweek and the decisionto remove the require-ment for PPS numbersis another major plus.Indeed, the govern-ment have promised tointroduce legislationwhich would mean thata plebiscite would berequired before anygovernment could privatise Irish Water. Of course, aswelcome as that progress is, it is not sufficient to satisfyour demands. The existing pricing structure with the so-called conservation allowance, can and is, likely to be in-creased at any time and we all know how easilyallowances can be removed by this government. Thepromised legislation is insufficient in that any future gov-ernment could change that legislation in the Dáil and doaway with the need for a plebiscite. There are also grow-ing concerns that in the future, lack of funding for IrishWater will allow it go into the “red” with the only possi-ble rescue being its sale to some benevolent entrepreneur(possibly even Denis O’Brien). So the campaign mustcontinue and we have very simple demands where wewant no Irish citizen to be charged for normal usage ofwater and we now believe there is a need for a referen-dum to copper-fasten the ownership of Irish Water intothe future into the hands of the people of this country.The next step in the campaign is the so-called People’sAssembly, which will take place on the 10th Decemberoutside Dáil Éireann. It has been decided to hold thisparticular demonstration on that day as it is InternationalHuman Rights Day and we are convinced that water is ahuman right. We realise many people will not be able toattend the demonstration due to work commitments, butI would urge anybody who can make the time to attend.Details in relation to times and gathering etc., will be cir-culated separately.

I wish to take this opportunity to commend all of ourmembers’ and activists who have been an integral part ofwhat I believe is the most successful popular movementin the history of the state. All over the country, CWUmembers have been involved in Committees and havespoken at many rallies and have always beenrecognisable in their CWU “blue”, which coincidentallyis the colour used by the Right2Water demonstrators.

May I take this opportunity as is traditional to wisheach and every one of you and your families a HappyChristmas and a Prosperous & Healthy New Year, withthe hope that the so-called recovery begins to be reflectedin the lives of ordinary working people.

Steve Fitzpatrick,General Secretary, CWU

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Postal Update

CD/14/346 RECOMMENDATIONNO. LCR20888 (CCC-142852-14)INDUSTRIAL RELATIONSACTS, 1946 TO 2012 SECTION 26(1), INDUSTRIALRELATIONS ACT, 1990

PARTIES :

IO SYSTEMS

- AND -

COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION

Division Chairman: Mr Hayes Employer Member: Ms Cryan Worker Member: Mr Shanahan

SUBJECT: 1. Reduction in annual cost base, Shift Restructuring,

Release Of Shop Stewards / Annual Leave ForStoreperson / Pay Increase / Contract RetentionBonus / Weekend Working Reimbursement / MealAllowance

BACKGROUND: 2. This case concerns a dispute between the Company

and Union in relation to a number of issues. Thehearing focused on the issue of proposed reductionin the annual cost base of the Company. TheEmployer is seeking to implement changes to reducethe cost base of its operations. It has issued proposalsto to that end to the Union. The Union, whileaccepting that the savings are required, does notaccept the method by which management isproposing to bring this about. The Union argues that

that the required savings can be achieved bymeasures other than those outlined by management.The Union is also seeking a resolution of other issueswhich it has raised with management.

The dispute was not resolved at local level and wasthe subject of a conciliation conference under theauspices of the Labour Relations Commission. Asagreement was not reached, the matter was referredto the Labour Court on 25th September 2014 inaccordance with Section 26(1) of the IndustrialRelations Act, 1990 Labour Court hearings tookplace on the 14th October 2014 and 10th November2014. The following is the Court's Recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION :The Court notes that the Company has identified a needfor structural reduction in its cost base by €100,000 perannum. It has tabled a number of measures that aredesigned to achieve that objective.

The Union side has stated that it is in a position to meetthat target but not through the measures proposed by theCompany.

In the context of the agreement of both sides to bringabout a structural reduction in the Company's cost baseof €100,000 per annum the Court recommends that witheffect from the date of this Recommendation the partiesengage in a three week intensive exercise through theLRC, with the support of appropriate financial experts tobring about such a reduction.

Signed on behalf of the Labour Court

Brendan Hayes 25th November 2014AH Deputy Chairman

• Shift Restructuring

• Release of Shop Stewards

• Annual Leave for former Storeperson

• CWU Claim for Pay increase

• Contract Retention Bonus

• Weekend Working- Reimbursement

• Meal allowance

Comprehensive written and oral submissions were madeby both IO Systems and CWU.

The Labour Court having given consideration to theseissued a Recommendation for consideration by theparties. The full text of this is shown below.

The union accepted the recommendation and at thetime of writing further engagement was underway at theLRC

IO Systems and CWU agreed to attend a Labour Court hearing inrespect of a number of issues:

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Postal Update

In July 2014 the Automation Joint Steering Groupreceived a presentation from the Company whichoutlined further mails volume decreases and revenuetrends as primary drivers in further staff reductions beingsought by the Company in the four Automated MailsCentres. Union concerns regarding retention of surplusstaff following LIT 5 subsequently resulted in securingvoluntary exit release under the existing exit schemeterms, at AMC and PMC, for some staff. Further detailedanalysis of absences and extra hours utilisation followedas part of the CWU side Steering Group consideration ofLIT 6 proposals.

The Joint Steering Group reconvened on 17thNovember 2014 and the Company delivered a furtherpresentation, updating data outlined in July. Overall thecontent can be summarised as follows:

• Processing PWC, Quality measures show overallend to end for 2014 constantly ahead of 94% target,rising steadily from 96.7% in January to 98.4% atpresent.

• Outward and Inward processing performance for2014 is consistently above 98% target.

• Total Receipts are down 5.4% on 2013 withreductions in key stamped and meter down by10.7% and 8.1% respectively.

• Standard Ceadúnas is down 8.1% with deferred uponly 3.9%

• A new deferred service was recently also launched– “Discount Eleven- 2 day deferred”

• Absence levels in the Mail Centres continue to behigh:➢ AMC 6.79% ➢ CMC 10.49%➢ DMC 6.36% ➢ PMC 9.91%

• Absence Cover above baseline as follows isrequired for each Plant➢ AMC 5 FT 6 APS ➢ CMC 4 FT 17 APS➢ PMC 8 FT 10 APS ➢ DMC 15 FT 11APS

• Surplus following LIT5 is as follows➢ AMC 4 FT 7 APS ➢ CMC .5 FT 15 APS➢ PMC 7 FT 10 APS ➢ DMC 20 FT 1 APS

• Staffing adjustments are based on April volumeagainst design details and do not take account ofnegative volume and revenue trends since then:➢ AMC 2 ➢ CMC 3➢ DMC 9 ➢ PMC 4

Based on the foregoing it was agreed to commence LIT6discussions with assistance of the PartnershipCoordinators at the four Mail Centres. At the time ofwriting discussions were at an advanced stage with atarget timescale for implementation of revised staffing inJanuary 2015.

Mails Processing

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Postal Update

The Monitoring Group were requested to assist theCompany and the Union in respect of disagreementrelating to the Collection & Delivery 2014 ChristmasArrangements. Set out below is a summary of theposition of both parties as presented in detailedsubmissions to the hearing.

Company PositionThe Company advanced proposals to the Union forChristmas 2014 which set out it should operate broadlyin line with that which applied last year. Thosearrangements were agreed without requirement forreferral to the Monitoring Group between the Union andthe Company. As per last year, the Company believe thatthere should again be local engagement to reachagreement at each office. While local discussions wouldfinalise the detail of the local arrangements, the followingarrangements to apply nationwide:

• One 10 hour nationwide delivery on the 20thDecember

• Two national weekend collections (13th / 20thDecember)

• In midnight offices, leave reserve hours to beutilised against additional inward hours requirementbefore overtime is incurred. Any remaining leavereserve hours to be utilised against preparation anddelivery additional hours requirement beforeovertime is incurred

• In non-midnight offices, leave reserve hours to beutilised against the total additional hoursrequirement before overtime is incurred

• Full collections to schedule on Christmas Eve

The Company contends that the 2013 arrangementsworked very satisfactorily and cited the fact that there wasno outstanding issue to be addressed at local/headquarterslevel, save for the issue identified by the Union in respectof one special posting. The Company has acknowledgedthere were some difficulties with this posting which wasadditional to the normal Christmas arrangements. TheCompany has confirmed that there are no plans for anysuch posting this year. Furthermore, should any suchmajor postings arise in future, the Company will discussthese separately with the Union. Mail volumes havedecreased further in the past year, albeit on a reducedlevel, therefore the Company cannot countenance a claimby the Union that it should unnecessarily increase its costsfor Christmas 2014.

Union PositionThe Union outlined that there was a major difficulty withthe 2013 arrangements which primarily arose from theadditional special posting. The Company had notaddressed, at the time, the concerns identified by theUnion in its correspondence of the 17th December 2013.There were also difficulties with regard to the operationalarrangements in place for Monday the 16th December2013, which was the heaviest mail volume of the yearresulting in some deliveries having no room to prepareall of the mail. The Union set out its requirements for2014 to the Company on the 22nd September 2014 thefollowing:

• Full nationwide delivery on the 13th and 20thDecember

• Restoration of Christmas Casuals• No evening Collections on Christmas Eve• The suspension of Publicity Post at Christmas

The Union also outlined that, given the Company had nottabled its proposals until the 4th November to the Union,there was now a practical difficulty in commencement atthis late stage of discussions on an office-by-office basis.

Following consideration of the case advanced by bothsides the following determination was issued by theMonitoring Group:

DeterminationThe Monitoring Group is aware the Union and theCompany agreed the 2013 Christmas Arrangements,which included local/national engagement. Apart fromthe additional special posting the agreed arrangementswere in the main, satisfactory, in that there is no otheroutstanding unresolved issue. In such circumstances,there should be no requirement for increased resources,as requested by the Union in respect of the restoration ofChristmas Casuals or an additional weekend delivery. Inany event both of these issues have been comprehensivelydealt with in previous determinations. In respect of theChristmas Eve collections, the Monitoring Group isaware ComReg has conducted a consultation process,which included An Post is seeking a derogation from itsUSO obligations on Christmas Eve, and which ComReghas stated it is minded to adopt this option. The outcomeof this consultation is due to be released shortly.

Taking all matters into consideration, the Monitoring

“THREE WISE MEN” Play Role in XMAS 2014

7

Postal Update

Group is of the view that the same ChristmasArrangements should apply in 2014, as applied in 2013.The Company and the Union should now take immediatesteps to ensure that local communications of thearrangements at each unit are completed as a matter ofurgency.

The Postal Courier decided to proceed on the basisoutlined by the Monitoring Group. Branches wererequested to immediately engage at local level tofinalising arrangements. Any issues that required furtherassistance should, in the first instance, be referred to

CWU Regional Officers for their immediate attention. Infinalising local arrangements, Branches were furtherrequested to ensure the necessary operational resourcesare in place to deal with increased volume offlats/packets. Finally, any difficulties not addressed bymanagement during the Christmas pressure period shouldbe documented and referred to Regional Office/HQ forattention.

The Monitoring Group, also known as “the three wisemen”, played no role in finalising the 2013 arrangementbut returned to play a starring role for 2014.

Retail Branch OfficeConversion To Contract Status

on Track

In September 2014 the Company agenda toprogress further Branch Office Conversionsbeyond the 39 completed to date was referred tothe Monitoring Group. The Monitoring GroupDetermined that an additional six offices shouldbe converted using the same mechanisms thatapplied under the 2002 and 2007 agreements andthis was advised by Union Circular with directcorrespondence to the Branches concerned whenthe Union was advised of the specific locations.

The Union was advised that the following officeswere selected by the Company for conversionbased primarily on Volume of Business and StaffProfile. Staff Consultations commenced at eachaffected location and the agreed process is beingfacilitated by the Coordinators:

1. Athy Co Kildare 5 Permanent Staffincluding ActingBranch Manager

2. CarrickonShannon 4 Permanent Staff Co Leitrim including Acting

Branch Manager3. Loughrea Co Galway 4 Staff including

Branch Manager

4. Listowel Co Kerry 4 Staff includingActing BranchManager

5. Dungarvan 6 Staff includingBranch

Co Waterford Manager6. Skibbereen Co Cork 6 Staff including

Branch Manager

The options available to staff are those containedin the 2002 and 2007 agreements. Internal interestin Office Contract has been identified at eachlocation and preferred options of permanent staffhave been indicated at each office at this stage.Issues progressed related to employment statusof some staff; assignment of Clerk Mails duty-holders to C&D; and relocation options.Notwithstanding Company intentions to increasethe rate charged to successful contract applicantsfor seconded hours agreement was reached tomaintain the rate at the level that applied inprevious conversions. The terms of the voluntaryexit schemes are those contained in the existingschemes. Therefore year end is target conversioncompletion date for each office and a number ofstaff are choosing to avail of the VER and VSschemes. We wish the new contract holders everysuccess with their new business.

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Postal Update

The Labour Relations Commission issued itsdeliberations regarding discussions between the CWUand An Post in relation to the Group of Unions pay claim.The full text as issued by Mr Foley Director ConciliationServices of the LRC printed adjacent to this article. Youwill note from the finding, we will reconvene at the LRCin early Spring when the Company and the Commissionhave, what they believe to be, sufficient time to reviewthe impact of the recently applied price increases. It isquite common when price increases are applied to almostany product that there are reactions from key customersand in this case some key customers have reduced theirlevel of posting or have switched to cheaper productswhich allow delivery over a longer period of time. It isalso normal that people resume habits and it is hoped thatthis will happen in the case of An Post. There is also someindications that the economy is recovering andtraditionally postal business grew with the economy andit will be interesting to see if that is the case once again.

The main concern for the Executive Council is that theLabour Relations Commission and the Court are unlikelyto find in our favour, if those changes do not improve theCompany finances to the extent that they believe theCompany can afford to grant a pay rise. In relation topoint 3 concerning declines in mail volumes, you willalso note in the final paragraph that the LRC urges us toexamine how we can address that issue and may well bepossible to generate some payment through suchdiscussions.

Notwithstanding the above, the NEC has accepted theLRC’s proposals and has decided that at this year’sSpring Seminar to dedicate at least half a day to the issueof pay. At that session we will discuss the outcome ofthe LRC process whether it is positive or not and planwhatever response the Branches and the members deemnecessary. It is intended the AGMs would also presentthe opportunity to consult with members regarding theirviews as to how we should proceed.

Cost of living pay claim An Post

The Union and Company have referred anumber of issues in dispute to the LabourRelations Commission as follows:

1. Registered Locker AllowanceThe Union is seeking an increase in the RegisteredLocker Allowance to reflect both the increasedresponsibility and also the fact that they are not inreceipt of other allowances.

2. Service PayThe Union is seeking an increase in Service Pay.The Company for its part is seeking to buy out theallowances at 2.5 times its annual value. TheUnion has rejected this proposal and has insteadsought its consolidation into basic pay.

3. Mileage ratesThe Union is seeking an increase in mileage rateswhich has been rejected by the Company.

4. Subsistence PaymentsThe Company reduced the subsistence Rates as aresult of Revenue Guidelines. These were interim

rates and the Company recently proposed thesearrangements should be made permanent. TheUnion believe that these arrangements should bereversed.

5. Home Garaging of Company VansThe Company is seeking to cease arrangements forhome garaging of CMVs. This matter has beenunder discussion for some time. As it was notpossible to reach agreement the matter wasreferred by the company to the LRC. The Unionhas agreed to attend a Conciliation Conferenceearly in the new year.

We will of course keep all members informed ofdevelopments with regard to the above.

Issues referred to Labour Relations Commission

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Postal Update

On Saturday 15th November, CWU welcomed renownedUS Organiser, Jane McAlevey, to William Norton House toconduct a training day for union organisers and communityactivists. The event was put together thanks to the combinedefforts of the CWU, Mandate Trade Union and IBOA – TheFinance Union. In what can only be described as a uniquetraining opportunity, Jane was in a position, for the first timein Ireland, to discuss her ground-breaking organisingstrategies with a large group of Irish trade union organisers,as well as activists and individuals from across thecommunity sector.

Jane came to the attention of the CWU via her first bookRaising Expectations (and Raising Hell), which waspublished by Verso Press in 2012 and which describes herfight for (and within) the labour movement in the Americanhealthcare sector. Before writing the book, Jane was aNational Deputy Director for Strategic Campaigns in thehealthcare division for SEIU, as well as being the CampaignDirector for one of the only successful multi-union, multi-year, geographic organising campaigns for the nationalAFL-CIO (the American equivalent of ICTU).

Her innovative organising techniques examine how tobuild worker power by harnessing the strength of workersand their relationships, not just within the workplace, butwithin their own communities as well. She describes this as“whole worker organising”. The development of worker

power comes from a new type of analysis, described as “power structureanalysis”, which gives careful consideration to the various stakeholders that canhave a positive or negative impact on worker issues and how a union might useits power to influence these forces for the benefit of resolving workplace issues.

With almost 100 people in attendance, the event proved to be a huge successand Jane proved to be a thoroughly engaging, information and knowledgeabletrainer.

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Raising Hell and Raising Expectations!

US Organiser, Jan McAlevey

John Douglas, President, ICTU, Jane McAlevey. US Organiser, andIan McArdle, Head of Organising & Regulatory Affairs, CWU.

Breaking a leg to attend!

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Ian McArdle, CWU

Michael Taft, Unite

Jane McAlevey

Sally Anne Kinahan One of the many speakers to takepart in this informative event.

Berny McMahon, Cultúr

IBOA participants

You’re never too young to organise! Adam O’Maolagan, IBOA & community group members

GET INTO PRINT!

Find us under : CWU Ireland

Anyone wishing to submitarticles or photos to appear

in the Connect journal,please, either:

EMAIL TO:imelda@cwu.ie

OR POST TO:Imelda Wall,

CommunicationsWorkers’ Union,

William Norton House,575 North Circular Road,

Dublin 1.

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Communications Workers’ Union activists working in BTIreland attended their first union training earlier this month.The training marks the beginning of the CWU’s latestcampaign to organise BT’s employees in the Republic ofIreland and fight for collective bargaining.

Organisers have been engaging with individual membersto listen to their concerns, with our union’s densityconstantly improving. BT Ireland prides itself in being anAll-Ireland company. Despite this, its workers on either sideof the border are treated in a markedly different way.

While BT staff in the north of Ireland enjoy full tradeunion rights, the company refuses to extend these rights toits workers in the Republic of Ireland.

Earlier this year, staff in the north received a 7% pay riseover three years while the wages of those working in thesouth have remained stagnant for four years. It’s no accident

that workers in the north who are represented by a tradeunion enjoy better terms and conditions than those in thesouth. This shows the positive difference unions make tothe lives of working people and the importance of having astrong union in any workplace.

It is worth noting that BT Ireland is a successfulcompany. As such, the CWU would like to see our membersbe given equal recognition for their contribution to thissuccess. Members have expressed their frustration at thehuge disparity in the way they are treated in comparisonwith their colleagues north of the border.

Organisers are working to encourage more people in BTto join the CWU. The larger the membership, the morepower the workers have. The CWU will continue to helpdevelop our activist base and increase our density in BTIreland in the New Year.

BT workers get organised

Retail Rights for O2/ThreeWorkers

Retail Rights is a campaign launched in July to organiseretail workers in Three Ireland. Thanks to the amazing workof existing members with the support of Organisers, thecampaign has shown great success. Union membership hastripled over the last couple of months.

In July, Three bought Telefonica O2’s Irish operation andannounced a number of changes to the retail stores.

Redundancies, store closures and the non-renewal of anumber of fixed term contracts were announced by thecompany in August.

Since then the company have failed to give the staff anyclarity or input in these cuts, leading to huge uncertainty andconcern for staff. Many of these workers have made thedecision to join the CWU, not only to have union

representation but gain control of their terms and conditionsgoing forward.

Organisers have been supporting, advising and trainingthese members on how they can build a strong unionisedworkforce. A number of members have become workplaceleaders within their own stores, engaging with managementat a local level to represent their fellow colleagues to resolveissues as well as encouraging all workers to join their union.

Although the company indicated the proposed changeswould not take place until January, the O2 store on PatrickSt, Cork has already closed. This paints the picture that thecompany plan to implement these changes without anyfurther engagement with their staff.

Members continue to encourage everyone to join as soonas possible to begin engaging with the company on acollective level to ensure all workers get say in their future.

For more information visit retailrights.com

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As part of UNI Global Union’s Call Centre Action,Organisers visited Telephone House on 18th November.

During a highly successful visit in October, Organisersand Branch officials identified new activists within thecentre. These activists, together with existing reps, werekeen to keep the momentum going.

A stall was set up in the lobby, offering all staff theopportunity to talk about the issues affecting them, andto ask any questions they might have. The stall was busyall day, with Organisers having to send off to head officefor more supplies!

The fantastic local activists accompanied Organisersin talking to workers throughout the building. Over thecourse of several hours, it is estimated that around 100workers were listened to on a one-to-one basis to gaugethe feeling in the building and identify any potentialissues that might be affecting them.

Since the visit, the three new activists that wereidentified have received Branch Committee training andwill be attending further Workplace Leader trainingshortly.

Organisers will return to Telephone House to continuetalking to staff until everyone has had the opportunity tohave their say. If you are working in Telephone Houseand would like more information about the initiative,please contact Fionnuala at fnib@cwu.ie.

Organiserscontinue

Call CentreAction visits

Marukh Zahir talking to staffLaura McKenna, Organiser, with Abiola Fajimiyo

Abiola Fajimiyodiscussing CWU benefits

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As I write this, at the end of November, it seems like alifetime ago that we were on the CWUHA convoy to Romaniaand Bulgaria. Actually only eight weeks have passed since ourreturn at the end of September. This was my first time to drivewith the convoy and it is such a unique experience that it takesa good while for it all to, I suppose, sink in. Like any majorevent in your life, a certain amount of time has to pass beforeyou can look at it in the cold light of day and examine itobjectively.

Every year previ-ously, I have read, withinterest, in this finepublication the reportsfrom the drivers but it’snot until I went and ex-perienced it myself thatthe scale, importanceand emotional depth ofthe whole enterprise re-ally hit home.

The basic scenariofor anyone not aware ofit, is as follows: unionmembers from CWUIreland and CWU UK volunteer to raise funds to buyhumanitarian aid for various institutions in less affluent partsof Europe. A pair of volunteers is assigned to each truck or vanand is given a wish-list of goods required by their assigneddestinations. This aid is then loaded onto the trucks and drivento each site by the volunteers where it is given over directly tothe recipients, cutting out middle-men and the red tapeassociated with a lot of charities. The trucks are sponsored byeircom and An Post in Ireland and BT, the Royal Mail and acompany called Simpson Millar in the UK, so it is one of thefew examples of where the unions and companies really worktogether for a common aim, without any hidden agendas orbaggage getting in the way. The convoy is an annual event atthis stage and it is open to any member of the union to applyto be part of it. Each year that the event continues, the list oftrade contacts to buy the aid from increases, and you’ll alwaysget a helping hand from previous drivers when it comes downto bargaining time.

This year the Irish contingent was assigned to deliver to thetown of Calafat, Romania and a couple of destinations on theoutskirts of the town. To get that far, we had a c. 3000 kilometredrive across UK, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Hungary.Some of the other loads were going on further into Bulgaria.

There generally isn’t anything very exciting happening asyou’re on the road, apart from what would have been calledsome years ago, the odd ‘map-reading’ error. These days, I thinkthat most unscheduled detours can usually be put down to sat-navs with a mean streak in them. One such detour had uscareering around the city centre of Brussels, up and down tunnelsand underpasses that were not built for 7.5 tonne trucks. Camerasinstalled in these tunnels kept flashing us on this little diversion.I was expecting to receive some snaps in the post that wouldremind you of the ones you get of yourself in theme parks,screaming and hanging on to the roller coaster for dear life.

I was lucky, in that my partner this year, Rory Duggan, was

a veteran of previous convoys so I was under his wing, so tospeak. Our eircom emblazoned truck was accompanied byGareth Daly and Brendan Medlar in a truck from An Post.There were long days in the cab, sharing the driving, the oddpot noodle and a smidgen of craic as you go along. Eachtruck/van has a walkie-talkie to communicate with the rest ofthe convoy. Over this radio you will receive instructions, acertain amount of abuse and the odd song. Nights are usually

spent in small motorwayhotels that are fairlyisolated from mainpopulation centres.

There has been muchwritten in previous yearsabout the effect on thevolunteers when the drop-offs are reached. It issomething that is veryhard to put into words andharder still to put down onpaper, so I’ll only try togive a brief descriptionhere. Suffice it to say thatit is something that can

reach you very deeply, something that is so far removed fromthe normal grind of daily life here in Ireland that at times it seemssurreal. It can be uplifting, depressing, rewarding, exhausting,confusing, hilarious, sad, draining and touching – sometimes allof these at once! The CWUHA is mainly a charity for children,and there is a kind of universal heart-warming feeling that youget when a child, who may not have any personal possessions,receives something as simple as a small toy. The glow ofappreciation and thanks that they can give off is something tobehold. A lot of the goods delivered are of a practical nature butthere is always a lot of fun stuff for the kids too.

I had never met most of the other drivers before setting out,so I didn’t really know what to expect from the trip. I foundthat within a short few days, you can develop a kind of bondwith the other drivers, something that, again, is hard to explainunless you’ve experienced it. For the couple of weeks thatyou’re together as a group, you seem to share everything - foodat the side of the road, various gadgets for the cab, fashion tips,advice on just about anything, and of course the very emotionalscenes when the aid is being distributed. We were on the roadfor only about seventeen days in all, but looking back on it, itseems like it went on for weeks and weeks on end. This bunchof (mainly) strangers turned into a group of people that mighthave known each other for years by the end of the road. Isuppose if you had to put a word on it, it would be camaraderie.That’s not to say that the whole experience was a piece of cake- it wasn’t easy to raise all the money required, there was a lotof hard work involved in getting the goods together, andhaving them packed, weighed and documented. However, itmay be me wearing my rose-tinted glasses, but I feel that theexperience was such that the hard bits are far out-weighed bythe rewarding bits. It is an experience that I thoroughly enjoyedand is something that I will never forget as long as I live (stillhaving the odd nightmare about Brussels!!).

On the Road: CWUHA Convoy 2014

CWU HA 2014 Convoy Volunteers

by Ivor Reynolds

Call 01 855 6666 or email info@fmdownes.com

15

16

The banking bonus culture is on the way backOpinion: Why we need to keep control over our banks by Paul Sweeney

The huge fines imposed last week on six top banks forthe rigging of foreign exchange dealings tells us little haschanged in banking. The $4.3 billion fines on six banks,all of which have operations in Ireland, came on top ofthe $6 billion fine for the Libor rigging last year. At thesame time, the bank bosses and dealers in the UK and USare back paying themselves vast bonuses.

It is inevitable that when the Irish banks are returnedfrom the State to the private sector, it will be back tobusiness as usual. The bonuses will make those in IrishWater look like a trickle.

So far this year fines on banks worldwide amount to$57 billion, the highest since 2007. Earlier this year,Lloyds and other UK banks set aside another £10 billionfor mis-selling financial products. And the New Yorkregulator pursued a dozen banks including Barclays,Deutsche, Goldman Sachs and RBS for manipulatingforeign exchange rates. Jamie Dimon of JP MorganChase’s salary of $1.5 million was augmented with $18.5million in stock options. Its profits fell last year as it paidout $13 billion in fines for mis-selling securities andmanipulating key interest rates.

Morgan has a $23 billion war chest to pay fines andlegal costs. Most banks have such war chests for fines.This surely tells us where their priorities lie.

It seems that the economic system we have is broken.There has been much welcome reform of bankregulation, but the behaviour of the bosses of UK and USbanks demonstrates it is back to the old ways. For theyknow if, or rather when, they screw up again, thetaxpayer will pick up the bill. This is the new model ofcapitalism.

Ireland is the poster child of risk-free rewards. For itwas the Irish taxpayer who a) bailed out all the private

banks, b) repaid all their creditors(bondholders) in full and with interestand c) rescued all the buildingspeculators with Nama. If we gotsome return, it might have beenworthwhile. The cost could have paidfor a bridge to Europe.

Power of financeThe financialisation of economies

and societies has continued apace. Thepower of finance over people’s livesis unprecedented. Financial bodieshave moved from lending to business

and individuals to complex financial transactions, whichadd no value other than to themselves.

Banks are so dominant that if they collapse once more,the State will have to rescue them again. They know it.But our leaders will not admit it. It is a new economicorder.

Regulation has greatly improved. It will push the daysof the next bank collapses further away. But the return ofthe obscene bonus culture and dealer riggings are clearindications that banks will collapse again.

Therefore regulation must now “interfere” in bankbosses’ remuneration and in detail. It is the least we candemand for the sums we have paid out in rescuing thebanks.

There are two further steps to be taken. The first is toretain public ownership of key banks. The power offinance is now so big that key banks need to be treatedas strategic public utilities and run, efficiently, in thewider public interest.

The second step is to hit the pay of top financeexecutives hard if there is any hint of wrongdoing by theircorporations. Earlier this year the bosses of State-ownedAIB were pleading to our Department of Finance aboutpaying bigger bonuses and higher salaries to topexecutives. This demonstrates that this elite cannot waitto get back to the trough.

RemunerationExecutive remuneration must be reformed permanently.An executive should be paid a salary for the job. Bonusesshould be paid only in exceptional circumstances andshould never exceed salary, a stipulation the EuropeanParliament attempted to impose. Share options should becapped at a proportion of salary and cumulatively should

THE IRISH TIMES

17

not exceed one year’s salary. The payment of anyadditional remuneration should be deferred for five yearsso that the real impact of the executive stewardship canbe assessed.

Finally, the pay of the CEO should never exceed, say,20 times that of the lowest paid employee. That has thedouble effect of keeping down the top pay andencouraging the CEO to maintain an interest in the lowestpaid workers.

If any bank is fined by the regulator (as JP MorganChase has been in US, UK and Switzerland), then the fineshould first be levied, not on the bank, but on thebonuses, share options and excessive salaries of the topexecutives and finally on the institution’s “war chest”.

Remember, in 2006, the bosses of the Irish banks hadenormous salaries, bonuses and share options, with David

Drumm of Anglo Irish having options of €19 million. AllIrish banks collapsed shortly after, demonstrating thatsuch “rewards” are no guarantee of success. On thecontrary, they drove the bank collapses.

The rush to return the banks to the private sector maysoon see Ireland with no indigenous banks. Some say thisdoes not matter in a globalised world, and besides, futurebank failures will now be paid for by Europe. But thesystemic banks have large headquarters, with manyskilled employees, and control is vested in Ireland. Theincreased power of financialisation – the takeover of thereal economy by finance – and the regular abuse of thatpower, means that a small country needs as much controlover its own banks as possible.Paul Sweeney has written several books on theeconomy and on privatisation.

Budget 2015 Facts & Figures

18

Education Update

Branch Secretary Stage 2 Course –October 14th -16th

Pictured Back Row l-r: John Dunleavey NEC, Declan Fitzgerald Bandon Postal,Barry Carr Mullingar Postal and Brian Smyth Navan Postal

Pictured Front Row l-r: Michael Gallagher Lifford Inishowen Postal,Gareth Daly Athlone MailsCentre, Noel Murphy eircom Cork District, and Seamus Kenny Roscommon Postal.

DPAB Committee Training

Once again we had a high attendance of the DPAB committee at their training course which was held in union headoffice on November 7th.

In attendance were: Adrian Scanlon, Paula Martin, James Moore, Eric Partridge, George Ellis, Lesley Sheridan,Paula Allen, Tina Tully, Olive Hall, Paul Darcy, Denise Kearney, Jacqueline Gallagher, Ciarán Murphy, James Daniel,Sharon Kelly and Thomas Hayes.

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Education Update

Treasurer Training –October 22nd

Pictured l-r: Anthony Maher Portlaoise Postal, John Dunleavey NEC, Sean Morrissey Kilkenny Postal,Connie Kelly South Kerry Postal, Eleanor O’Shaughnessy Cork Mails Centre, John Kinsella Cavan Postal,

Richard Murphy Enniscorthy Postal and Paul Gallagher Lifford Inishowen Postal.

Committee Training – Portlaoise Mails Centre

The Portlaoise Mails Centre Committee attended a course on October 4th in the Heritage Hotel.

In attendance were: David Cole, Tom Prendergast, Anthony Maher, Marion Hughes, Ellen Moore, David Kelly, MaryBurkett, Sadie Fox, John Byrne and Geraldine McManus.

20

The sudden collapse of the economy in 2007 came as ashock to many. Pay cuts and job losses have meant thatpeople who were doing well and who were financiallyindependent quickly found themselves making personalcutbacks and struggling to keep up with their outgoings.The fall-out of the economic collapse has lead to financialuncertainty and stress for many.

During the summer the Insolvency Service of Ireland(ISI), an independent government body under the aegisof the Department of Justice, researched the behaviourand attitudes of people struggling with problem debt andit became clear that people are not aware of the supportsthat are available to them. People are instead strugglingto make ends meet. They are making daily personalsacrifices but these sacrifices are still not sufficient tomeet all of their outgoings. So they simply struggle on.In many cases this is as a result of feelings ofresponsibility towards the debt that they owe. Despitefeelings of isolation people are reluctant to come forwardto even seek support from family or friends for fear it willbe misconstrued as a request for financial assistance.

Problem debt is an issue that affects hundreds ofthousands of people in Ireland today. More than 90,000mortgage account holders are in arrears with repayments.Families are overburdened with debt. People withoutmortgages are also finding themselves with maxed outcredit cards; overdrafts and personal loans they simplycannot repay. But few people are coming forward to seekhelp from the supports that have been put in place bygovernment. Often people are not even aware of thesolutions that are available. However, while the numberof people coming forward to seek help from the ISI isrelatively low, for those who have found a solution theexperience has been life changing. One debtor remarkedthat it was like ‘winning the lottery’.

One of the most difficult aspects facing the ISI inincreasing awareness of the supports available is trying

to explain the concept ofinsolvency. Many people are unableto pay their bills in full when they aredue or are trying to pay a little off each bill trying to keepcreditors at bay and do not realise that they may beinsolvent. Given that this is the case it is difficult toencourage them to come forward and speak to someoneabout the options and help available. Although there ishelp available. Speaking at a recent townhall event inCork, Cathy Clarke, Head of Regulation in the ISI said“It is important that people know that there are debtsolutions available for every type of debt problem andthat the solutions provided by the ISI will giveindividuals protection from the people they owe moneyto, will provide them with a reasonable standard of livingand be a permanent, sustainable solution to their debtproblems. A debt solution from the ISI means no morephone calls, letters or visits from your creditors.”

The ISI has three debt solutions that are alternatives tobankruptcy, and in fact must be explored before someonecan seek to be made bankrupt. To administer theseschemes the ISI has established a network of qualifiedprofessional advisors around the country who are thereto provide advice on the options available to individuals.There are two types of professional advisors; PersonalInsolvency Practitioners (known as ‘PIPs’) and ApprovedIntermediaries (known as ‘AIs’). Everyone providingthese services have passed exams on personal debt andare regulated by the ISI. Many PIPs are also accountants,solicitors or qualified financial advisors.

The benefits of these solutions are that they ensurepeople have a reasonable standard of living (which isoften higher than the amount they were trying to live onbefore seeking an insolvency solution), one of the termsof the arrangements means that creditors cannot makecontact with the debtor during the arrangement, and atthe end of the agreed term any money still owed on

ISOLATED BY DEBT

21

unsecured debt like credit card debt and personal loansare completely written off. If the person has secureddebt, like a mortgage, the PIP will make sure that therepayments are affordable.

One of the main queries people have about thesesolutions is “why would creditors settle for less than theyare owed?” but it is becoming clear that it is also in thecreditors’ interest to sort out any backlog of debt. Of thehundreds of cases that have already gone through theISI’s system, 3 out of 4 proposals are being agreed to andaccepted by creditors.

For many people, there is great relief at having enteredthe process and begun the journey out of debt. The phonecalls from creditors stop, the demand letters no longerdrop through the letterbox. The debts that kept themawake with worry are taken out of their hands and asecond chance of a debt-free future opens up ahead ofthem giving them a fresh start.

The main thing to remember is that there is a debtsolution for everyone and for every type of personal debtproblem. Personal Insolvency Arrangements and DebtSettlement Arrangements are put in place to deal with anindividual’s particular set of circumstances with someonly lasting a number of weeks while others may run fora number of months. People should not be discouragedfrom coming forward to seek assistance for any reason,including the possibility of fees being charged.

If you or someone you know is struggling with debt,you are not alone. Take the first step to take back controlof your finances, make an appointment with one of thegrowing network of PIPs throughout the country, or ifyour debt is less than €20,000 and you do not have amortgage contact an AI. For more information aboutthese solutions and to hear the stories of debtors whohave availed of these solutions visit the websitewww.backontrack.ie or call 0761064200.

Education Update

Committee Training – Union HQ

The Union was pleased to host a committee training course for a variety of committees on November 19th in unionhead office. Branches from eircom, An Post and HCL were represented on the day.

In attendance were:Imelda Devaney eircom Dublin No 3, Alan Beaumont Athlone Postal, Kevin Cody HCL Cork, John Ahern HCL Cork,Kevin Wong HCL Cork, Paul Fitzpatrick eircom Dublin No 2, Eamonn Eames eircom Dublin No 2, Tony Farrellyeircom Dublin No 2, Paul Murphy Cavan Postal, Richard Dreelan eircom Portlaoise, Padraig O’Malley AthlonePostal, Abiola Fajimiyo HCL Dublin, John Maher Dublin Postal Drivers, Asish Bhalla HCL Dublin, Mahrukh ZahirHCL Dublin & Bernard Doyle Tullow Postal.

22

CWU launches newConference Centre Website

www.williamnortonhouse.ie

The Union moved back to the newly refurbishedHeadquarters in June 2012. The new building is nowequipped to cater for meeting requirements,anywhere from 10 to 200 delegates. There is amplemeeting space, with individual meeting roomscapable of holding 20 to 50 delegates and theConference Hall catering for 200. There is also thefacility to hold six individual phone conferencingcalls with unlimited numbers of attendees joiningthe individual calls. The building has beenrefurbished to the highest spec in relation toenergy/heat saving technology, access for disabledpersons, induction loops in the reception andmeeting rooms for hearing impaired persons, andfacilities to cater for all types of meetings andtraining events.

The new William Norton House website(www.williamnortonhouse.ie) provides informationon each of the meeting spaces available (layouts,

equipment, etc), the various events that can becatered for (such as conferences, exhibitions,evening receptions, etc), as well as a handy tool tocheck availability in the preferred meeting space.The website also provides a history of WilliamNorton and his involvement with the CWU and thewider labour movement. Finally, the normallocation and enquiry functions are also included onthe website.

The Union is actively promoting the WilliamNorton House Conference Centre as Dublin’snewest conference & events venue and wouldappreciate if you could share it with anyorganisations you are involved in that may requireconference/meeting facilities.

For further information on the WNH ConferenceCentre, please contact Imelda Wall: (01) 866 3000or info@cwu.ie

The CWU is happy to announce the launch of its new dedicatedconference centre website for William Norton House.

23

Skills requirements in the ICT industry are rapidlychanging due to constant technological innovations andmarket developments.

Therefore, the European social partners in the telecomsector - the European trade unions federation UNI Europaand the European Telecommunications NetworkOperators’ Association ETNO - have jointly undertakenthe European project “Filling the ICT skills gap in theTelecommunications Sector of the future – identifyingand spreading best practice”.

The project’s objective was to identify the main driversof change and the impact on skills needs in thetelecommunication sector, and to identify and share bestpractice regarding effective solutions to fill the ICT skillsgap. A particular focus was given to best practise fortraining and reskilling (particularly those over 40),recruitment of competent talent and the attraction of morewomen into ICT employment. Based on the findings ofthe project research, the European telecom social partnershave identified five key recommendations to efficientlyaddress the ICT skills needs of the future. UNI Europaand ETNO are convinced that the Europeantelecommunications industry as a whole could benefit byfollowing these recommendations.

Multi-stakeholder engagementConsidering that collaboration between industry,government, social partners and schools/college/universities sharing different but complementary goals isa proven strategy, UNI Europa and ETNO stronglyrecommend that multi-stakeholder engagement and co-operation is continued and expanded at European andnational levels to maximise the use of shared resourcesand knowledge bringing benefit to all parties involved.

Social DialogueGiven the social partners’ track record on good skillspractices and skills gaps, their potential influence andtheir experience in partnering skills developmentinitiatives, we recommend to continue and expand theengagement of social partners in skills developmentinitiatives and to initiate such projects based upon agreedbusiness and individual skills needs.

Young talent engagement and women inleadership positions

Aiming to employ the best young talent in the telecom-munication industry, it is a strong recommendation to ad-

dress potential candidates at an early stage and commu-nicate the many varied and interesting roles that exist inthe industry. Moreover, and considering that an improvedgender balance has positive business impact, ETNO andUNI Europa recommend that specific initiatives be cre-ated to attract more women into ICT jobs in general andinto leadership positions in particular1.

Intercompany cooperationConsidering the mutual benefits arising from theorganizations efforts on working together and sharingknowledge and skills, the European telecom socialpartners recommend that consideration be given to theestablishment of a formal cross company association orcommittee dedicated to the development oftelecommunication professional skills developmentacross Europe.

Common skills and job profile languageAiming to overcome the use of disparate terminology andworking a common understanding on the type ofeducation or skills development required, UNI Europaand ETNO recommend the creation of a specific skillsmanagement structure and a shared definition of relevanttelecommunication role profiles, similar to the EuropeanICT Professional Profiles2 based upon the e-CompetenceFramework, as a possible solution.

The European telecom social partners call upon allindustry stakeholders to consider these recommendationsthat have been developed on the basis of thoroughanalysis of the state of play of the sector. There arevarious good examples for initiatives reflecting theserecommendations that should inspire all industrystakeholders to engage in similar activities.3 ETNO andUNI Europa are convinced that sharing best practiceexamples and enhancing co- operation, communicationand commitment of all stakeholders will be mutuallybeneficial and the best way to address the skills challengein the sector.

Brussels,28November 2014

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1 Compare also the ETNO-UNI Europa Joint Declaration on genderequality of 22nd September 2014.2 See: www.ecompetences.eu / ICT Profiles3 For best practice examples, see the study report “Filling the ICT skillsgap in the Telecommunications sector of the future (FITS)” drafted byBreyer Publico in the framework of the joint UNI Europa – ETNO projecton skills.

Draft joint UNI Europa–ETNO declaration onfuture skills needs

24

The CWU, along with Unite the Union, Mandate Trade Union, OPATSI and the CPSU, are the Unions that are currently affiliated to the Right2Water campaign. The Group has organised the two main na�onal demonstra�ons against the water charges; the 11th of October in Dublin and the 1st of November when over 100 demonstra�ons took place na�onwide. As you can see from the “common understanding” (Page 26), Right2Water is an umbrella group of unions, poli�cal par�es and community groups. Right2Water does not advocate any one approach to oppose the water charges and as long as all groups promote peaceful opposi�on to the charges, they are welcome to be part of R2W. There have been fantas�c turnouts at all the demonstra�ons and CWU members have been very no�ceable at many of the protests, and indeed organised and spoke at some. Currently, the focus of Right2Water is the upcoming “People’s Assembly” outside the Dáil at 1pm on Wednesday the 10th December, which is Human Rights Day. We hope to make this a family day out, with a mixture of speakers and entertainers on the day. The CWU is asking any of our members (past and present) that can a�end, to go to Molesworth Street and to wear your blue jackets & hats.

Dublin Postal Amalgamated Branch, Tallaght Demo

Cork Postal Outdoor Branch, Cork City Demo

25

Sligo Postal Branch, Sligo Demo

Drimnagh Says No!

Barry Carr, Mullingar Postal Branch

Steve Fitzpatrick, CWU General Secretary,addresses Blessington Demo

Terry Delany, CWU Deputy GeneralSecretary, with DPAB members atDublin demo

26

27

an post employees’credit union ltd.

The weekly subscription to the car draw is €1.27, taken from your credit union shares. A car and 10 cash prizes mustbe won every two months, with extra prizes in the Christmas draw. All car draw subscriptions go to the prize fund. Youmust be a member of the credit union to participate in the draw. Cars supplied by Ashley Motors. Terms & conditions apply.

www.anpostcu.ie

Email: info@anpostcu.ie

Photo of car is for informationpurpose only, actual model andcolour may vary.

YES, you heard right!A BMW 318D is one of the prizes

in the Christmas Car Draw this year.Join the Car Draw today

Join the Credit Union today

YES, you heard right!A BMW 318D is one of the prizes

in the Christmas Car Draw this year.Join the Car Draw today

Join the Credit Union today

BMW must be won!BMW must be won!

28

Telecoms Update

ApprenticesAt last we say that the Apprentice Programme in eircomis finished. The final three apprentices have passed theirlast training module and are now successful FieldTechnicians. All of the Field Technicians have now beenplaced in their work locations and are put into theirrelevant District Branch.

At the time of writing it is expected that the vastmajority of the new Field Technicians are about toreceive their yearly pay review results, initial reports are

that the vast majority have been highly successful in theirpay assessments.

Union HQ has commenced discussions with theCompany with a view to employing a new group ofyoung people as part of a new Apprentice Programme.

I know all the former Apprentices would like to thankthe Dublin No. 1 Branch and in particular, John Egan,Branch Secretary, who represented them when they wereserving their Apprenticeship. We wish all the new FieldTechnicians well in their new careers in eircom.

Union Secures 2% Pay Increase for Members in HCLFollowing intensive negotiations between CWU and HCL, it has been agreed to increase pay for members in HCLby 2% with effect from 1st July 2014. This agreement covers in excess of 400 of our members in HCL.

CWU People

LauraLynn is Ireland’s only children’s hospice,providing medical care and therapeutic support tofamilies who have a child living with a life-limitingcondition. We cater for over 200 families a year. Eachyear we hold 2 special Christmas Parties in LauraLynn –one for our babies and young children, and one for ourteenagers and young adults. It is a day of fun, laughterand activity where our children and all their family cometogether to meet Santa and celebrate Christmas together.

In past years, Santa & Mrs. Claus have arrived onhelicopters and on a reindeer drawn sleigh! A veryspecial Santa’s Grotto is built and every child and theirsiblings and family members meet Santa together toreceive a personally chosen gift. We have lots ofentertainment and games, with Christmas music andcarols playing. Last year we had choirs sing at the partyfor both the children and the young people, and ouryoung people even got a Christmas themed Hip Hopdance show! Our Chef makes lots of tasty treats andnibbles for our families to enjoy.

This year, Communication Workers Union aresponsoring these very special events for our families –helping us tocreate magical memories to last a lifetime.

Gerry Bourke and Damien Tuohy, NEC, with Galway PostalBranch members, present a cheque to Cope Galway.

29

Customer’s Poem

I see them here, I see them thereYour telecom vans are everywhereBut at this house upon a wallA telephone on which I cannot call.

It’s almost five months since I appliedTo get connected I have tried and triedPhone calls, left messages for Dan DineenBut at my gate no white van to be seen.

The Christmas storms I knew caused some delayBut Easter has past and now I get madder by the dayA postcard to give some hope I would appreciateHow much longer do you expect me to wait?

An old sick father, family, friends, none of them cancontact me

Well now, I have well and truly had enoughThe time has come to get really toughIt’s now mid April 98If I do nothing you’ll just leave me wait

Come on lads, give me a breakHow much more can I take?Show me that you have a heartGet off your butts and make a start.

The phone is here, no pole required Just some action, pull some plugs is what’s desiredThe ways it’s been going, I could soon be deadOr locked up in Skibby off my head.

It’s high time now, please give a date, at least explainOr I shall be forced to write to the “Big Cheese” Kane

(Alfie Kane).I’m normally easy going, tis slow to enrage herAfter all this time, could you not have given that loan of

a pager?

This house is miles out of townAnd the whole saga has got me downWell lads this is all lads, I can’t think of anymoreExcept to go mobile or resort to Morse or semaphore.

Telecom Customer14/4/1998

Dan Dineen’s Answer

I received your fax this morningOf that I was so gladBut your long wait for the telephoneI really am so sad

It’s true we had a stormThe likes we’ve never seenAnd lesser men than we have hereWould now be in Skibbereen (psychiatric hospital)

The storm is now overSure it isn’t before timeIf God spares our health this afternoonWe’ll give you a new line

The days are getting longerAnd summers on its wayI hope you’ll receive glad tidingsOn this phone you’ll get today

Your patience is appreciated We apologise most sincereBut for an almighty effortIt could be another year

All through that Christmas stormYou never left my mindIt was a constant worryThat you were left behind

When this episode is overAnd your phone is on the wallConsider yourself luckyTo have got this line at all

When we think of other creaturesWho sit home and relaxThey wouldn’t write a letterNever mind to send a fax

Now that you have your telephoneIts service I hope you enjoy And don’t forget the pressureThat’s on a telecom boy

Dan DineenOverworked telecom employee

Telecoms Update

POETRY CORNER!

The following is a poetic exchange between a customer awaiting a phone connection,and my then CTM Mr Dan Dineen, in the aftermath of the storm of 1997.

Both correspondence were sent and received in good humour, in a time when sucha thing was appreciated, sadly missing today.

Submitted by Dermot O’Neill, COT1, Castletownbere, Co Cork

30

The ICTU Youth for Decent Work Awards provide acreative platform for young people to express their viewson issues relating to work and society. This year we areasking students to create a 3 minute video in teams of 2-4 students, based on their research of Income Inequalityand how Decent Work can address it. This is anopportunity for young people to highlight theirinterpretation of the theme and what it means to youngergenerations today. All participating teams are invited toattend our award ceremony in Dublin. Once again therewill be fantastic educational prizes up for grabs in ‘BestActing’, Best Interpretation, Most Original/Creative, and‘The People’s Choice Award’. Top prize for ‘Best OverallVideo’ is a breathtaking 5 day team trip to New York forteam and teacher.

This is a great opportunity for students to explore animportant topic and develop important skills in media anddigital literacy, team work, research, and critical thinking.

This year we have developed greater resource materialfor teachers and students to help them with this projectincluding; a free ‘Inequality’ workshop, a teachingresource module ‘An Unequal Society’; and 3 xinstructional videos filled with tips on brainstorming,storyboarding, script writing, rehearsals, filming, editingand much more.

Over 380 students attended last year's awards wherethey were treated to FREE popcorn and drinks, acelebrity MC and the opportunity to see some of thefantastic videos created by their peers

Once again all nominated teams will have their videosscreened at the award ceremony.

The important dates to remember are the registrationclosing date on November 14th; the deadline forsubmitting videos on January 16th 2015 and the awardceremony which will be held in Dublin at the end ofFebruary 2015

The ICTU Youth for DecentWork Awards are back!

John Douglas, President, ICTU, pictured with participants.

Go to http://www.youth-connect.ie/ for moreinformation, to register, and to download a copy of thecompetition terms & conditions. Alternatively contactCliona O’Connell, Youth Connect ProgrammeCoordinator on 01-8897752, cliona.oconnell@ictu.ie

But don’t just take our word for it, here iswhat some of last year's participants had tosay:

“I loved doing this project; I had never doneanything like this before. I really liked that everyonewas invited to the awards, even if we were notnominated. After watching everyone else's videos, themessage of decent work has really sunk in.

I found the weekly newsletters really usefulthroughout the competition because when we got stuck,we could always turn to them for help.”

Eirin McKernan, Our Lady’s College, Drogheda

“Taking part in the Youth Connect Short filmcompetition was such a good experience. Throughoutthe process of writing the script and preparing ideas forthe video, I have learnt so many new things. Myteammates and I learned so much about the 1913Lockout and Unions in Ireland while doing researchfor the video. As part of my research for the script, Iwent to see the ‘Risen People’ in the Abbey Theatre andI read the book ‘Dublin 1913’. I became much moreaware of our country’s history and also our rights asworkers and trade union values. It was such a greatexperience making a short film from start to finish allby ourselves and we had so much fun putting ittogether. It was amazing seeing our film up on the hugecinema screen in the Savoy. Although a lot of time andeffort went into the video, it was definitely worth it.”

Ciana Curley, Maynooth Post Primary

“A group of five of us from our year took part in the1913 Decent Work Student Video Competition. It wasreally just a great opportunity to learn about an

important aspect of Irish history that we might haveotherwise neglected. We expanded our knowledge andour thinking about current social issues, and also hadfun making a video! The organizers were extremelyhelpful with any questions we had, and it was nice thatwe had lots of good prizes to aim for. That gave us a bitof incentive! It's definitely something I wouldrecommend to take part in, if such a chance ever camearound again!”

Cian Desmond, Bandon Grammar School

“I feel the students enjoyed a great learningexperience. They had to learn and become proficient atnew skills such as scripting and editing. Skills whichthe students had to practice during this experience arecertainly not obvious in the curricula which studentsstudy at second level. Overall the students thoroughlyenjoyed preparing for this competition and if they weregiven the opportunity to re-enter they certainly would.”

Teacher, John the Baptist CS, Limerick

“We really enjoyed the award ceremony; the studentsreally appreciated the free refreshments and had a greattime. I will be lobbying our Principal to encourageteachers involved in T.Y. next year to take part again.Your short film competition really promotes digitalliteracy.”

Teacher, Mount Mercy College, Cork

31

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33

THE ROWLAND HILL MEMORIAL FUNDOF IRELAND

Rowland Hill, a great administrator and reformer of Post officeaffairs was born in 1792. He is best known as the initiator ofthe Penny Post. In tribute to his work the Rowland HillMemorial Fund of Ireland was established in Britain in 1882.An independent organisation was founded in Ireland in 1928,under a Deed of Trust approved by the High Court of Justice.

Today, the Rowland Hill Memorial Fund of Ireland providesfinancial assistance for serving or retired staff, of An Post andeircom, and their dependants. It also provides financialassistance for retired staff, of the former Department of Postsand Telegraphs and Telecom Éireann, and their dependants.Assistance may be given to those who find themselves in needdue to age, poverty or infirmity. The Rowland Hill MemorialFund of Ireland is managed by a voluntary committee ofTrustees.

The Fund is worthy of your support because: -1. It is administered by an independent and voluntary body of Trustees.2. Thousands of staff and their dependants have been helped over the years when they were in urgent need of help.3. Subscriptions may be deducted from your pay. A few cents deducted regularly will mean a lot to someone in

need.4. The suggested subscription is 50 cent per week.

Please fill out the form below and send it to Honorary Secretary, Rowland HillMemorial Fund of Ireland, G.P.O., Dublin 1.

You may also contact the Honorary Secretary at email rhillfund@eircom.net

The Rowland Hill Memorial Fund of Ireland

I hereby authorise the deduction of ________ per week / fortnight / month from my wages / salary for payment to

the R.H.M.F., commencing _________________________________20_________.

Name (Block Letters) ___________________________________________________________________________

Staff/Pension No. _____________________________ (An Post/eircom)(Please delete as appropriate) (Please delete as appropriate)

Signature ________________________________________________________

Date ____________________________________________________________

✁

34

Several Representatives of the CWU attended the“Mental Health and the Workplace Seminar” held in theIBOA on October 21st. This half day seminar focused onincreasing awareness of mental health issues in theworkplace and was arranged as part of European Weekfor Safety and Health at Work. The seminar was hostedby the Irish Congress of Trade Unions with the supportof the Health and Safety Authority.

Dil Wickremasinghe, Broadcaster & Journalist,chaired proceedings and in her opening comments saidthat “the workplace is the final frontier in our journeytowards breaking down stigma in Ireland”.

Brenda O’Brien, European Agency for Safety andHealth at Work presented on the European widecampaign on managing stress in the workplace followedby Emily Logan, Chief Commissioner of the Irish HumanRights and Equality Commission who presented on

equality rights at work. Ciara Miley from See Change gave a presentation on

promoting workplace equality on mental health andPatricia Murray from the Health and Safety Authoritygave an informative presentation on reducing exposureto stress at work. Kahlil Thompson Coyle, Nationaloffice of Suicide Prevention, spoke to delegates about thenew National campaign launched in October and finallySally Anne Kinahan Assistant General Secretary, ICTUgave a Trade Union perspective on the issues.

Many Trade Union Officials and Activists from avariety of Unions attended and were advised of the issuesarising from mental health in the workplace and whatsupports were available. All the presentations and theother various useful resources can be downloaded fromthe ICTU website at the following webpage:http://www.ictu.ie/equality.

Mental Health and the Workplace Seminar

Equality Training 2014Equality training for Branch Representatives was held

in Union head office on September 16th & 17th. Thistwo-day course is aimed at Branch Committee Activistswho have an interested in equality related issues onbehalf of their Branch members.

The Equality Representative is a support role to theBranch Secretary who can provide information onequality related matters and covers various equality anddiversity related topics. Once again we had significantinterest in the course with a large number of attendees.

Pictured front row l-r: Willie Mooney NEC, Celestine Swords Nth Wexford/Sth Wicklow Postal,Paula Martin DMC, Marie Kelly Naas Postal, Tina Tully DMC, Deirdre Reddy Dublin Mails Managers,

Niamh O’Sullivan CMC, Pascal Connolly NEC.Back row l-r: John Byrne PMC, Ciaran Murphy DMC, Paul Darcy DMC, Christopher Brigdale Ennis Postal,

Sean O’ Donnell Dublin Postal Delivery Branch, Ciaran Smith Cavan Postal,Pat O’Callaghan Athlone Postal and Ollie Butler Navan Postal.

Equality Update

35

Equality Update

A seminar was held on the 25th September 2014 in theEuropean Parliament Offices in Dublin to discuss theabove. The seminar was organised by the Irish Congressof Trade Unions (ICTU), National Women’s Council ofIreland (NWCI) and Start Strong – a coalition oforganisations and individuals seeking to advancechildren’s early care and education in Ireland.

Balancing work and family life remains an ongoingstruggle especially for the many families who cannotafford to take unpaid leave. Following campaigns drivenby the Trade Union movement progress has been madein the past 15 years in extending Maternity Benefit to 26weeks. But once a child is 6 months old, parents inIreland have little or no support. In addition fathers haveno right to paid paternity leave.

The Government has committed to publishing aFamily Leave Bill and this Bill will offer a real chancefor change in how Government policies can help familiesto balance work and family life. The Seminar wasorganised in advance of this Bill and its purpose was toopen up a public debate on what should be included inthe Bill.

David Joyce, Equality Officer with the ICTU says,“Working families have been under serious pressure as aresult of the economic crisis, made all the worse by thelack of workplace arrangements to help reconcile workand family life. Research shows that workers (bothwomen and men) who experience such a conflict have asignificantly lower quality of life; have a higher risk ofsleeping and health problems; are more likely to beabsent; are less motivated and productive at work.

“It is in the common interest of workers and thecompanies that employ them to ensure a good climate forreconciling caring and work responsibilities. The FamilyLeave Bill provides an opportunity to improve statutoryentitlements in this area and to begin to bring ourselvesin line with European norms.”

Ms Ciairín de Buis, Director of Start Strong says““While the duration of Maternity Benefit has improvedin the last 15 years, when we look at Ireland’s leavepolicies as a whole, they offer little support to familieswith young children and compare poorly to otherEuropean countries”.

“There is currently no legal entitlement to paternityleave in Ireland.” says Ms de Buis. “Many Europeancountries offer 2 weeks paid paternity leave around thetime of birth, allowing partners much needed time tobond with the new baby and give support to the mother”.

Mr Peter Moss, chair of the International Network onLeave Policies and Research was the keynote speaker

who put the current Irish provision into an internationalcontext. His research demonstrated that Ireland is behindthe rest of Europe when it comes to the provision offamily leave with 40 weeks of maternity leave (26 weekspaid at a low flat rate, the rest unpaid), no paternity leaveand 18 weeks per parent of parental leave (all unpaid).According to his research Ireland is the only EU memberstate that provides no period of well-paid leave and thewhole policy can be summed up as “maternalist”,premised on the notion that women are still primarilyresponsible for the care of young children.

He advised that some countries are challenging thisassumption, offering paternity leave and designingparental leave to promote use by men through well-paid,father-only quotas or bonuses where leave is shared.

The Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, addressedthe seminar. She supported the call that fathers shouldhave the right to two weeks of paid leave following thebirth of their child. She said men should be given thechance to play a more active role in caring for theirchildren. While she said there were economic challengesfacing any enhanced right to leave for parents, she wouldseek support from other members of the Government toimprove paternity leave. “Families now have differentexpectations and changing parenting roles than previousgenerations. The majority of fathers are keen to play anactive role in family life. We should support this bettersharing of caring duties.”

ICTU, the National Women’s Council of Ireland and Startstrong believe that this Bill is a critical opportunity togive families stronger supports through:

1. Introducing a new entitlement to “Paid Leave forParents”, to be taken at the end of Maternity Leave,and available to either parent. The duration could beincreased incrementally, with the aim of achievingat least 12 months total paid leave.

2. Promoting the sharing of care roles throughreserving at least 1 month of the new Paid Leave forParents fro fathers as a “fathers quota”

3. Introducing 2 weeks paid Paternity Leave availableto a partner at the time of the birth of a child, to betaken concurrently with Maternity Leave

4. Extending the right to request flexible workingarrangements to all parents with young children (0-6), with the aim of progressively extending the rightto all family carers

5. Extending the length of time after birth whenmothers can take breaks at work to breastfeed to atleast 12 months

Families and Work – A Chance for Change

36

The Government recently launched a website as part oftheir “Be Winter Ready” 2014 – 2015 Informationcampaign. The dedicated website www.winterready.ieoffers advice form a number of different sourcesincluding Government Departments, An Garda Síochána,the Health Service Executive, Local Authorities and thetransport providers. The advice has been categorisedunder various headings including: the Home, RoadSafety, Schools, the Farming Community and theBusiness Sector. A synopsis of the information availablehas been compiled into a booklet which can bedownloaded from the website.

The main objectives of the ‘Be Winter-Ready’campaign are:

• To provide practical advice on how best to preparefor the coming winter.

• To ensure the public are aware of where advice andhelp can be found, if needed.

• To reassure the public that preparations are beingmade and arrangements have been put in place toensure that there will be a coordinated response tosevere weather

Driving in Adverse WeatherConditionsDuring periods of adverse weather the hazards that areassociated with driving for work increase greatly. This isparticularly true in winter especially during the darkerand shorter days. Bad weather such as hail, rain for andsnow can reduce visibility and high winds, slush and icecan make vehicle control more difficult. In additionwinter sun tends to be low and can cause glare.

The Union on a regular basis issues advice to memberson how they should approach adverse weatherconditions. The Road Safety Authority is an invaluablesource of information with regard to driving in the winter.It is important that you do not get caught out if badweather strikes. By taking a number of precautions nowyou can ensure safety on Irish Roads during the winter.

RSA Top 10 Tips for WinterDriving1. Check your tyres…they are your only contact

with the road. Tyres should be at least the minimumlegal thread depth of 1.6mm but need to be changedbefore they get this worn. Tyres need to be to thecorrect tyre pressure to give the motorist the bestchance in extreme conditions.

2. Use your lights. As we come into the winter months,motorists are advised to use dipped head lights duringthe day so you are easily seen. Headlights andtaillights should be in working order.

3. Understand your brakes. Check your car manualand find out if your vehicle has safety assisttechnology such as Electronic Stability Control(ESC) or Anti Lock Braking System (ABS). Learnhow these technologies can assist your driving inharsh weather conditions.

4. Safe Distance. It takes longer to stop a car during thewinter weather so slow down and allow extradistance between you and the car in front.

5. Make sure you can clearly see. All too oftenmotorists do not de-fog or de-ice windows andmirrors which can compromise visibility. This winterensure windows and mirrors are clear, and carry a de-icer and screen scraper. Do not use boiling water asthis can crack the windscreen.

6. Beware of “Black Ice”. Black Ice is one of winter’sbiggest hazards as it is difficult to see. Watch out forsheltered/ shaded areas on roads, under trees and nearhigh walls.

Health & Safety Update

www.winterready.ie @emergencyIE

Oifig um Pleanáil Éigeandála, An Roinn Cosanta. Glao Áitiúil 1890 251890 / 076 1001608 Office of Emergency Planning, Department of Defence. LoCall 1890 251890 / 076 1001608

BÍ ULLAMH DON GHEIMHREADH

BE WINTER-READY

BE WINTER-READY

37

7. Be prepared. During these winter months it isadvised that motorists carry a number of essentials inthe boot of their car:

a. High visibility vestb. Spare fuelc. Appropriate footwear in case you need to leave

your vehicle e.g. bootsd. A hazard warning trianglee. Spare wheelf. Tow Ropeg. A shovelh. De-icing equipment (for glass and door locks)i. Spare bulbsj. First aid kitk. A fire extinguisherl. A working torchm. A car blanket, additional clothing & some food

and water

8. In the event of a breakdown. Drivers need to ensuretheir vehicle is well in off the road so as not toobstruct other vehicles. The driver should also put ontheir hazard warning lights. If the vehicle breaksdown on the motorway pull in as far as you can,alerting traffic behind you with hazard lights. Thedriver should leave their vehicle, get behind thebarrier (on the embankment) and call the Gardaí, ontheir mobile phone or roadside telephone.

9. Keep up to date. Listen to local weather and trafficreports. Pay heed to the weather warnings alertingdrivers of unsafe and dangerous driving conditions.

10. Check out the RSA’s publication ‘Severe WeatherAdvice for Road Users’ for more detailed advice onwhat to do if severe weather strikes!

RSA Top 10 Safety Tips To AvoidA Slip or Fall In Ice and Snow

While walking on footpaths and in public places, orentering and exiting your car or truck, DO NOTunderestimate the dangers of snow and ice. Each winterslips and fall accidents cause serious injuries. Even whensurfaces do not look especially icy or slippery, it is verypossible that a thin sheet of transparent ice or “Black Ice”is covering your pathway putting you at risk. When youapproach a footpath or roadway that appears to becovered with ice or snow, always use extreme caution.

Many slips and falls happen in places people regard assafe and secure, typically outside their front door, on thedoor step, on the path or while getting out of the car.

If you are out walking in snow or icy conditions wearappropriate footwear, don’t walk with your hands in yourpockets, walk with your hands out and wear gloves soyou can break your fall if you do slip. It’s better to havea broken wrist than a cracked skull!

The RSA has the following “Top10 Safety Tips for Pedestrians”to help avoid the possibility ofa broken bone that could easilylead to an operation and a longrecovery:

1. If a journey cannot be avoided walk on a footpath,not in the street. If there are no footpaths walk onthe right hand side of the road (towards oncomingtraffic). Be extremely careful as frost, ice and snowwill make walking on footpaths very dangerous.

2. Remember that footpaths may not be treated sowalk with extreme care, make sure you are wearingappropriate footwear and in extreme conditionsconsider an appropriate walking stick or walkingpole

3. Avoid walking in the streets at all costs if possible.Remember, cars and trucks slip and slide, too! If it’san emergency, and you can’t avoid the street, wearbright or reflective clothing.

4. Visibility is reduced in snowy condition so wearhigh visibility clothing or carry a torch

5. Wear clothing that does not restrict your vision. Staywarm, but DO NOT impair your vision withhoodies, ski masks, scarves, hats, etc. This type ofclothing could prevent you from spotting icyconditions that may lead to a fall or not enable youto see a car that is spinning out of control.

6. Snow and ice cause havoc quickly, so use extracaution when crossing roadways, and always crossat pedestrian crossings.

7. Ice can easily hide under a light dusting of snow.Just because you don’t see the ice doesn’t mean it’snot there waiting for your unsuspecting footfalls.

8. If you can’t avoid the ice and snow, bend your kneesslightly and take slower, shorter steps to help reducethe chance of a slip and fall and an injury.

9. If forced to use the steps at someone’s home,apartment, or other public building, walk slow andtake shorter steps when descending. The same istrue of driveways and other hilly terrain; these areascan be very dangerous when they become slipperywith ice or snow. Steps especially can be hard toclear and build up ice easily.

10. Be aware of overhead hazards. Falling icicles andchunks of snow pose a serious risk. In extreme coldweather icicles can build up in size very quickly andare lethal. Their size and dagger-like formation areextremely dangerous for pedestrians. Be aware ofwhat’s happening above you, and stay clear fromthe edges of buildings.

Health & Safety Update

38

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has launched animportant new guide on how best to assist workersdiagnosed with breast cancer and other serious illnesses,during their treatment, recovery and return to work.

The guide was launched by the Tanaiste Joan Burtonon the 24th September 2014 in the Head Office of theIrish Nurses and Midwifes Organisation(INMO). Inaddition the event also heard first hand experiences fromBernice Galvin a staff nurse and breast cancer survivorwho has written about her experiences. There was alsocontributions from Michelle Monagha, a radiographer inConnolly Hospital, Liam Doranthe General Secretary ofthe INMO and David Begg the General Secretary ofCongress.

In Ireland more than seven women a day are diagnosedwith breast cancer. Trade Unions have been to theforefront in campaigning for access to effective,screening, detection and treatment of breast cancer

Speaking ahead of the launch, Congress GeneralSecretary David Begg said: “The publication of thisguide illustrates the level of progress made over recentyears, in terms of treatment and of better workplacepolicies.

“More than seven women a day are diagnosed withbreast cancer and this condition can also affect men, butto a lesser degree.

“Even a decade ago, we would not be havingconversations about people returning to work aftertreatment, even less about how we could best adapt theirworking environment following treatment. There is stilla long way to go, but this represents significant successfor trade unions, who have long campaigned for bettertreatment and screening for people affected.”

Congress Legal Affairs Officer Esther Lynch – whoprepared the guide, with support from the INMO andSIPTU’s health division – said the aim of the publicationwas to assist workers and their unions to negotiate Timeoff Work Plans that minimise the financial impact oftaking time off for treatment and recovery.

“We now know that there is life during and after cancerand the guide will hopefully make that experience abetter one for those undergoing treatment.

“Help from the union to negotiate the necessary timeoff can make all the difference. An agreed Time off WorkPlan can be of enormous help. Every person’s situationis unique but we know from talking to members thatworkers want more control and flexibility in how theytake time off for treatment and recovery and more can bedone to support workers when they return to work.

“People can and do return to a normal life aftertreatment, hopefully this guide will help in that,” sheconcluded.

The Congress guide aims to ensure that workersundergoing treatment or returning to the workplace aftertreatment are afforded all the necessary help and supportin terms of agreeing time off and adapting work regimes.The guide sets out the key stages in the process coveringtopics such as informing colleagues, negotiating a “TimeOff Work Plan” and what to bear in mind when returningto work.

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a traumatic andemotional event in a person’s life. It can cause fear andworry and can affect every aspect of a person’s life,including their working life. Breast cancer and itstreatment will be a challenge and each person will havea different experience. The positive developments are thatmost people do get through it and return to a normal life.

This guide is available to download on the Union’swebsite.

Policies to assist workers with breastcancer and other illnesses

Health & Safety Update

39

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40

This is a piece I wrote after a visit to my grandfather’sgrave in  Flanders/France with Roscrea photographer,Brian Redmond.

Terence Redmond, Brian’s Great Grandfather, was apostman in Graiguenamanagh Co Kilkenny. TomStapleton, my Grandfather, was a postman in Roscrea CoTipperary, where I worked for 37 years until retirement.Both our ancestors died in action.

Reflections on a visit toFlanders, 2003The journey started over a drink in Philly’s. BrianRedmond had attended the dedication of the RoundTower on the Messines Ridge in Belgium. His descriptionof how moving the experience was for him reminded meI had never visited the grave of my grandfather, TomStapleton.

Friday 28th February, we flew to Brussels, hired a car,and drove to the city of Bruges.

The town of Ieper (Ypres) is approximately 45 minutesfrom Bruges. It was the start of the journey to war formost of the soldiers in that sector. The Menen Gate, animposing, large arch, dedicated in 1927, commemoratesby name, rank and regiment more than 55,000 fallen,whose remains were never identified. Every year, atploughing time on the Ieper Salient, remains of soldiersstill come to the surface with the armour that killed them.

Charles Miller,2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

“As it was, the Ypres battleground just representedone gigantic slough of despond into whichfloundered battalions, brigades and divisions ofinfantry without end to be shot to pieces ordrowned, until at last and with immeasurableslaughter we had gained a few miles of liquidmud.”

One name engraved on the arch: Lance Corporal TerenceRedmond, Royal Irish Regiment, was Brian’s great-grandfather, who died on 24th May, 1915, during thesecond battle of Ypres, age 40. His remains were neverrecovered.

I died in hell…(They called it Passchendaele). My wound wasslight,And I was hobbling back; and then a shellBurst slick upon the duck boards: so I fellInto the bottomless mud, and lost the light.

(Siegfried Sassoon.Collected Poems - Memorial Tablet)

Everyday at 8 pm, police stop traffic at the Menen Gateto allow uniformed buglers from the local fire brigadesound The Last Post, in memory of those named on theArch. We joined school-children from England and saida silent prayer while the bugles played.

The ‘In Flanders Fields Museum’, situated in the oldCloth Hall at the centre of the town, provides insight intothe lives and hardships of ordinary people at the Frontand at home during the First World War. For both of us,the Menen Gate was enough to reflect on this day.

Saturday 1st March: We left Bruges - a beautiful city deserving of a longervisit. Our journey took us back through Ieper and on tothe village of Wijtschate, taken by the Germans inNovember 1914 and recovered by Commonwealth forcesduring the Battle of Messines June, 1917. It reverted backinto German hands once more in April 1918 but wasultimately recovered by Commonwealth forces for thelast time on 28 September, 1918. Over the last 3 monthsof 1917, 500,000 soldiers from both sides lost their lives,gaining ground, then losing it, drowning in this couple ofmiles of quagmire.

Somer Farm Cemetery, Wijtschate, is the final restingplace of Private John Howard of the 7th Battalion, RoyalIrish Regiment, Brian’s grand-uncle. He was killed on3rd Oct 1918, age 19, just forty days before theArmistace.

—William Orpen, Official War ArtistI mean the simple soldier man, who when the Great War first began,just died, stone dead from lumps of lead, in mire.

The cemetery contains 91 First World War burials, manyof them soldiers with the Australian Rifles Regiment -and most with Irish names. One very poignant stone isdedicated to the memory of an Australian, an only son,by his parents.

Ten kilometres down the road we arrive at the town ofMessines, where the ‘Island of Ireland Peace Park’memorial with its Round Tower was constructed tohonour the dead of Ireland, both North and South. Up to250,000 men from both parts of Ireland served in the FirstWorld War, coming together during the Messinesoffensive in 1917. Over 50,000 died during the “GreatWar”. Their names and family details are listed in bookshoused in bronze tabernacles inside the Tower. This is aplace to reflect on the madness of it all. What broughtthese boys and men from the other side of the world todie here? What brought them from Ireland? Were theyseduced by Tom Kettle’s words:

by Tom Stapleton

41

“........ know that we fools, now with the foolishdead, died not for Flag, nor King, nor Emperor,but for a dream born in a herdsman’s shed, andfor the sacred scripture of the poor.”

Or Francis Ledwidge’s verse-

“....A keen edged sword, a soldier’s heart is greaterthan a poet’s art. And greater than a poet’s fame alittle grave that has no name.”

The two Irish poets appear to be embracing death—butfor what? Where was ‘the dream born in a herdsman’sshed, or the sacred scripture of the poor”in that pit ofimperialist hell? As for, ‘And greater than a poet’s famea little grave that has no name.’ – they got plenty ofthose – the unfortunates.

No— Siegfried Sassoons poem ‘The General’ sees itmore realistically:

“Good-morning; good-morning!” the Generalsaid

When we met him last week on our way to the line. Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of ’em

dead, And we’re cursing his staff for incompetent swine. “He’s a cheery old card,” grunted Harry to Jack As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.

But he did for them both by his plan of attack.”

We leave the Peace Park and Flanders and head forFrance, skirting Armentieres, by-passing Lille, Douai andCambrai, passing the war cemeteries with their littlewhite headstones, beautifully maintained, in honour ofthose buried there,

As map reader, I miss, not one, but two turn-offs forthe village of Vendhuille, which is situated approximatelyhalf way between Cambrai and St Quentin. Taking stockof where we were at a petrol station in the village ofBellenglise, we inadvertently block a lady exiting withher car. While Brian read the manual on how to restartour car, I tried to placate this very irate Frenchwomanwith my oft-admired diplomatic skills. “Do you speakEnglish?” I asked. Well, if she did she didn’t speak it tome! A tirade of words, none of which sounded like “ouioui mon ami”, left me wondering should I have triedIrish. The garage owner extricated her and, still fuming,she drove up the road, Redmond in a knot laughing in thecar, the Garage Samaritan grinning to himself, and mespeechless for the first time in a long time. If herancestors had been that angry with the invaders ninetyyears ago we might not have been visiting the graves ofours!! Too late, there is nothing as bad as thinking of thecomeback when your tormentor is gone.

Heading back up the road we found Vendhuille andtook the road to Lempire. Brian was first to see the twotrees that frame the Cross at the Unicorn Cemetery. Ifound myself strangely agitated as I approached my

Grandfather’s grave – and there it was. Under the insigniaof the 5th Irish Lancers the inscription reads:

GS/4830 PRIVATE,T.J. STAPLETON5TH LANCERSdied 22ND JUNE 1917 AGE 41

Not much to describe the life of a man who had left hiswife and five children to go to war. Did he miss them ashe lay dying - the way they were to miss him? Shouldhe have stayed at home and continued drilling with theIrish Volunteers? Was 10 years of the postman job toomuch after the Boer War? Was it John Redmond’s callto “go and fight for small nations”? Small Nations, mindyou, exploiting colonies in Africa and the Far East.

What did he think of 1916 in Dublin? He had beenhome on leave around Easter 1917 and was killed inaction a couple of weeks after returning, as were 10 other5th Lancers on the same day.

I mixed some pebbles from my father’s grave in theclay below the headstone and gathered a handful of earthto mix with his back home on All Souls. That graveyard,far from home, is a lonely place. I thought of PatrickMacGill of the London Irish Regiment and his verse backat The Messine Ridge:

“I wish the sea were not so wideThat parts me from my love.I wish the things men do belowWere known to God above.I wish that I were back againIn the glens of Donegal.They’ll call me a coward if I return.But a hero if I fall.”

When Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Archduke FranzFerdinand in Sarejevo in June1914 he just as surely killedTerence Redmond, John Howard and Tom Stapleton. Itwould be less than 6 weeks to the first battle on theWestern Front.

Why?David Starret, 9th Royal Irish Rifles, put it very wellwhen it was all over:

“So the curtain fell, over that tortured country ofunmarked graves and unburied fragments of men:Murder and massacre: The innocent slaughteredfor the guilty: The poor man for the sake of therich: The man of no authority made the victim ofthe man who had gathered importance and wishedto keep it.”

It started to rain so we sat into our comfortable car anddrove away from that strange place with all its dead- backinto our own world where it was about to happen all overagain— where other fools who had gathered importance—wished to keep it. Less than a month later the US andBritain invaded Iraq.

42

CWU People

The Friends of The Elderly recently organised acompetition by supported by the CWU to get theirmembers to pick a “Postman of the Year”. Manyhundreds of applications were received and some heart-warming tales were told by the elderly customers of AnPost. After much debate and discussion, the panel pickedDamien Kinsella, a postman based in EdmonstownDelivery Office in Dublin 16, as the overall winner.Damien had been nominated by an elderly couple on hisdelivery route in Balally. They chose Damien for hisconstant good humour and expressions of concerns andcare for the elderly in their community.

An award ceremony was held in the headquarters ofthe Friends of the Elderly and a presentation was madeto Damien. A fantastic sing-song (Damien even sang asong) was held during the award ceremony, which wasattended by many members of the Friends of the Elderly.

The CWU would like to congratulate Damien whosefamily are steeped in Post Office history on his very welldeserved award.

Friends of the Elderly“Postman of the Year” Award

Damian Kinsella, Friends of the Elderly Postman of theYear, 2014, is given his award by Maisie Floodwho celebrated her 101st birthday on the 22nd,

October, 2014.

Staff at Kilronan Castle took to social media in an attempt to reunite a monkey withhis rightful owner when he was found in a linen bin after weekend guests had left.The monkey, whom they’ve named Oscar, while awaiting collection, enjoyed livingit up in the hotel! After failing to find the owner, the hotel contacted Eddie Heslinfrom the Roscommon Postal Branch to parcel and collect Oscar, and deliver himsafely to his new owner, who is awaiting her own little arrival in a few months’ time!

Eddie Heslin (Boyle DSU) comes tothe rescue after one young former

guest of Kilronan Castle misplaced aspecial friend

Mr and Mrs Claus (Willie Mooneyand Pat Kenny) at the DublinPostal Clerks function inBranigans on Friday night.

43

CWU People

A great night was had by all in the Bracken Court Hotel,(Balbriggan) to celebrate Ned's retirement. Ned will be greatlymissed by the Branch and all his colleagues in Balbriggan. Nedwas the Branch Representative in Balbriggan for over 30 yearsand retired with 42 years service. He was a regular attendee atConference for many years, where he was always a greatambassador for the Branch. We wish Ned and his Family thevery best of luck for the future.

Ned Pyne Retires

Cork Mails Centre Retirements

Ned Pyne, Branch Rep, Balbriggan DSU,receiving his Union Scroll from

Frank Donohoe (Branch Secretary, DublinPostal Delivery Branch)

Pictured from l to r: Frank, Noel, Ned and Cormac

Pictured from l to r: Cork retirees, Dan Leahy (Poc 41 years), Phil Clifford (PS 43 years), Stevie O’Leary (PS 40years) who have all retired from the Cork Mails Centre. They enjoyed a function held in Old Oak, which was

attended by the Vice-President of the branch, P???? and Cormac, on behalf of CWU Headquarters.

44

CWU members preparing to bring Santa to the sickchildren in Crumlin and Temple Street Hospital

CWU People

CWU CHARITABLE FUNDThis year, the Union made the following donations totalling €29,000.00 to the various charities on behalfof members paying into the CWU Charitable Fund.

Lauralynn Hospice: Supporting their Christmas party this year. €4,000.00Crumlin Hospital, Temple Street, the refuge centres in

Rathmines, Coolock and the Inchicore Centre: €9,000.00The Mercy Hospital in Cork: €2,000.00 Cope Waterside in Galway: €2,000.00

MEDISAN MADE A DONATION OF €5,000.00 TOWARDS THE OVERALL COSTS.The Union supplied to the HOMELESS the traditional Hats, Scarves, Gloves and for distribution to thefollowing shelters:

Peter Mc Verry Trust, Crosscare, Merchants Quay and Fr Kevin in Bow Street: €12,000.00

45

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46

Patrick Coyle’s book ‘AStoney Road’ having enjoyedexcellent reviews is now

available in an enlarged and revised second edition.This is the story of a colourful chequered career, before

Telecom, with Telecom and after Telecom. It’s anabsorbing, entertaining and lively read, made up as it isof 50 individual stories, so the narrative never lags. Toldwith humour and insight, you’ll find yourself engaged onevery page.

Books reviewed by Adrienne Power

A STONY ROADby Patrick J. CoyleISBN 9781909154254Price 12.50Now available from: choice publishing bookstore, tel. 041 9841551www.choicepublishing.i.e. and from Amazon.co.uk

This is a moving human story you’ll enjoy!

A growing body of research in the sciences is discovering ... that ... reading is really, really good for you.Besides making you an empathetic, sexy, cultured and all around more interesting human being, readingapparently provides definite benefits to your mental health, sharpening the mind as it ages.

With that in mind, go forth and read freely. Your future self, your current self and everyone who has to dealwith you on a regular basis will be glad you did!

(Source: The Wire online)

Did you know?

47

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