Union Post January 2010

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NEWS YOU CAN USENION POSTU

JANUARY 2010

PUBLISHED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE IRISH CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONSTHE

� No engagement with Govt onplans to reform public services� Selective stoppages, work to rule, possible full-scale strike� Legal action over pensions &salaries, lobbying and protests

UNIONS JOINRELIEF EFFORT

HAITIPAGE 2

FLOOD VICTIMSGET GIG PAYOUT

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CONGRESS PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE OUTLINES PLAN

NO TO CUTSCAMPAIGNLAUNCHED

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2 UNION POST � January 2010

UNION POST was produced by Brazier Media for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions

2009 deaths: Mediaworkers in firing line

Spotlight on Spain’s José Zapatero

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Eight workers die in shipyard horror

Scots get tough onshop attack thugs

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Why US workersdo hard labour 15

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UNION POST

UNIONS MOBILISEAFTER HAITI QUAKETRADE unions across the world have mo-bilised to help the Haitian people in the wakeof the January 12 quake that may have claimedhundreds of thousands of lives.

In response to the disaster, Congress hasasked its affiliates to support an appeal organ-ised by the International Trade Union Confed-eration.

In the first phase, the ITUC is focusing onproviding emergency aid and is sending fundsto its affiliated organisations based in the Do-minican Republic, which borders Haiti.

Those affiliates joined forces in the first fewhours after the earthquake and have sentteams to Haiti and opened up union offices tocollect funds, food, clothes and various othermaterials.

The ITUC also plans to contribute to an ac-count opened by the International Red Cross

www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/No_05_-_Haiti_EN.pdf

ITUC general secretary Guy Ryder said: “ Amajor international effort is urgently needed todeal with the immediate consequences, alongwith support for building and rebuilding keyservices and facilities given the widespread de-struction of the country’s existing but inade-quate infrastructure.”

In the UK, the TUC has set up an emergencyHaiti appeal at www.justgiving/tucaid

Proceeds will be used by the trade unionmovement in Haiti for emergency relief andlong-term rehabilitation of victims in collabora-tion with the ITUC.

Meanwhile, America’s AFL-CIO called on itsgovernment, the international community andthe global union movement to “do our utmostto aid our Haitian sisters and brothers in theirmoment of extraordinary need”.

The trade union body also set up a dedi-cated relief fund and its Solidarity Center senta delegation of Haitian labour activists living inthe Dominican Republic to access the situationon the ground.

In a statement, AFL-CIO urged “the unionfamily” in the States to provide in-kind assis-tance to the relief effort.

And those calls are being answered. In south Florida, local union activists col-

lected donations of water, nonperishable fooditems, cleaning supplies and over-the-countermedications for Haiti. The labour council inMiami secured a ship and trade union volun-teers loaded containers of the donated goodsfor shipment.

The Canadian Labour Congress joined withCanadian Red Cross to set up an online dona-tion facility for union members so they couldcontribute to a special relief fund. A CLCstatement said: “Union members in Canadahave a proud tradition of helping those in need.Workers in Haiti, their families and their com-munities need our solidarity and our help.”

Because it has no projects or staff on theground in Haiti, Australia’s Union Aid Abroad -APHEDA is channelling donations throughCanadian Auto Workers and other Canadianunions with a presence in Port au Prince.

The US National Nurses United union an-nounced it had set up a command centre inMiami to prepare teams of nurse volunteersfor deployment to the region. CaliforniaNurses Association members were among thefirst wave of 40 nurses to be sent out on Janu-ary 15. CNA member Debbie Cuaresma said: “Ihave to go. I have to help these people becausethat’s what nurses are for.”

The International Federation of Journalistsand its member organisations in the Americasare also putting together an assistance pro-gramme for media workers and journalists inthe region. IFJ general secretary Aidan Whitesaid: "Haitians are enduring a nightmare of suf-fering and grief. And among the many victimsare media workers and journalists.

“We will do what we can to help them as apart of the effort to build solidarity with theHaitian people."

�Irish aid agency Trócaire, which has workedin Haiti for 20 years, said 100% of cash

raised for its appeal would go to Haiti. Aspokesperson said: “It is not only in this time ofemergency that Trócaire will be assisting thepoorest, but it will continue to support theHaitian people in the medium and long term inan effort to rebuild their lives, their dignity andtheir human rights.”

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www.ictu.ie/globalsolidarity/newsevents/news/2010/01/18/trade-unions-responding-to-haiti-emergency/

3January 2010 � UNION POST

HAITI DONATIONS UNICEF Ireland www.unicef.ie/Default.aspx#slide1 Red Cross www.redcross.ieConcern www.concern.net/donate/appeals/haiti-earthquake-appeal Oxfam www.oxfamireland.org

Christian Aid www.christianaid.ie/emergencies/current/haiti-earthquake-appeal/index.aspx Trocaire www.trocaire.org/whatwedo/emergencies/haiti-earthquake-appeal

CONGRESS’ Public Services Commit-tee has initiated a rolling campaign of“strong and sustained” resistance in abid to reverse public sector pay cuts.

The campaign involving Congresspublic sector unions is being driven ini-tially by a refusal to co-operate withmanagement reforms across all sectors.

Unions insist they have no alternativeand have been forced to take this actionafter the Government hit their mem-bers’ pensions, threatened compulsoryredundances as well as imposing a sec-ond pay cut on public servants in littleunder a year.

It also follows the Government’s de-liberate collapsing of talks in Decemberunder pressure from business and the

political Right. Unions blame the Gov-ernment for the failure to reach agree-ment then. The committee claims themove to cut public sector pay was partof an overall strategy to drive downALL wages across the economy, as con-firmed on page 7 of the Budget 2010speech.

Committee secretary Tom Geraghtysaid public servant had no wish to in-convenience the general public.

He added: "However, the Govern-ment has ensured there is now no al-ternative. The consequences of thatsituation rest firmly at the Govern-ment's door.

"The committee is determined to en-sure public servants are treated with

fairness and respect and is resolved totake action necessary to protect publicservants' pay, pensions and tenure."

The committee’s strategy includes:

� Selective strikes teamed with awork-to-rule campaign,

� Possibility of a full-scale strike,

� Possible legal action over pensionchanges and salary reductions,

� A refusal to engage with Govern-ment plans to reshape public sector,

� Protests and political lobbying, and

� Industrial action over threats ofcompulsory redundancies or where dis-ciplinary action is taken against mem-bers because of the non-co-operationelement of the campaign.

Geraghty: No choice

PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEEVOWS SUSTAINED CAMPAIGN

A NUMBER of unions have called on UK local gov-ernment employers to think again after a pay freezewas imposed on their members for 2010/2011.

UNITE, UNISON, NIPSA and the GMB – represent-ing more than 1.6 million workers in England, Walesand Northern Ireland – claimed the pay freeze waseffectively a pay cut, with inflation running at nearlythree per cent.

Unions had originally tabled a claim of 2.5% or£500, whichever was greater, in October last year -but employers acted without negotiation citing “aperfect storm” of falling revenues and rising de-mand.

NIPSA assistant general secretary Bumper Grahamsaid: “The pay claim is a modest one and in realitywould have done little to have lifted tens of thou-sands of low-paid workers out of the poverty trap,even if it had been met in full.

“For the NJC employers to impose a pay freezeshows that they are prepared to make the lowestpaid workers pay for failures of the Government, thebanks and their inability to fund essential publicservices.”

UNISONʼs head of local government Heather Wake-field described the move as “a slap in the fact forhard-working council employees who have keptlocal communities together through the crisis”.

She pointed out that as 75 per cent of the work-force are female, this was an “outright attack onwomenʼs pay”.

Peter Allenson, a national officer for UNITE, said:"There has been absolutely no negotiation with theemployers. We have had a position put to us that willeffectively reduce our membersʼ living standards.

“There is no justification for what I would call apay freeze, and our members would be angry andoutraged to say the least.”

GMB national secretary Brian Strutton added:"Council workers will be absolutely furious aboutthis and I'm personally appalled at the arrogance ofthe employers.”

Unions blastUK local govtfreeze on pay

BOTH sides involved in the dispute atBlarney Woollen Mills have accepted aLabour Relations Commission invite toconciliation talks on January 25.

Welcoming the move, Mandate’s divi-sional organiser for the mid-West BrianHiggins said: “We are hopeful the com-pany will be willing to see sense on thisissue and we will be able to find an ami-cable solution to the problem in the im-mediate future through the LRC.

“Until then the workers will be con-tinuing their strike action which hasbeen very effective given the public andlocal support for the stoppage.”

Workers have in dispute since January11 when two employees were made re-dundant.

The company had only offered the pairstatutory redundancy and was not pre-pared to negotiate on an enhanced pack-age.

Mills dispute sidesagree to LRC talks

IALPA pilots vote toaccept LRC deal

Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 is

being commemorated with a series of lec-

tures, exhibitions and other events across

Ireland North and South. For details check

out Holocaust Educational Trust of Ireland

www.hetireland.org and www.hmd.org.uk.

January 27 is marked every year because

that was the date in 1945 when Soviet troops

finally liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau where

more than a million men, women and chil-

dren had been slaughtered.

Picture: hmd.org.uk

AER LINGUS members of IALPA havevoted 65% in favour of accepting a €30million cost-savings package brokeredthrough the Labour Relations Commis-sion.

Following the January 14 vote, IALPAissued a statement expressing the needto enter into discussions with airlinebosses over the details of the agree-ment.

IALPA gave its membership an assur-ance that any final proposed agreementwould be subject to ratification by se-cret ballot.

In a statement, IALPA said: “Separateto proposals for €30m in pilot cost sav-ings, there are some aspects of the re-port that have given rise to concernand we have been given specific legaladvice on these matters.

“Unfortunately, our legal advice pre-cludes us from recommending accept-ance of these elements of the report.”

UNION POST � January 20104

CAMPAIGN

SIPTU COMMUNITY SECTORRACHETS UP CUTS PROTEST

THE Northern Ireland Commit-tee of Congress last monthwarned Stormont EducationMinister Catriona Ruane of agrowing demoralisationamong staff working in educa-tion.

It came as Ms Ruane admit-ted the new Education andSkills Authority, set to replaceEducation and Library Boardsand other education bodies,would not be up and runningby January 1.

ICTU assistant general sec-retary Peter Bunting pointedout Ms Ruane had beenwarned several times by trade

unions that the deadline couldnot be meet. He said: “Wehave an education systemwhich is segregated by reli-gion, geography and, with theexisting scandal of academicselection, social class.

“We were prepared to workwith the minister and the Ex-ecutive on the proposed newsingle ESA so that we couldestablish an equal and inte-grated education workforce.

“The trade unions hadwarned the minister a numberof times that it would be im-possible to set up the singleESA on January 1.

“She needs to listen to theviews of education workers.Education workers across thesector are demoralised evenmore by the minister and Ex-ecutiveʼs handling of the pro-posed structure changes.

“Education and LibraryBoard staff have been placedin an impossible position forthe last five years and more.

“The minister and the Exec-utive needs to take control sothat we can secure once andfor all in an education systemwhich is fully integrated, co-educational and caters for allabilities.”

STAFF DEMORALISEDICTU WARNING

Revised ACASrules for repsTHE revised UK Advisory, Conciliationand Arbitration Service code of prac-tice on time off for trade union dutiesand activities came into effect on Jan-uary 1.

Significant revisions include guid-ance on ensuring union reps do notsuffer any detriment to their pay as aresult of time taken for union duties,and a statement that employersshould provide cover or workload re-ductions for reps when time off is re-quired.

In addition reps are entitled to ex-pect to be able to communicate withmembers “without intrusion in theform of monitoring by their employer”.

SIPTU members in the com-munity and voluntary sectorhave vowed to escalate theircampaign of resistance to paycuts and reduced Governmentfunding.

Gene Mealy, SIPTU’s divi-sional organiser in the publicsector and community sector,attacked the “savage cuts” im-posed by the Governmentwhich he said would have a“seriously detrimental effecton workers and the communi-ties they serve”.

Claiming the slashing of pro-grammes and budgets wouldimpact on the most vulnera-ble, he added: “The withdrawalof training and material grants,in addition to wage cuts inCommunity Employment andJob Initiative schemes, will actas a barrier to the unem-ployed accessing these trainingand employment programmes

in addition to the effect thereductions will have on thosecurrently employed.”

Mr Mealy said the unionwould be meeting with mem-bers and activists in the sectorto work out the best means ofopposing the cuts.

He added: “This campaign isnot simply about wages. It isabout securing funding forvital services on which manyvulnerable communities de-pend. Community Develop-ment Programmes, localpartnerships, drug rehabilita-tion projects and youth serv-ices are all facing substantialcuts in funding, leading to re-duced services.

“SIPTU is also calling onGovernment and the relevantdepartments to begin aprocess of engagement so thatthese real and substantial is-sues can be addressed.” Picture: Evelina Saduikyte

�A LEADING teachers’ union haswarned the Government it “must

live with the consequences” of targetingthe public sector and claimed a “strongand sustained” campaign of oppositionwas inevitable.

Last month, it was revealed at a meet-ing of ASTI’s Central Executive Council,that the union would be drawing up aprogramme of action, which could in-clude rolling half-day strikes, in tandemwith the other teaching unions.

ASTI has also said it will vigorouslyimplement directives on parent/teachermeetings and staff meetings outsideschool hours, class size, posts of respon-sibility, school development planningmeetings, and WSE and subject inspec-tions.

General secretary John White added:“The Government has clearly indicatedit does not believe that quality, effectivepublic services are important to ordi-nary members of the public includingparents, children, young people, pension-ers and workers. The Government mustlive with the consequences of this.”

IMPACT has claimed information in the most re-cent Mercer report on private sector pay has ex-posed the “flawed logic” behind Finance MinisterBrian Lenihan’s move to slash public sector wagesagain.

The report found that while 70% of companiesreduced payroll costs by an average of 11%, lastyear, only nine per cent of firms actually cut wages.

Another 12% introduced unpaid leave as a payrollreduction measure.

Deputy general secretary Shay Cody said: “Thisshows that the approach taken in the private sectorto reducing payroll costs is more varied, and thatemployers do not favour the blunt instrument ofacross-the-board pay cuts.

“Individual employers looked at making reduc-tions with a range of measures, including unpaidleave, but only nine per cent introduced actual paycuts.” Mr Cody added that this was broadly similar

to the approach taken by the public sector tradeunions in the recent negotiations with Government.

However, the Government rejected union pro-posals in favour of a second permanent pay cut forall public servants in less than a year.

He added: “Private sector employers are clearlyfacing up to the economic challenge in a way thatthat is designed to sustain their businesses during atime of crisis.

“This Government has abandoned that approach,favouring the political short-term goal of hanging onto their seats instead.

“Sadly, it demonstrates the poverty of imaginationthat has framed the latest budget, and these figuresserve as an interesting contrast to the Govern-ment’s approach.”

The Mercer report claimed a third of firms intro-duced salary freezes in 2008 and 2009, while halfplan to implement salary freezes this year.

‘Flawed logic’ exposed

January 2010 � UNION POST 5

THE International Federation of Journalists hascalled on governments and the UN to take ro-bust action to help protect under-threat mediaworkers, following a year of “terrible blood-shed”.

A total of 137 journalists and media person-nel were killed over the last 12 months – wellup on the deadly tally of 109 in 2008.

According to data compiled by the Interna-tional News Safety Institute, the number oftargeted killings – at 113 – was one of thehighest ever recorded.

The other 24 deaths were the result of acci-dents while at work.

Figures showed the Philippines, Mexico andSomalia were particularly dangerous workzones for journalists.

IFJ president Jim Boumelha said: “2008’sdrop in the murder rate of journalists has

been short lived. The devastating massacre of31 journalists and media staff in the Philippinesin one incident in November and fresh vio-lence against colleagues in Mexico and Somaliahave made this a year of terrible bloodshedfor media workers.”

The IFJ – which represents 600,000 journal-ists worldwide – claims the continued violenceagainst media workers is a challenge to gov-ernments which were told by the UN SecurityCouncil in 2006 to take steps to protect jour-nalists and media in conflict zones.

IFJ general secretary Aidan White added:“The question is whether governments are lis-tening or ready to take their responsibilitiesseriously.

“There is no room for complacency and in-difference. The crisis facing media threatens in-nocent lives and democracy itself.”

Picture: Amnesty International

2009: Anotheryear of death for journalists

THE Irish Nurses Organisation has changed itsname to the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisa-tion. Along with the name change – which cameinto effect from January 1 – the union hasadopted a new motto “Working together”.

The INMO said the new motto reflects thecore goals of the organisation – bringing togetherseparate but complementary professions to:

� Protect and enhance the socio-economicwelfare of its members,

� Protect and enhance the education and pro-fessional development of its members, and

� Protect and enhance the quality of care pro-vided to patients and clients.

The name change was prompted by the intro-duction this year of new legislation, the Nursesand Midwives Act, that replaces the existingNurses Act, giving for the first time full legalrecognition of the two separate professions ofnursing and midwifery.

It also reflects the fact that 2010 will see thegraduation of the first class of direct entry mid-wives – in effect meaning that there will in clinicalpractice trained registered midwives who are notregistered nurses.

INMO president Sheila Dickson said: “This is ahistoric development which continues to build onthe 90 year history of this great organisation, firstformed in 1919 as the Irish Nurses Union.

“This name change reflects the changing legisla-tion of the clinical environment, and demon-strates our ongoing commitment to evolve inorder to reflect the changing nature of healthcare systems.”

INMO general secretary Liam Doran added:‘The INMO, which will represent four out ofevery five nurses and midwives in this country, isour new name for a new era, in a new decade andwe will remain the voice of the Irish nurses andmidwives at home and abroad – both now and inthe future.”

‘Birth’ of aunion but inname only!

IFJ president Jim Boumelha: ‘A year of terrible bloodshed’

PROSPECT has claimed it is UK’s fastest growingunion and follows its third merger in 12 months.

It now represents 122,000 members – up20,000 on a year ago.

The merger by communications professionalsunion Connect on January 1 came after the Asso-ciation of Licensed Aircraft Engineers and the Jer-sey Civil Service Association also joined withProspect in November last year.

Prospect represents engineers, scientists, man-agers and other specialists in more than 300 pri-vate and public sector organisations.

General secretary Paul Noon claimed that ef-fective representation has been the guiding princi-ple behind the union’s growth.

He said: “Almost 1,000 skilled workers sign upto join Prospect every month. They need individ-ual and collective representation with their em-ployer and Prospect provides it.

“All the evidence shows that our no-nonsensenegotiating model is proving to be increasingly at-tractive to professionals working in every sectorof the economy.”

Prospect inConnect-ionMEDIA FATALITIES WORLDWIDE

Targeted killings 113Accidental deaths 24Overall killed 137Asia Pacific was the deadliest region for the second year running with 52 journalists and media personnel killed. The Philippines have the region's highest death toll, following the November 23 massacre in Maguindanoprovince which claimed 31 lives of media victims.Other countries with high numbers of media fatalities are: Mexico (13), Somaliam (9), Pakistan (7), Russia (6).In 2008, Iraq, India and Mexico were the most dangerous countries in theworld. Russia has this year broken into the top five most dangerous countries. The IFJ is supporting a campaign against the targeting of journalists in Russia and has launched an online database on cases of journalists' murders incollaboration with two leading Russian monitors of abuses against journalists,the Glasnost Defence Foundation and the Centre for Journalism in ExtremeConditions.


Use Nov 24strike cashfor thosehit by floodTHE Teachers’ Union of Ireland has called onthe Government to use the money saved byNovember 24 day of action to assist thoseworst affected by the recent flooding.

General secretary Peter MacMenamin said:“TUI will be writing to the Department ofEducation and Science seeking that moneytaken out of the pay packets of TUI membersas a result of the strike action be used to as-sist those worst af-fected by theflooding that recentlydevastated manycommunities aroundthe country.”

The proposal,brought by theunion’s Dublin Com-munity and Compre-hensive Schools branch, was unanimouslyadopted by the TUI Executive Committee atits last meeting.

A source added: “The strike was a clearsignal to Government of the feeling amongmembers.

“Now they want to see the money de-ducted from salary benefitting those worstaffected around the country by the recentflooding.

“The money could be given to the RedCross for distribution to the worst cases asthey see fit.”

CONGRESS has called on Northern Ire-land Secretary of State Shaun Woodwardto secure his political legacy and put inplace a comprehensive Bill of Rights forall of the people of Northern Ireland.

It follows the publication of a consulta-tion document, A Bill of Rights forNorthern Ireland: Next Steps, by theSecretary of State’s office in November.

Trade unionists expressed their disap-pointment at the content and claimed itwas not a genuine attempt at engage-ment or consultation on what should beincluded in a Bill of Rights.

Congress said it fell “substantiallyshort of what is required” and suggested

it amounted to a breach of the spirit ofthe Belfast Agreement.

The two substantive rights outlined inthe document – the right to vote/beelected and the right to identify oneselfas British, Irish or both – though wel-come, were “in no way reflective of theextent of the rights that the people ofNorthern Ireland wish to see in their Billof Rights”.

Congress pointed to numerous con-sultation submissions, surveys and opin-ion polls, that had flagged up demandsfor the Bill of Rights to “strong and inclu-sive” and have “enforceable social andeconomic rights at its core”.

ICTU assistant general secretary PeterBunting said: “The new year means thatthere could be limited time for thisLabour government to make a real markon economic and social progress inNorthern Ireland.

“A meaningful and comprehensive Billof Rights would be a real and lastinglegacy from this government to the peo-ple of Northern Ireland .

“The Secretary of State should ignorethe nay-sayers and those who try to sec-tarianise something as vital as humanrights, and live up to the ambition of hispredecessors who confronted injustice,not conspired with it.”

DO THE RIGHTS THING

CONSTRUCTION unions fromacross the world agreed lastmonth to work together to stampout blacklisting wherever it oc-curs.

The decision, taken at theBuilding and Wood workers In-ternational conference in Lille,France, in December, followedan emergency motion by UCATT.

The motion, which was over-whelmingly carried, called onBWI chiefs to “monitor any de-

velopments on blacklisting dis-covered in BWI affiliate coun-tries” and to “assist unions intaking action where there aresuspicions of a blacklist orwhere blacklisting practiceshave been confirmed”.

Welcoming the move UCATTgeneral secretary Alan Ritchiesaid: “I am delighted that theBWI are committed to stampingout blacklisting wherever it ex-ists. Blacklisting is a disgraceful,

deceitful practice which ruinsthe lives of workers.”

Out-going BWI chief Anita Nor-mark added: “Blacklisting is anobscene anti-union practiceused by unscrupulous compa-nies all over the world to depriveworkers of their rights and to robtrade unionists of their liveli-hood.

“We condemn blacklisting andbelieve that it should be punish-able by law.”

BWI bid tostamp outworksiteblacklists

Bunting: Legacy

A TRADE union group that has campaigned foryears against water charges in the North ispromising to renew its opposition in the run-upto the next election.

It follows suggestions that the charges couldform part of the forthcoming budget being puttogether by Stormont Finance Minister SammyWilson.

Coalition Against Water Charges plans to callon political parties to resist any attempts by thenext UK government to impose separatehousehold water charges or force through theprivatisation of Northern Ireland Water.

The Coalition, led by NIC-ICTU chairpersonJohn Corey, has also promised to fight anyplans by Executive ministers to use budgetdeficits to justify any u–turn on the issue.

The group insists the cost of deliveringdomestic water and sewerage mustcontinue to be met through a fairer ratessystem. It is totally opposed tohouseholders being forced to pay twice forthis most basic of government services.

Mr Corey said: “The trade unionsʼ lastcampaign was instrumental in stoppingwater charges being implemented in April2007. We will not be standing by andallowing separate household water bills to beimposed on the people of Northern Ireland on apretext of budget deficits.

“The facts are that the people are alreadypaying for their water through their regionalrates and that must continue.

“If the Northern Ireland Executive needs toraise more funding, ministers should instead beaddressing the current domestic rate cap andfreeze on rate increases which are benefiting thebetter off.”

Unions renewdrive againstwater charges

www.waterchargesnonpayment.com

Christy’s SIPTU gigraises €10,000 forflood victims P10


SPAIN has taken on the rotating presidency of theEU at a defining moment in European history.

Europe desperately needs an unemploymentexit strategy.

Spain, like Ireland, has been hit hard by the crisis,with four million jobless.

But the Spanish government has taken decisiveaction to stem job losses and create employmentby setting up a $15 billion infrastructure plan.

This is the type of vision and action that Europe– and Ireland – needs to tackle the crisis causedby mass unemployment.

Spain’s President Zapatero believes Europeshould “learn the lesson of the Great Depression– when an economy enters a deep recession, theonly way we can come out of it is from a big pushfrom the public sector”.

He elaborated on this approach in an newspa-per interview last year.

Mr Zapatero told the New York Times: “Somepeople will say that a social welfare state and acompetitive economy are incompatible, that inno-vation is incompatible with workers’ rights.

“They want to deregulate workers’ rights,deregulate social rights.

“That is exactly the same tune as people whosay we have to deregulate the financial markets,

and I do not dance to that tune.” Instead he suggested the solution lay in “making

companies more competitive and more innova-tive”.

Mr Zapatero said Spain should diversify itseconomy to sectors in which it excels and whichare showing growth, including renewable energy,biotechnology, civil engineering and high-speedrailroads.

He also resisted calls to make for businesses tolay off workers, adding: “21st century democraticSpain is not a country that is going to take a singlestep back in terms of rights that we have con-quered.

“When I see a worker, I see a citizen.” The Spanish presidency will shortly unveil its

priorities during its EU tenure,But in the meantime they have announced two

main principles – innovation, not only technologi-cal, but also economic, institutional and political,and equality – used in the broadest sense of theterm, to include equal opportunities, genderequality and solidarity between social groups, re-gions and states.

Again Zapatero, has a good track record inthese areas, he legalised gay marriage, brought inlaws to promote gender equality and tackle do-mestic violence and he introduced an amnesty forundocumented workers.

Find out more about the Spanish presidency ofthe EU at www.eu2010.es/en/documen-tosynoticias/noticias/balance.html

Read the New York Times interview with Zapatero in full atwww.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/world/europe/01zapatero.html?_r=1

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ESTHER LYNCH looks at how Spain’s leader José Zapatero has tackledthe jobs crisis in his homeland as his country takes over the EU presidency

Picture: European Commission


IRELAND needs to put togetheran “exit strategy from unemploy-ment if we are to halt growing so-cial exclusion and deeper poverty,”Congress has claimed.

Speaking as the European Yearfor Combating Poverty & SocialExclusion was launched in Madridon January 21, Congress legislationand social affairs officer EstherLynch called on the Governmentto tackle the jobs crisis.

She said: “Europe and Irelanddesperately need an exit strategyfrom unemployment in order tocombat social exclusion andpoverty.

“In Ireland we need to see con-vincing Government action on jobs

in the form of a coherent jobsstrategy.

“We are probably the only EUstate that has not intervened di-rectly to either save or create jobsand we now have one of the high-est unemployment rates in the EU.

“Last year the number of unem-ployed increased by 133,577, com-pared to 2008, which saw anincrease of 119,642.

“The human stories behind thenumbers must not be airbrushedover or ignored – people are infear of not being able to pay theirbills, they worry about losing theirhomes, about being unable to pro-vide for their families and despair

for their children’s future.“Long-term unemployment is es-

pecially corrosive and the long-term unemployed are at aparticular disadvantage when try-ing to find work.

“We need decisive action tostem the job losses and create em-ployment.”

Ms Lynch pointed out that Congress had repeatedly advancedproposals for a coherent, officialjobs strategy, which the Govern-ment had failed to take on board.

For more details on CongressJob Proposals, visit:www.ictu.ie/publications/fulllist/congress-10-point-plan-for-national-recovery/

Need for exit strategy from jobs crisis

Esther Lynch: Decisive action

TUC has slammed international finance giantGoldman Sachs after it was revealed it plans toaward staff $16 billion in pay and bonuses for2009.

Querying claims by the leading bank that thebonus payouts weremodest, general secre-tary Brendan Barber,right, said: “The truth isthat we have set up aninternational welfarestate for super-richbankers.

“They pay themselvesmega bonuses whentimes are good and ex-pect the rest of us tobail them out whentimes are tough – eventhough it was the finance sector that has thrownthe world into recession.

“It's time these welfare scroungers paid backthrough a financial transaction tax that can helpfund public services and undo the damage causedby the slump both here and in the developingworld.”

Barber attacksGoldman Sachsbonus payouts

FOLLOWING interventions by Congress

and employers body IBEC in the dispute

between air traffic controllers and the Irish

Aviation Authority, the Labour Court has

invited both parties to open discussions.

In a statement welcoming the move the

ATCs branch committee and IMPACT said:

“It provides an opportunity to address all

of the matters in dispute between both

parties, including the issue of suspended

staff, who IMPACT believes should be re-

stored to the payroll as soon as possible.

“The ATCs branch committee of IMPACT

has accepted the invitation from the court

to attend. The committee has put no pre-

conditions on accepting the invitation.

“In light of the invitation to attend the

Labour Court, the branch committee has

deferred any consideration of further in-

dustrial action.”Pi

ctur

e: ©

Eur

opea

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nion

Labour Court talks take off inair traffic controllers dispute

Produced in association with Congress

POSTEDWE’RE HERE TO KEEP YOU


NEWSBRIEFS

GLOBAL union Workers Uniting is to launch aprobe into private healthcare providers in theNHS.

The investigation by the union, a partnershipbetween Unite and United Steelworkers inNorth America, follows last month’s passage ofPresident Obama’s healthcare bill through the USSenate.

Workers Uniting has expressed dismay at whatit calls “creeping privatisation” in the NHS andwants to probe the role of US-based firms inbidding for work in the UK public health sector.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmailsaid: “Just as Workers Uniting is fighting to winhealthcare for all in the US, we are also workingto prevent the profits-over-people privatisation ofthe UK health system.

“Union activists from primary care trusts allover the UK are worried about the creeping pri-vatisation of NHS services.”

Workers Uniting launchNHS privatisation probe

EMPLOYERS group IBEC has officially withdrawnfrom the national agreement brokered along withthe Government and the social partners.

Director general Danny McCoy advised mem-ber firms that they should prepare for local enter-prise level bargaining on pay in unionisedworkplaces.

Under the terms of the transitional agreement,agreed in September 2008, workers were to re-ceive increases of six per cent phased over 21months.

Some or all of the increases have been paid inmore than 100 companies across the country.Other firms have imposed pay freezes or cutwages.

IBEC withdraws fromtransitional agreement

�THE CPSU is to hold a special conference onpay later this month. Delegates at the January

26 meeting at Dublin’s Gresham Hotel will hear areport from general secretary Blair Horan. Issuessurrounding industrial action will form the bulk ofthe discussions in a closed morning session.

�MEMBERS of the INMO and SIPTU at theMater Private Hospital in Dublin have voted

overwhelmingly to go on strike on February 1. Itfollows the imposition of pay cuts of between fiveper cent and 7.5 per cent in basic pay and a fiveper cent reduction in allowances.

INMO industrial relations officer Albert Mur-phy said: “These pay cuts are totally unnecessaryand we will continue to seek their removal as webelieve that this is an example of cheap oppor-tunism, where an employer seeks to exploit thelong standing goodwill of employees.”

NIPSA civil servants voteto accept Stormont dealNIPSA members working in the civil service haveoverwhelmingly voted to accept a pay deal putforward by Northern Ireland Executive.

Results showed that 95% of members backedthe deal tabled in November.

Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilsonagreed a £150m payout to settle cases before in-dustrial tribunals as well as providing a £25mboost to increase overall pay.

According to the union, wages for administra-tive officers in the NICS will rise by nearly 30%.

Administrative assistants’ salaries will also goup by 21% while executive offficers will see a10% increase in their pay packets.

NIPSA’s John Corey said: "This overwhelmingvote in favour clears the way for the union toproceed to settle these long outstanding equalpay claims for the lowest paid civil servants.

"Our task now is to ensure that we completethe settlement and get the money into the pock-ets of these staff who provide public services dayand daily."

EIGHT Bangladeshi workers were burnt todeath in a horrific shipyard accident last monthafter an oil tanker they were working on ex-ploded.

According to a report issued by the US-based National Labor Committee, the blast atthe Rahim Steel and Shipbreaking Yard oc-curred when a works team started to cut intoan oil storage tank using blow torches on De-cember 26.

It is thought their cutting equipment ignitedflammable gas that had built up in one of theship’s 40ft long sumps.

The workers, who the NLC claim had beentold the tanks on the massive oil tanker Agatehad been cleaned out, were engulfed in flames.

Eight died in the inferno and more than adozen others suffered serious burns.

Noor Alam, an experienced cutter, who wasinjured in the accident, said: “We were cuttingthe ship for one month. It was in the lowerpart of the ship.

“We had no idea that flammable gas and oilwere still inside the tanks. We thought thetanks had been cleaned.

“It was the main gas tank in the ship. Its sizewas huge. I was to cut one side of the tank.Other workers also started cutting the tank.

“After some time the tank exploded with atremendous bang and the tank burst into

flames. I was knocked out and don’t knowwhat happened afterward.

“When I came to, I was in the hospital. Youcan see my face is burned. Allah has saved mefrom death. I will never work in a shipbreakingyard again.”

Another worker told the NLC: “The shipwas engulfed in flames in no time. Everyonewas terrified.

“We saw the fire and the workers werejumping from the ship. Some workers who hadrelatives or friends on the ship ran to try tosave those injured.

“We are terrified now, because workersdied in front of us. It is very frightening.”

The Rahim works is thought to be thelargest industrial steel complex in Bangladeshand employs 350 workers.

Shipbreaking yards in the country are noto-riously dangerous places to work and a totalof 25 shipbreakers were killed in accidents lastyear.

Shifts at the plant average between 11 to 12hours. Employees, some of whom are only 14or 15 years of age, are paid less that 30 centsan hour.

One said: “We work 30 days a month. Wearen’t millionaires. We have to pay house rent,to spend money purchasing food, to sendmoney home to our families…”

8 WORKERS DIE INSHIPYARD HORROR

www.nlcnet.org

‘When I came to Iwas in hospital.You can see myface is burned.Allah saved me

from death. I willnever work in a

shipbreakingyard again’

Noor Alam

Tanker Agate in flames following explosion that claimed eight lives Pictures: NLC


THE University and College Union has warned new proposals tochange the way research is funded at UK universities risks caus-ing a “brain drain” of top professors.

A survey carried out by the union, which represents lecturers,trainers and researchers in further and education, more than athird of the 600 UK profs polled – 35% – would consider pursu-ing their academic careers abroad if the plans were introduced.

The results, released on January 7, revealed that one in fiveacademics already knew a colleague who was also considerleaving over the proposals which will see a curbing for fundingfor “curiosity-driven research”.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: 'We should be workinghard to attract the finest minds, not implementing new rules thatwill drive them away.

“History has taught us that some of the biggest breakthroughshave come from speculative research and it is wrong to try andmeasure projects purely on their economic potential.

“We believe the new system would strangle talent and destroyinitiative.”

‘Brain drain’ warning

A TOP Northern Ireland education-alist has commented on UK Gov-ernment proposals to give careersadvice to children as young asseven.

Under the plan, primary schoolswill offer career-related learning, aswell as opportunities to experienceuniversity life and the world ofwork.

While welcoming any initiativethat encourages children to thinkabout their future, Ulster TeachersUnion general secretary Avril HallCallaghan pointed out that fewerpupils were using careers servicesat secondary level.

She said: “However, what’s per-haps more interesting is the situa-tion which has triggered this – thefact that the numbers of secondaryschool children using careers serv-ices has plummeted in the last 10years or so.

“I wonder if this scheme is actu-ally being aimed at the correct agegroup within our school population.

“It would be easy to be cynicalabout talking to a seven-year-oldabout careers at an age when manystill want to be pop stars or astro-nauts, yet a scheme like this is to bewelcomed if it encourages childrenfrom more vulnerable backgroundsto aspire to a better future.

“Perhaps a more realistic time to

tackle careers advice would be atthe start of secondary schoolrather than leaving it to the secondhalf as has largely been the caseuntil now.

“It’s important too that any ca-reers advice should not narrow achild’s aspirations or dissuade themfrom a potential career choicewhich at seven they don’t yet evenknow exists.”

Careers adviceplan for 7 yr olds

Comments: Avril Hall Callaghan

Pict

ure:

UTU

EDUCATION

Balinasloe branchcommittee mem-bers Justina Mu-nitich, MauraDarcy, WillieNevin, Seamus Dillon,Ann Burke andPat Mulvihill arehanded the€10,000 cheque byGalway SIPTU organiser DianeJackson, thirdfrom right, at December 22function

Pict

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PROCEEDS from the SIPTU centenary celebration concertheld last month in Liberty Hall have been handed over tomembers of the unionʼs Ballinasloe branch committee at afunction in the town just before Christmas. The €10,000 raised will be dispersed to hard pressed victimsof recent floods in the area including former SIPTU members.

A fund was raised at the December 7 concert where per-formers included singers and musicians Christy Moore,above, Karan Casey and Niall Vallely, Jinx Lennon and PaulaFlynn, Brendan Devereux and Eric Fleming.

Poets Paula Meehan and Theo Dorgan also entertained thecapacity crowd.

Presentations were made at the concert by SIPTU presidentJack OʼConnor to retired members Jimmy Quinn, EstherCowen and Ross Connolly, who each received speciallycrafted sterling silver SIPTU centenary medals to mark theircontribution to the union over many decades.

‘Christy’ pressiefor flood victims



TRIBUTE

INMO saluteto frontlinestaff duringcold snap THE Executive Council of the Irish Nurses andMidwives Organisation has paid tribute to thecourageous work done by frontline staff in main-taining health and public services despite theworst weather in nearly half a century.

In a motion saluting their efforts, the Councilnoted how nurses and midwives across the coun-try had shown the utmost dedication in getting towork despite sometimes treacherous road condi-tions to ensure patient care was not compro-mised.

Often nurses and mid-wives stayed overnight,close to their work andaway from their families,so that they could be guar-anteed to relieve col-leagues on night duty.

The Executive Councilalso acknowledged the ef-forts of colleagues inother frontline services,including gardai, ambulancecrew and firefighters.

INMO general secretaryLiam Doran said: “Onceagain, in recent weeks, wehave seen the real value of frontline staff in action,striving to deal with, in the interests of their com-munities, the crisis arising from the sustained pe-riod of very bad weather.

“At all hours of the day and night, consistentwith their 24/7 commitment, these public ser-vants went to work in order to ensure the coun-try could keep on the move and that essentialpublic services were available.”

He added: “It was done without fear or favourand the INMO wishes to record our appreciationand admiration for their heroic efforts over thepast number of weeks.”

CONGRESS Executive Council has condemnedBudget 2010 as "a savage and brutal attack onworking people and the most vulnerable – thesingle worst budget in the history of the state".

The Executive Council, unanimously adoptinga motion denouncing measures contained inthe budget, described it as "a profoundly ideo-logical exercise that attacks working people, theunemployed – particularly jobless youth – andfamilies.

“Its aim is to drive down the wages and livingstandards of working people across the entireeconomy."

General secretary David Begg said: "Last Janu-ary we pointed out that the official strategy wasto drive down wages to compensate for our in-ability to devalue the currency and we havecampaigned against that foolish plan.

“It is now a reality and if anyone still doubts itall they need do is turn to page seven of Minis-

ter Lenihan's budget speech, where he lays itout in black and white*. Mr Begg added: "Bud-get 2010 offers no hope and no vision.

“It takes huge sums of money out the econ-omy the only thing it will stimulate is unemploy-ment.

“And it is characterised by a harshness that isquiet breathtaking – some €70 million in extrataxes on the wealthy but €760 million is takenoff social welfare recipients.

"It is neither an exaggeration nor an over re-action to say that Budget 2010 marks a water-shed in how the trade union movement dealswith Government."

*The exact quote is: "But membership of mon-etary union also means devaluation is not an op-tion. Therefore the adjustment process must bemade by way of reductions in wages, prices, profitsand rents." To date, Government has taken ac-tion on just one of those issues, wages.

SAVAGE ATTACK ONWORKING PEOPLE

Finger pointing: David Begg attack ideologically-driven Budget 2010 Picture: Congress

NASUWT joinhistory drive

CONGRESS economic advi-sor Paul Sweeney hasclaimed Tánaiste MaryCoughlan is “grasping atflimsy straws” after she at-tempted to put a positivespin on the latest NationalIncome figures.

Central Statistics Officedata released last monthshowed that the output ofgoods and services, orGDP, grew by 0.3% in thethree months to September2009.

It followed three such pe-riods of falling output – twosuccessive quarters of de-cline are the usual defini-tion of recession.

But Mr Sweeney warnedthat the deflationary impactof Budget 2010 would meanthe economy would con-tinue to decline in 2010.

He said: "Ms Coughlanseems to take comfort fromthe decline in Q3 over Q1 &Q2 figures and the fact thatGDP showed a small in-crease in the quarter.

“One quarter is no indica-tor and 'short-termism' is ata root cause of this reces-sion. The minister is grasp-ing at flimsy straws.

"With a fall in National In-come in the year to Septem-ber of a massive 11.3% inGDP, there is only ice-coldcomfort in hoping that be-cause it is fractionally lessthan the decline of over12% in the previous twoquarters, the recession maybe bottoming out.

“As Q4 includes Christ-mas, the next Quarter alsobe below the 12% decline,but the impact of the sav-

age Budget will depress do-mestic consumption fur-ther, deep into 2010."

Mr Sweeney claimed itwas wrong to take GDP asthe marker simply becauseit was more favourable thanGNP, as GNP is what iscommonly used in Ireland.

The collapse in Irish GDPwas a still huge fall of 7.4%,compared to the even big-ger fall of 11.3% in GNP foryear to Q3, 2009.

Mr Sweeney added: "Ire-land's economic collapse inGDP was almost the worstin the world in 2009.

“After Budget 2010, Ire-land will again be a leaderof the laggards. And unem-ployment will rise in 2010,greatly assisted by the de-flationary Budget.”

Tanaiste ‘grasping at straws’TEACHERS union NASUWT has linked up withthe American Federation of Teachers to help in a“civic exchange” project for secondary levelteachers and students.

Over the next three years, the Civic Voices pro-gramme, funded by the US Department of Educa-tion, will seek to collect and record oral historiesfrom activists and rights campaigners in the US,Poland, Northern Ireland, Philippines, South Africa,Mongolia, Colombia and Georgia.

The stories will be uploaded to an onlinedemocracy memory bank, where they will be cat-alogued and available for analysis by students, his-torians and researchers at www.civicvoices.org

The NASUWT in Northern Ireland will focuson recording the testimonies of those involved inthe peace process at local level.

One teacher involved in the project said: “I amso happy this scheme was formulated and con-ceived.

“The complexion of the interviews featuringkey figures and unsung/uncovered characters inNorthern Ireland history – in conjunction withsimilar projects around the world – will have ahuge impact for years to come.”

Liam Doran


CONGRESS is to study the rela-tionship between trade unionsand police associations acrossthe European Union.

The undertaking was given ina January 19 meeting betweenCongress chiefs David Beggand Jack OʼConnor and repre-sentatives of the Association of

Garda Sergeants and Inspec-tors.Government has so far re-fused AGSI permission toaffiliate with ICTU.

AGSI general secretary JoeDirwan said: “We discussed thedeplorable treatment of publicsector people, including gardai,by the Government and also in-

formed ICTU of the intensefrustration of our members atthe lack of trade union statusfor AGSI.”

He added the Congress dele-gation was aware of the uniqueposition of gardai and the legalprohibition regarding the takingof industrial action. AGSI has

asked Congress to study policerepresentation in Europe onlegal and industrial relationsgrounds. Mr Dirwan said: “Weare extremely hopeful there is aEuropean precedent for policeassociations which would en-able us to represent our mem-bers as effectively as possible.”

ICTU to study EU police unions

PRIMARY school teachers should not support advertising projects by commercial companieswhich target children or their families in theclassroom, the INTO has said.

It follows the recent launch of a €1.5 millionjoint promotion by the Irish Independent andBank of Ireland as well as a second promotionaldrive by the Irish Daily Mail.

INTO president Maire Ni Chuinneagain claimed“the reckless activities of Irish banks” had led as aconsequence to the crisis over funding in educa-tion, cuts in the number of teachers and theslashing of teachers’ pay.

She said: “It takes some brass neck to expectteachers to co-operate with an advertisingscheme.”

The INTO also lashed Independent Newspa-pers which the union claimed had been consistentin its support for reductions in public servantspay.

Pointing out that the Irish Daily Mail had alsocalled for wage cuts, Ms Ni Chuinneagain added:“It beggars belief that following these editoriallines, companies would now expect teachers tocollect tokens to promote sales of its newspaper.”

The INTO has an established policy over thepromotion of commercial products throughschools.

It aims to prevent the exploitation of pupils forcommercial ends in the classroom and particu-larly urges schools not to support proof of pur-chase schemes.

But the union insisted it did not oppose all linksbetween businesses and schools.

Ms Ni Chuinneagain said: “Many schools couldnot survive without the support of local busi-nesses that regularly support local fundraising ef-forts. However, this is done in ways that do notseek to exploit children for financial or commer-cial gain in schools.”

Ad promosnot suitablefor schools

THUGS who assault shopworkers in Scotlandcould get tougher penalties if a new bill is suc-cessful.

The USDAW-supported bill is being broughtbefore the Scottish Parliament by Hugh HenryMSP.

He said: “While progress has been made instrengthening criminal penalties for assaultsagainst some shopworkers, too many still lacksufficient protection at work.

“The Emergency Workers Act 2005 soughtto provide additional protection to certaingroups by introducing tougher penalties forthose found guilty of assaulting, hindering orobstructing those workers. This proposed leg-

islation seeks to apply the protections con-tained within the Emergency Workers Act toany worker who provides a face to face serv-ice to the public.”

USDAW general secretary John Hannettsaid: “Shopworkers provide a vital service tothe public, but they are all too often seen as aneasy target for violence and abuse.

“Our latest survey showed that one in 10shopworkers has been assaulted while atwork.

“USDAW is supporting Hugh Henry’s billthrough the Scottish parliament and we havestarted campaigning for a similar law in Eng-land and Wales.”

Scots to get tough onshopworker assaults

Picture: USDAW(Picture posed)

�DERRY-based carparts firm Arntz Belt-

ing is set to close withthe loss of 115 jobs.

The company, whichmakes timing belts forvehicles and machinery,has entered a 90-day con-sultation with unions andemployees.

Arntz has been gradu-ally reducing its work-force in Derry – downfrom a peak of 240 em-ployees in 2005.

UNITE representativePhil Oakes said bosseshad indicated that therewas “virtually no hope”of the Pennyburn Passfacility surviving.

�STAFF at the NationalAsset Management

Agency will not have tobear the brunt of the pub-lic service pay cut, it hasbeen confirmed.

Department of Financeofficials said the newbody was set up underthe National TreasuryManagement Agencywhich traditionally hasset its own pay rates forstaff.

This stipulation wasput in place so that theNTMA – and thus NAMA –could compete with theprivate sector for “highcalibre” employees.

NIPSA has called on the Stormont Execu-tive to resist pressure from Westminsterto cut public spending and slash servicesand do its utmost to build a fairer andbetter Northern Ireland.

In a New Year message, incoming Gen-eral Secretary Brian Campfield alsoslammed both Labour and Conservativeparties for seeking to make the publicshoulder the burden caused by the bailingout of the banks through pushing throughpublic service cutbacks.

He said: “While the banking sector isstarting to recover profitability, we areagain witnessing the obscenity of bankers’bonuses and astronomical financial awardsfor the few while ordinary working peo-ple suffer job losses, wage depression as

well as cutbacks in public services.“Our local politicians should be making

the case to Westminster – irrespective ofwhich party forms the next government –that there has to be a fundamental redis-tribution of wealth, not on the basis ofone-off taxes on bonuses or windfalltaxes, but as a central feature of a newprogressive tax system.

“Such a system would ensure thewealthy pay their fair share and that thevast bulk of the population are not sub-ject to unacceptable cut backs in impor-tant public services upon which they rely.”

He added: “NIPSA is calling for themaximum amount of opposition from thecommunity to resist public service cutsplanned by the next UK government.”

NIPSA: Build fairer society


US-style bank probe call

Broderick: Hearing needed

IBOA The Finance Union hasbacked calls by Central Bankgovernor Dr Patrick Honohanfor an Oireachtas probe intowhat went wrong with the Irishbanking system.

General secretary Larry Brod-erick has already written to Fi-nance Minister Brian Lenihan tohammer home the importanceof setting up a comprehensiveinquiry into the crisis.

He said: “Not only does thegeneral public deserve a thor-ough explanation but thou-sands of ordinary bankemployees also deserve toknow how a substantial failureof leadership in the financialservices sector has placed theirjobs and livelihoods in jeop-ardy.” Mr Broderick welcomedDr Honohanʼs suggestion that

such an inquiry should be con-ducted like a US Congressionalhearing availing of expert wit-nesses as well as examining thekey participants in the eventsleading up to the crisis.

He added: “The banking crisishas resulted from a widespreadsystemic failure – involving notjust the financial institutions,themselves, but also the publicagencies charged with their su-pervision and regulation – andindeed the political frameworkwithin which those supervisoryagencies were established.

“So, rather than simply en-gaging in an exercise in finger-pointing, an inquiry of this kindshould also identify the impor-tant wider lessons that must belearned to prevent a recurrence

of these events.”

Mr Broderick claimed theIBOA had repeatedly called fora review into how the bankingsystem operated and pointedout the union had proposed thesetting up of a Commission onBanking to focus on the futuredevelopment of the financialservices sector as long ago as2004.

He added: “In view of theGovernorʼs remarks, perhaps itis now a proposal whose timehas finally come – so that wecan bring together all of thestake-holders in the financialservices sector to learn fromthe recent past so as to ensurethat our industry works farmore effectively in the public in-terest in the future."

Picture: IBOA

Sweeney: Data claims

ECONOMICS advisor Paul Sweeneyhas pointed out new earnings figuresback up Congress claims about gen-eral wage trends.

The data, released last month by theCentral Statistics Office, show thatcore hourly wages and salaries in theprivate sector remained stable andeven grew slightly in the second quar-ter of last year.

Mr Sweeney said: “While there aresome reductions in weekly earnings,they are not in basic pay rates formost workers in the private sector,but in hours worked, bonuses andother irregular payments.”

Pointing that these reductionswould reverse when the economic cli-mate improved, he added: “The real hit

on pay is in the public sector and inthe sectors which contributed mostto the collapse of the Irish economy –finance, construction and real estate’”

Public sector pay cuts averaged 6.9per cent from March 2009 and are notfactored into the data.

Mr Sweeney said: “The CSO figuresshow that pay grew most in largerfirms which are generally more effi-cient.

“Substantial rises of more than fourper cent were in industry and educa-tion in the second quarter though payin public sector education would bedown in reality.”

He claimed the fall in employmentfrom 1.77 million to 1.66 million in theyear posed the greatest challenge and

the impact of the deflationary Budgetwill be felt in greater job losses.

Pointing out Ireland was still per-forming well on productivity and unitlabour costs, Mr Sweeney added: “It isworth noting that Ireland still has oneof the highest levels of productivity inthe world.

“However, the last three quarterssaw the biggest fall in unit labour costsin the 30-state OECD occurring inIreland.

“This is in contrast to substantial in-creases in unit labour costs in the Eu-rozone area according to OECD.

“This again undermines MinisterLenihan’s claim that Irish unit labourcosts are the highest in the Euro-zone.”

NEW FIGURES CONFIRM PAY RATES NOT FALLING

ECONOMY

STRIKING Futjitsu workers have adopted “shop tactics” to publicise theirdispute with the Japanese electronics giant.

More than 30 UNITE members and supporters took their grievancesover job cuts, pension changes and the imposition of a pay freeze to Belfastcity centre earlier this month.

Standing outside Marks & Spencer’s flagship store in Donegall Place, theyleafleted passing shoppers and city centre workers over lunchtime on Janu-ary 13.

Fujitsu, which provides IT services to the high street chain, employs 400staff in Belfast and another 100 in Derry.

UNITE representative Roger Dane claimed Fujitsu was pushing throughthe changes despite doing reasonably well under present market conditions.

He said: "The company is not doing badly at the moment as well, it's aim-ing at a profit of £100m for this year. It's not in the red, but very much in

Striking Fujitsustaff take protestto the high street

the black." He claimed that only half the total UK workforce of 11,500 hadbeen included in a trawl for voluntary redundancies, adding: "If they openedup the voluntary trawl to the whole workforce then there probablywouldn't be a need for compulsory redundancies.”

On your Marks: Futjitsu employees at M&S leaflet protest

Picture: UNITE


Joe O’Flynn

SIPTU vice president Brendan Hayes hasbeen appointed as deputy chairman of theLabour Court.

Announcing the Government appoint-ment Dara Calleary, Minister of State at theDepartment of Enterprise, Trade and Em-ployment, said Brendan Hayes would bring a“wealth of experience” to the position.

His appointment has been welcomed bySIPTU general president Jack O’Connor,who is also president of Congress, and bySIPTU general secretary Joe O’Flynn.

Jack O’Connor said: “Since the LabourCourt was established in 1946 the practicewhich has been observed is that chairper-sons of the Court are appointed by theMinister on the nomination of the tradeunion and the employer organisations in ro-tation.”

He claimed the custom had been setaside by then Enterprise Minister Mary Har-ney who cited the need for open public

competition for not appointing the tradeunion nominee. Mr O’Connor added: “Theestablished practice has now been restoredand the executive of Congress was invitedto submit nominations.

“Four names were submitted includingthe SIPTU vice president Brendan Hayes,and his name was selected from the list forappointment. I warmly welcome his appoint-ment as he is most suited for the position.”

Joe O’Flynn said Mr Hayes’ strengthswould be greatly missed at SIPTU.

He added: “Apart from his extensive in-dustrial relations experience Brendan alsohas many years of experience in the work-ings of the public service and the privatesector.

“While we wish him every success in hisappointment as deputy chair of the LabourCourt he will be greatly missed for his intel-lect and experience by SIPTU and thebroader trade union movement.”

THE UNITED States, the worldʼs richesteconomy, lags far behind other success-ful economies in adopting policies thatsupport workers and their families, it hasbeen revealed.

Researchers from Harvard and McGillUniversities looked at labour laws in 190countries worldwide.

Of the 15 most competitive economies,including the US, it found that 14 pro-vided paid sick leave, 13 guaranteed paidleave for new mothers, 12 provided paidleave for new fathers, 11 provided paidleave to care for children's health needs,eight provided paid leave to care for adultfamily members, and seven guaranteedbreastfeeding breaks to nursing motherson the job.

Shockingly, at a federal level, the US of-fered none of these supports. The find-ings are contained in a new book Raisingthe Global Floor written by Jody Hey-

mann and Alison Earle. Ms Heymannclaimed the most successful and compet-itive nations were able to provide thesesocial supports without harming theircompetitiveness.

She said: “Globally, we found that noneof these working conditions are linkedwith lower levels of economic competi-tiveness or employment.

“There simply is no negative relation-ship at all between decent working condi-tions and competitiveness or jobcreation.

“In fact, we found that a number ofthese guarantees are associated with in-creased competitiveness.

“Ensuring a floor of decent workingconditions is crucial for the majority ofAmericans. The US lags far behind mostof the 190 countries whose labour lawswe examined."

DOING HARD LABOUR

SIPTU V.P. GETS LABOUR COURT ROLE

Picture: SIPTU

Brendan Hayes

Picture: SIPTU

Picture: AFL-CIO

AFL-CIO members at a recent picket in Georgia call on their local senator tohelp workers and not Wall Street bankers and corporate CEOs

£340,000paid out toNI UnisonmembersUNISON won more than £340,000 in per-sonal injury compensation for its members inNorthern Ireland and their families last year,new figures have revealed.

And across the UK, the public sector unionwon £28m in claims ranging from road acci-dents to assaults.

But general secretary Dave Prentis claimeda huge amount of pain and suffering lay be-hind the huge total.

He said: “Ourmembers work inmany different areas— nurses, socialworkers, care work-ers, dinner ladies,teaching assistantsand librarians — butwhat they all have incommon is that theirjobs are never con-sidered to be danger-ous.

“These statisticsshow that in theworst cases, members are left severely dis-abled and others are forced to give up workthrough injury.

“Sadly, many of these accidents could andshould have been prevented by employers.

“Too often we hear health and safety direc-tives being ridiculed.

“However, it is clear that some employersare still not taking the necessary steps tosafeguard their staff.

“It is disgraceful that in 2009 so many UNI-SON members have suffered crippling backinjuries when, given the proper training orequipment, these could be prevented.”

Dave Prentis

COMPENSATION

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£27.4 BILLION inunpaid overtimeMORE than five million UK workers gave away£27.4 billion in unpaid overtime last year, newfigures have revealed.

According to the TUC analysis of official fig-ures, 60,000 Northern Ireland employees sub-sidised their employers in both public andprivate sectors with an average of £5,110 un-paid work each in 2009.

The statistical breakdown showed that46,399 employees did between one and 10hours unpaid overtime per week in the North.

And amazingly another14,000 Northern Irelandworkers did MORE than 10hours extra each week forno recompense.

The TUC study showedthat staff that did unpaidovertime worked an averageof seven hours 12 minutes aweek.

Across the UK this aver-ages out at £5,402 each a year – the highestamount since records began in the late 1990s –and an increase of £263 since 2008.

According to the figures, workers in North-ern Ireland (23.1 per cent of those whoworked unpaid overtime), the England’s EastMidlands (21.3 per cent) and London (20.6 percent) were the most likely to do more than 10hours of unpaid overtime a week.

According to the TUC if everyone whoworked unpaid overtime did it from the startof the year, they would actually start getting

paid on Friday, February 26. The TUC has de-clared this day Work Your Proper Hours Dayand will call on bosses to thank staff for theextra work they are putting in to help busi-nesses through the recession.

General secretary Brendan Barber said: “Therecession has forced many employees to doless hours in an effort to save jobs and this hasalso had an effect on the amount of unpaidovertime worked.

“This flexibility and the sacrifices made bystaff has saved jobs and keptcompanies afloat. Bossesshould use Work Your ProperHours Day to thank staff forthe extra effort they are put-ting in to help their businessthrough the recession.

“But millions of people arestill working far too manyhours and often they are noteven being paid for it. This long

hours culture causes stress and damages peo-ple's health.

“Most employers are understandably focusedon fighting their way through the recession.

“But they shouldn't forget that working cul-tures such as pointless presenteeism – whichkeeps people at their desks for no good reason– is not just bad for staff but for business too.”

www.tuc.org.uk/work_life/tuc-17393-f0.cfm

www.tuc.org.uk/em_research/tuc-17394-f0.cfm

�THE number ofpeople working paidovertime in the UK

has fallen by nearly half amillion in the last year tojust under four million, aTUC analysis of newfigures has revealed.

Official data shows thatlast summer, 15.8 per centof UK employees earnedpaid overtime, a fall of 1.5percentage points on thesummer before.

Workers earned a total of

£10 billion in paid overtimelast year, £1 billion lessthan 2008.

The TUC claims the fall inpaid overtime and theaverage hours workedsince the recession reflectsacrifices employees,unions and employershave made to preventfurther job losses. Generalsecretary Brendan Barbersaid: “These workers arethe hidden victims of therecession. Job security

remains the number oneconcern for workers butthe sharp drop in paidovertime shows that manypeople in work are alsosuffering financially.

“While many in the Citylook to their stocks andbonuses as a barometer ofthe health of the economy,having enough hours ofwork and overtime paymatter far more to millionsof workers and theirfamilies.”

SALARIES

THE EUROPEAN Anti-Poverty Network Irelandhas lashed the decision to abolish nearly 30community development projects across thecountry.

Director Anna Visser predicted the move would“seriously and permanently” hamper localinitiatives to tackle proverty and would raisequestions about the Government’s commitment“to facilitating active participation in EuropeanAffairs at local and community level”.

She pointed out that community developmentprojects had been “invaluable advocates” forraising awareness about the importance ofEurope at local and community level.

Ms Visser said: “The decision to cut funding forprojects is short-sighted and will have seriousimplications for hard-pressed communities.”

Following the budget, nearly 30 communitydevelopment projects were deemed “non-viable”by the Department of Community, Rural andGaelteacht Affairs.

Ms Visser was also strongly critical of themanner in which the news was communicated tothose projects affected by the move.

She added: “The projects were told of theirabolition two weeks before Christmas, in somecases without an adequate explanation as to whythey are no longer considered viable.

“The CPDs affected by the cuts were thengiven just four days to appeal the decision.

“The rushed and opaque nature of the processis deeply inappropriate and represents an insultto individuals and groups working in some of themost disadvantaged communities across Ireland.”

MORE than half fo the Republicʼs population has wor-ried about debt and money issues over the past year,according to a new survey carried out by the Samari-tans.

The YouGov poll, published before Christmas, foundthat issues surrounding finances topped respondentsʼlist of anxieties with 59% admitting they were fearfulabout the impact of the faltering economy on theirlives.

Almost a third – 29% – of the 1,000 people who tookpart in the survey described 2009 as a bad year or theworst ever.

Samaritansʼ Ireland Director Suzanne Costello said:“In the last year, Samaritans received more than375,000 calls in the Republic of Ireland – with approxi-mately one in every 10 calls linked to financial stress.

"If people donʼt talk about their problems, they canbuild up over time and spiral into more serious emo-tional distress.

“Sharing your troubles can be a huge relief and isoften the first step to finding a way of coping with thechallenges that life throws at all of us.”

59% have finance fears

Anti-povertygroup blastsGovernmentmove on CDPs

Street level: Homelessness in Dublin

Pict

ure:

Euro

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Picture: Samaritans


Jobs not necessarily routeout of poverty, charity says

NEWSBRIEFSWork-life balance policies‘are a win-win strategy’EMPLOYEES experience enhanced levels of jobsatisfaction when working in family friendly envi-ronments, a new report by the UK Departmentfor Business, Innovation and Skills has found.

The study, titled Family Structure and WorkSatisfaction: Can Work-Life Balance Policies Fos-ter Happiness in the Workplace?, suggests thatboth male and female employees with dependentchildren who work in family-friendly workplacesshow higher levels of job satisfaction than thosewho do not.

Report author Alvaro Martinex Perez of theUniversity of Essex said: “This report suggeststhat work-life balance policies are a win-winstrategy both from the point of view of policymakers and for those involved in day-to-day in-dustrial relations.

“WLB policies help workers find a better bal-ance between their family and professional duties.

“As a result higher satisfied workers are likelyto be more involved and productive than thosewith lower levels of satisfaction.”

www.berr.gov.uk/files/file53551.pdf

RESEARCH carried out by UK charity the JosephRowntree Foundation has revealed that getting ajob does not guarantee an escape from poverty.

The report, titled Work and Worklessness inDeprived Neighbourhoods, looked at theexperiences and perceptions of work amongresidents in six deprived areas across the UK.

Though respondents acknowledged the valueof increased self-esteem and reduced isolationbrought about by a return to work, most gainedlittle financially.

According to the charity, poverty-level wagescan mean those who have jobs work long hours,impacting on the quality of their family life.

Equally for those still out of work, low wagescan act as a disincentive to leave benefits.

�THE NUJ’s Belfast & District branch has do-nated £200 to the TUC Aid Haiti Earthquake

Appeal. Belfast journalists responded to TUC Aid’sspecial appeal launched in the aftermath of thedevastating January 12 quake that turned theHaitian capital Port au Prince to rubble.

Proceeds of the appeal will be used by thetrade union movement in Haiti for emergency re-lief and long-term rehabilitation of victims. Do-nate online at www.justgiving.com/tucaid

CONGRESS has called forbeefed up protection forwhistleblowers in the Irish Re-public.

It follows the publication of areport by campaign groupTransparency International, ti-tled An Alternative to Silence –Protecting Whistleblowers inIreland.

Unlike most other countriesin Europe and the US, the Re-public has been dragging itsheels when it comes to puttingin place comprehensive legalprotection for whistleblowers.

Whether it’s corruption inlocal planning or illegality andmalpractice in our financial in-stitutions, workers are consis-tently afraid to come forwardbecause they fear negative legalconsequences and reprisalsfrom their employers.

What legal protection thereis can be hit and miss with pro-visions tucked away into ob-scure sections of specificlegislation.

Civil liability laws also meanthat some people may actually

be penalised and held person-ally liable if they come forward.

Welcoming the report, Con-gress legislation and social af-fairs officer Esther Lynch said:“Without legal protectionwhistleblowers can be subjectto intense victimisation atwork, demoted, dismissed, orpressured to resign; their posi-tions abolished or transferred.

“Workers report that theyare isolated, physically and per-sonally; and often subjected to‘white walling’ where they areput into an office with no workat all, others are subjected toconstant scrutiny and given im-possible tasks to perform.

“Others face threats and dis-ciplinary actions, are subject tointernal inquiries, adverse re-ports and all sorts of otherlegal threats.

It is not uncommon forwhistleblowers is to resign dueto ill health caused by the vic-timisation.

It is also understandable thatmany employees often decideto keep quiet about their con-

cerns rather than report them.The Government has prom-

ised to introduce protectionfor whistleblowers on a num-ber of occasions but it is be-lieved vested interests keepstalling its introduction.

According to Congree,workers’ calls for protectionmust not be ignored any longer.

Ms Lynch said: ‘Secrecy is abreeding ground for corruptionand sunlight is the best disin-fectant.

“We are calling on the Gov-ernment to introduce a robustset of legal rights, to protectworkers in the public or pri-vate sector, so that they candisclose and report matterssuch as malpractice, miscon-duct, the violation of laws,rules, regulations, damage tohealth, safety or environmentconcerns, corruption and fraudand the ’cover up’ of these.”

She added: “Employees whoreport wrongful conduct bytheir employers must be pro-tected from reprisals.”

�UNITE has expressed fears over USfood company Kraftʼs £11.5bn takeover

of chocolate maker Cadbury.Jenny Formby, the unionʼs national offi-

cer for the food and drinks sector in theUK, told the BBC: “We believe there was nonecessity whatsoever for Cadbury – whichis a very profitable, growing stand alone

company – to be sold to anybody.”Expressing concern at the levels of debt

held by Kraft, she added: “In our experi-ence, and in the experience of our sisterunions eleewhere, particularly in the Statesand Europe, the way Kraft has been dealingwith debt to date is to make people redun-dant and to close sites.” Picture: Cadbury

ICTU: Protect workerswho blow the whistle

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Union Post January 2010