Social partnership talks continue

TRADE UNIONS, the Irish Government and employers have resumed social partnership talks this week in the 26 Counties.
This is despite a number of disagreements on pay claims, pensions and trade union rights, including collective bargaining rights for workers employed in non-unionised companies.
The parties are also due to discuss the new EU directive that will give extra rights to agency and temporary workers.
The employers’ representative body, IBEC, has consistently opposed any initiative that would afford the same rights to agency workers as directly-employed workers because it would impinge upon “the flexibility of companies”.
The deteriorating economic situation in the South will also be a major factor in the outcome of the talks – 7,000 people are becoming unemployed each month.

RECESSION
The Economic and Social Research Institute said last week that the state is now in the grip of a recession and predicted unemployment will rise from 5 per cent to 7 per cent next year. The ESRI has said that this will lead to around 20,000 emigrating.
During the talks the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called for major investment in health and education. Despite this, the Government is expected to announce a series of major cutbacks across public services, including health, education and social welfare when new figures on the economy are released.
IBEC has also called for a pay freeze in the public sector and general pay restraint across the board. The Government has backed the employers’ calls and the talks have made little progress so far.
Trade unions have expressed concerns around the rise in the cost of living and any potential wage cuts for workers who are already on low pay. John Douglas, of Mandate – which represents retail, bar and administrative workers – has said employees could not afford pay cuts in the current economic climate. There is a possibility that the talks may collapse. However, if they continue they are expected to do so until September.

 

Government underpays teachers

IT EMERGED this week that the Irish Government has underpaid 1,000 part-time teachers for the past seven years and will now be liable to paying the arrears in full.
A Rights Commissioner has found that the Department of Education has breached laws that protect part-time workers which give them the same entitlements as full-time workers with the same qualifications and experience.
There is no current estimation of the full pay bill as the department never kept a record of temporary teachers. John Carr, General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, has said that as a result of the pay disparity many teachers have suffered “serious financial hardship”.

Council workers to strike

LOCAL government waste collection workers in the Six Counties are to strike on July 16 and 17 after pay talks with employers collapsed.
The workers, members of UNISON, have rejected an increase of 2.5 per cent as inadequate given the recent increases in the costs of fuel, food and housing.
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said:
“The employers must realise that we mean business. They must also understand they can resolve this dispute by coming up with a decent offer. Our members are loyal public service workers and our case for fair pay is strong.”
UNISON members voted 55 per cent in favour of industrial action a fortnight ago.