Troika warned: Austerity has failed
Tuesday 17th January 2012
The IMF-ECB-European Commission troika’s austerity policies have clearly failed, with domestic demand down 25% in four years – leading to thousands of lost jobs and even less economic activity. That was the message of trade unions at their meeting with troika officials yesterday. REad more HERE.
IMPACT lobbies on CE cuts
Thursday 22nd December 2011
Members of IMPACT’s Community Employment Supervisors’ branch have been lobbying their TDs in an attempt to stop devastating cuts in the funding of community employment schemes. The union also took part in a Daíl protest on 9th December, along with Siptu and affected community organisations. Read more HERE.
Change to universal social charges welcomed
But lack of jobs measures disappoints
Tuesday 6th November 2011
IMPACT has welcomed the increase in the universal social charge threshold, which means 330,000 people earning less than €10,000 will no longer pay. It was previously charged on all income for everyone who earned more than €4,000. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) had urged the Government to make this change prior to today’s budget announcement. Read more HERE.
OPINION: Attack on increments is an attack on the young and low paid
Tuesday 6th December 2011
Fergus Finlay has recently been arguing the case for a freeze on public service pay increments in his weekly newspaper column and, more recently, on RTÉ’s The Frontline, a popular forum for direct attacks on public service workers. read more HERE.
Wealth tax petition launched
Thursday 17th November 2011
Claiming Our Future, the progressive coalition supported by ICTU, has launched a petition calling for wealth taxes to be introduced. The organisation is calling for a levy on assets and property worth over €1 million, the elimination of tax breaks those with high incomes, a levy on financial transactions and a higher tax rate on incomes over €100k. read more HERE.
Branches respond to whistleblower appeal
Saturday 12th November 2011
IMPACT’s Cork branch was the first to respond to the union’s appeal on behalf of a member of the union’s Communications branch who was sacked in August after revealing a serious case of fraud in his workplace. Read more HERE.
Financial support sought for brave whistleblower
Tuesday 1st November 2011
IMPACT’s Services and Enterprises division issued an appeal on behalf of a member of the unions Communications branch who was sacked in August after revealing a serious case of fraud in his workplace. Read more HERE.
Mortgage recommendations leave much uncertainty
Tuesday 1st November 2011
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has said that, despite some positives, the recently-published recommendations of the working group on mortgage arrears will leave families in crisis with considerable costs and uncertainty. Read more HERE.
Internship safeguards aim to protect existing jobs
Tuesday 1st November 2011
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has emphasised that interns taken on under the Government’s ‘JobBridge’ work experience scheme “should not displace an existing member of staff or be used to fill a vacant post.” Read more HERE.
ICTU’s alternative to austerity
Friday 28th October 2011
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) says tackling unemployment should be the main priority in the forthcoming budget. Read more HERE.
Young Workers and IMPACT: The new challenge we all face
September 2011
By Joe May, Chairperson of IMPACT’s Young Workers’ Committee
It is safe to say that nobody could have forecasted the situation Ireland finds itself in the middle of 2011. Decisions have been taken both inside and outside of our country which will have a significant effect on the careers of all the members of this union. Read more HERE .
Irish trade union laws under UN scrutiny
Tuesday 13th September 2011
Irelands’ trade union laws will shortly be put under scrutiny from a human rights perspective at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The consideration is part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights records in all counties. Readmore HERE.
Government seeks softening of agency worker protections
Thursday 8th September 2011
RICHARD BRUTON wants talks with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and employers’ body IBEC to explore the possibility of agreeing a ‘derogation’ from aspects of the EU agency workers’ directive, which must be written into Irish law by 5th December. Read more HERE.
Unions seek emergency law following High Court ruling on low-pay protections
Thursday 14th July 2011
Unions have called on the Government to reverse its decision not to enact emergency legislation to protect up to 200,000 low paid workers after a High Court ruling said existing ‘employment regulation orders’ (EROs) were unconstitutional. The EROs, which set wage minimums and other employment conditions in low-paid sectors, were effectively rendered useless by the ruling, in a case brought by owners of fast food outlets in Cork. Read more HERE.
Fast food attack on minimum pay
Tuesday 5th April 2011
The Quick Service Food Alliance, an industry group representing several fast food restaurant chains, has mounted a High Court challenge to the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system which sets minimum wages and conditions for workers in the restaurant and catering industry. Restaurant and catering workers are the lowest paid of any sector. In 2008, they earned 16% less than the EU-15 average. Since then average weekly earnings have fallen by 7%. Read more HERE.
Wednesday 9th March 2011
Carers count on 10th April census
If you provide regular unpaid personal help for a relative or friend it’s really important that you make your mark on Question 22 on Census day (Sunday April 10th) and list the number of hours of care that you provide. more
Monday 7th March 2011
Davenport hotel workers win Labour Court case against minimum wage cut
The Labour Court has recommended that five SIPTU members in dispute with the operators of the Davenport Hotel in Dublin after refusing to accept a cut in their minimum wage should be reinstated and that their previous pay rates be restored. more
Wednesday 2nd February 2010
Social dialogue and collective bargaining under attack from EU-IMF rescue packages says ETUC
In a letter sent to EU Commissioner Olli Rehn, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has denounced what it described as “the diktat pressures from Commission officials to cut minimum wages and pensions, to reduce wage ‘rigidities’ and to make labour markets more flexible in Greece and Ireland.” more
Monday 6th December 2010
Minimum wage: ICTU puts pressure on TDs
ICTU General Secretary David Begg has written to all TDs to urge them not to vote for a €1 an hour cut in the minimum wage. He said that the cut, which would apply to less than 5% of the workforce, will widen the gap between the top and bottom of society. Read the letter HERE.
Friday 3rd December 2010
Sign up to claim YOUR future
The Claiming Our Future movement is winning broad and growing support for fundamental reform of our politics, economy and social policy. An initially sceptical BERNARD HARBOR now says uniquely difficult times could create support for a genuinely new Ireland. more
By Ilaria Ugolini, Friday 3rd December 2010
Significant breakthrough for domestic workers
The Domestic Workers Action Group and the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) have welcomed the decision by the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) to begin a targeted campaign of inspections to protect the rights of people employed as domestic workers in private homes. more
Friday 12th November 2010
Turning the tide on water privatisation
In what has been seen as a radical shift in existing policy, during the summer the EU announced a new fund of €40 million to support ‘non-profit partnerships’ of water and sanitation utilities in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. more
8th November 2010 – By Ilaria Ugolini
IMPACT supports Clean Clothes Campaign
The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) is a European alliance that includes trade unions and other organizations in different countries. Irish members include IMPACT, the ICTU and the Mandate trade union, as well as groups campaigning for women’s rights and poverty reduction. more
Saturday 30th October 2010
Demand for maximum income to cut gap between rich and poor emerges at Ireland’s first ‘citizens forum’
A maximum income, a reformed tax system, and a minimum income threshold emerged as policy priorities at Ireland’s first ‘citizens forum’ in Dublin’s RDS today (Saturday). Over 1,100 participants also called for a stimulus package to maximise job creation in the social and green economy, and expressed overwhelming support for a radical new emphasis on economic security and social and environmental sustainability. more
Friday 1st October 2010
IMPACT backs new civil society coalition
IMPACT and ICTU are supporting Claiming Our Future, an important new initiative aimed at bringing civil society organisations together to win support for alternative economic and social policies to beat the recession. more
Wednesday 8th September 2010
ICTU concern on proposed ‘workfare’ scheme
ICTU general secretary David Begg has written to social protection minister Éamon Ó Cuív setting out major concerns over the Government’s proposals to compel unemployed people to work for benefits. Unions will meet the minister to discuss the issue on 16th September. more
26th May 2010
Fair Hotels campaign launched
IMPACT is supporting SIPTU’s ‘fair hotels’ campaign, which was launched this week by SIPTU leader and ICTU president Jack O’Connor. The campaign, which supports and promotes quality jobs in the hotel industry, is based on the principle that hotels that treat staff fairly should be supported by consumers who care about workers rights. The campaign introduces a new ethical choice for consumers via the website www.fairhotels.ie. more
Unions must change in innovation economy says expert
May 2010
Ireland must build an economic recovery based on investment in people and innovation if it is to avoid a return to over-reliance on a bloated and over-paid financial sector. That’s according to renowned British journalist and economist Will Hutton, who spoke at an ICTU-sponsored lecture in Dublin earlier this month. more
Monday 5th October 2009
European trade unions welcome Lisbon outcome
The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) has called Ireland's ‘yes’ vote in the Lisbon referendum "a positive step for public services. more
Thursday 2nd July 2009
76 Trade Unionists killed across the world in 2008
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) details abuses of fundamental workers’ rights in 143 countries in its latest annual Survey of Trade Union Rights Violations report. The report says 76 trade unionists were killed due to their leading roles in championing the cause of fellow workers. Many were also physically attacked or subjected to harassment, intimidation or arrest by the authorities. more
Thursday 2nd July 2009
EPSU-PSI Europe merger agreed unanimously
Two international trade union organisations are about merge, the Public Services International (PSI) and the European Public Services Union (EPSU). The EPSU-PSI Europe merger was agreed unanimously at the EPSU congress earlier in June. The merger of these two organisations will create a stronger European Public Services Federation. more
