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SIPTU calls for immediate end to ‘free labour schemes’ such as JobBridge
SIPTU has called for an immediate end to JobBridge, and similar “free labour schemes”, following media revelations that a report by auditors in the Department of Social Protection has found that its monitoring system is unable to ensure its operation is not resulting in job displacement.
SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, said: “The results of this report, which were revealed in the media today (Sunday, 21st August), concerning the operation of the JobBridge Scheme should end the debate about continuing such ‘free labour schemes’. They must all be wound up immediately.
“No one should be surprised about the results of this report which confirm mounting anecdotal evidence concerning these schemes and a possible link to job displacement as well as other abuses. There may have been an argument for such schemes when unemployment was running at double digits but thankfully that is no longer the case.”
He added: “The sad truth is that there is an unscrupulous element among employers that will exploit any opportunity to turn a quick buck. They will strive to do this irrespective of whatever safeguards or monitoring is put in place concerning these schemes. They have no scruples about exploiting workers, conning the taxpayer or competing unfairly with other businesses.
“The only way to combat such abuse is to wind up all these schemes as it can no longer be argued that they are in any way required. In the case of the public sector, where the Government has direct control, all those currently employed on such schemes should be offered direct employment given the country’s much improved economic circumstances.”
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WRC Proposals: Winning a New Deal for Health
SIPTU Ambulance Professionals have secured the necessary funding for the development of our National Ambulance Service in accordance with the recommendations of the HSE National Ambulance Service Capacity Review.
The Capacity Review was undertaken at the insistence of SIPTU representatives at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health in February 2014.
In March 2016, SIPTU Ambulance Professionals held a special conference where your elected representatives adopted the following agenda for a campaign to ensure that our National Ambulance Service is fully funded and that’s fit for purpose:
- The publication of the HSE National Ambulance Service Capacity Review.
- The implementation of a fully developedIntermediate Care Service.
- The payment of compensation for loss of earnings for our members under the terms of the public service agreement.
- That management engage in exploratory talks on annualised hours as per the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement.
Together, we have delivered on this agenda.
Together, we have secured agreement on the following proposals:
- The recruitment of 461 Paramedics.
- An additional 150 Intermediate Care Officers.
- Confirmation of payment of loss of earnings currently outstanding under public service agreements.
- Establishment of a working group to oversee the implementation of the Capacity Review.
Our campaign is not over. The campaign continues…Now is the time for us to stand united to ensure these proposals are implemented in full by the Government. This cannot happen without your endorsement and support.
Winning a New Deal for Health is our main priority and critical to our agenda as we take the next steps to deliver pay restoration, pay progression and pay justice for our members.
Download proposals at a glance here
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SIPTU demands automatic extensions of service for retirement age health workers
SIPTU Health representatives have demanded that the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, sanction automatic extensions of service to all low paid health workers who require them, in order to prevent those over 65 being forced into financial hardship or onto exploitive contracts.
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell said: “Many low paid workers are being forced to retire at 65 without the cushion of the state transitional pension. Over the last few months, SIPTU representatives have presented solutions to the Health Service Executive (HSE) that could prevent our members, who are compelled to retire at 65, from experiencing financial hardship as they await becoming eligible for their state pension.
“Our members, who are mainly low paid, have also been exposed to hardship by being denied their occupational pension from the day they retire from work. This specific issue was investigated by the Ombudsman for Pensions following a request from SIPTU members. The Ombudsman found that some state funded employers have a serious case to answer.”
Bell added: “What we have learned from our members making applications for one year extensions of service is the behaviour of some Section 38 Health Service employers is extremely exploitive and unacceptable. In some cases, low paid workers who are desperate to remain on payroll are being forced to sign a new contract which involves losing salary and conditions.
“In many cases low paid health service workers are being forced to accept lower basic pay and unsocial hours. This clear exploitation of workers must cease and the Government has a duty to ensure that it does.”
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Mental Health Nursing WRC Proposals
Follow talks in the Workplace Relations Commission, SIPTU representatives have established a formula to restore a community allowance for mental health nurses and a timetable for its implementation. See here
New measures aimed at dealing with the current shortages have also been agreed.
SIPTU representatives also secured a nomination to the verification process and will participate in the selection of an independent chair to ensure the vital work that our members in mental health services perform day in and day out is recognised.
Here is a breakdown of the package of proposals agreed by unions and management at the Workplace Relations Commission:
- Agreement on the Payment of a Community Allowance
- Retired staff will be offered employment at a pay rate equal to the maximum point of the staff nurse scale (LSI).
- Current employees will be encouraged to provide additional hours at a pay rate based on their personal hourly rate.
- Nurses working part-time hours will be able to increase their working hours
- All temporary nurses and all 2016 graduates will be offered permanency
- A Working Group will be set up immediately to report before the end of the year on the implementation of 24/7 Home Based Crisis Services Pilot Projects in 2017.
- The process of recruiting nurses is guaranteed not to exceed 28 days.
- The management of the Serious Physical Assault Scheme has been reviewed to ensure the assaulted nurse’s full pay is maintained and his/her sick pay entitlements protected.
- An implementation group agreed between the parties will oversee implementation of this agreement. This group will meet fortnightly.
The full WRC proposals can be viewed here
If any member has any further questions please email ask@siptuhealth.ie
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SIPTU secures agreement on payment of community allowance to mental health nurses
SIPTU nursing representatives have secured agreement on the payment schedule for a community allowance for nurses in the mental health services following talks with HSE management at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) today (Tuesday, 16th August).
SIPTU Organiser, David Field, said: “SIPTU representatives have worked hard to ensure our members in the mental health services are recognised for the massive contribution they make. Central to this has been agreement on a payment recognising the crucial role of mental health nurses within the community.
“Over the last number of weeks, SIPTU representatives have worked hard to convince the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the reapplication of this essential allowance using the same formula agreed for other groups in the public service.”
He added: “Today, it was agreed that the first half of this payment will be made to our members on the 1st September this year. The remainder of the allowance will be provided to members in January 2017.
“Such a payment is badly needed and the failure to provide one has, without doubt, negatively impacted on the recruitment and retention of nurses working in mental health services.”
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SIPTU members in St Aidan’s Services to vote on WRC proposals
SIPTU members in St Aidan’s Services, Gorey, County Wexford, a section 39 organisation providing day and residential services for people with intellectual disabilities, are to ballot on Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) proposals which aim to resolve a dispute concerning the non-payment of increments.
SIPTU Organiser, David Morris said: “Following a work stoppage by our members last Wednesday (10th August), SIPTU representatives attended talks at the WRC on Thursday, 11th August, and yesterday (Monday, 15th August).
“Resulting from these talks, the WRC has presented management and our members with a set of proposals that address some of the issues in this dispute. Following a general meeting of SIPTU members in St Aidan’s Services, this afternoon (Tuesday, 16th August) a ballot on the acceptance or rejection of these proposals will commence.”
The ballot of SIPTU members in St Aidan’s Services will be counted on Friday (19th August).
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SIPTU Ambulance Professionals to ballot on WRC proposals
SIPTU representatives have today (Tuesday, 16th August) issued ballot papers to members, working in the National Ambulance Service (NAS), ahead of a vote on Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) proposals which include increased funding for the service.
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell said: “SIPTU representatives were successful in securing these proposals which include necessary funding for the development of the NAS. However, our campaign to improve the country’s ambulance service is not over. SIPTU Ambulance Professionals are now being asked to work together to ensure these proposals are implemented in full by the Government.”
He added: “Winning a new deal for health service workers and users is our main priority but this cannot happen without our members’ full endorsement. Supporting these proposals is critical to our shared agenda as we take the next steps to deliver pay restoration, pay progression and pay justice for our members.”
Any member who does not receive a ballot paper in the coming days please email ask@siptuhealth.ie
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WRC Talks Aimed at Resolving Mental Health Nursing Recruitment Crisis to Resume Tomorrow
SIPTU representatives today (Monday, August 15th) attended a meeting with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission, in an attempt to resolve the current crisis in mental health nursing.
SIPTU representatives advised the talks have adjourned for this evening and will recommence in the Workplace Relations Commission tomorrow (Tuesday, August 16th) at 3.30pm.
SIPTU will continue to work with HSE/DPER to reach a resolution on the issues identified by SIPTU nursing representatives to end the crisis in mental health nurses’ recruitment and retention; including a payment recognising the vital role mental health nurses play in the community.
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SIPTU President condemns government pensions report as “useless window dressing”
SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, has described the Report of the Interdepartmental Group on Fuller Working Lives as “a useless piece of window dressing” which fails to deal with the key aspects of the developing crisis involving retirement and pension provision in Ireland.
Commenting on the report, published on Friday (12th August), O’Connor said: “This report simply repeats what is already well known and lists a few innocuous recommendations that will contribute nothing to resolving the problems confronting the future provision of adequate pensions for retirees. Unfortunately, it merely amounts to a useless exercise in window dressing.
“It completely fails to address the plight of older workers approaching mandatory retirement age who have been left high and dry by the abolition of the Transitional Pension without any period of advance notice to allow them to try to accumulate some savings to cushion the resulting financial shortfall. SIPTU has repeatedly called for an increase in job seekers benefit at 65 as a temporary measure to deal with this problem. Such a provision would cost as little as €5 million a year to cover those forced to retire at 65 and just €25 million for all 65 year olds who are dependent on the Social Welfare system.
“However, the long term solution involves the abolition of the mandatory retirement age to allow those wishing to work on, to do so, while still making provision for people in hazardous and heavy manual occupations to retire at 65.”
He added: “This useless report also ignores the elephant in the room which is the requirement for the introduction of a mandatory second pillar pension scheme for all workers who are not already in proper occupational schemes. Ireland is virtually unique in the developed world for the absence of such a scheme, which would require mandatory contributions by employers, government and employees. Instead of abolishing the Universal Social Charge, we should be redeploying it in this direction.
“The increase in the qualifying age for the State Old Age Pension to 67 should be deferred to 2028, to allow for new second pillar arrangements to become effective. The proposed increase in the qualifying age for old age pension to 68 in 2028 should be deferred until this becomes the norm in Eurozone countries.”
O’Connor continued: “The report also fails to address the implications of the impact of the collapse of sovereign bond yields on occupational pension schemes. We are now in the absurd situation that several perfectly viable schemes involving tens of thousands of members may be unable to meet the regulatory Minimum Funding Standard. This will result in catastrophic losses for the workers affected if these schemes are, quite unnecessarily, forced to close.
“There is a major crisis unfolding in the retirement and pensions arena. If it isn’t tackled, it will ultimately rank second only to the banking crisis of 2008 in terms of severity and economic implications. We deserve more from our elected legislators than the kind of hand wringing that is displayed in this useless report.”