September 2012Vol. 11 No.7

ISSN 0791-458X

ORGANISING FOR FAIRNESS AT WORK AND JUSTICE IN SOCIETY • WWW.SIPTU.IE • JOIN ONLINE

Know Your Rights

Page 10-11 Page 3 Page 25

Defend Home HelpsCampaign

Pat Rabbitte interview

By Scott Millar

EVERAL prominentfigures from the worldof music, arts andsport have expressed

their support for the cam-paign to name Dublin’s newtransport bridge in honour oftrade union organiser and1916 leader, James Connolly.

The bridge from MarlboroughStreet to Hawkins Street is due toopen next summer, during a year ofspecial significance to the tradeunion movement as it marks the100th anniversary of the 1913Lockout and comes just three yearsbefore the centenary of the 1916Rising.

Among those who have backedthe proposal to commemorate thestruggles of the working people ofDublin by naming the bridge inhonour of James Connolly aresingers Christy Moore, Andy Irvine,Mary Byrne and Frances Black;actors Bryan Murray and GabrielByrne; comedians Brendan Graceand Brendan O’Carroll; poets TheoDorgan and Paula Meehan, as wellas artist Robert Ballagh and DublinGAA star Alan Brogan.

SIPTU Organiser, Brendan Carr,who is leading the James ConnollyBridge committee, said that thegrowing support for the proposalindicated “the importance of JamesConnolly’s legacy and the wide-spread recognition of his crucialrole in both the Great Lockout andEaster Rising.”

The campaign will be formallymeeting Dublin city councillors inthe coming days to seek theendorsement of all political partiesand independents for the proposal.Several cultural organisations andtrade unions are also expected topledge their support.

HE Government could createup to 25,000 new jobs nextyear and a further 50,000 bythe end of 2014 if it adopted a

set of workable proposals put forwardby the National Executive Council(NEC) of SIPTU.

In a document entitled ‘Towards a NewCourse’ the NEC has called on the Governmentto lower its planned budget adjustment of €3.5billion for 2013 and intensify efforts to boostinvestment and jobs in order to escape an evenmore disastrous recession next year. It arguesthat the EU/IMF/ECB troika must be persuadedto reduce its expectations for the reduction ofthe budget deficit over the next two years.

The NEC also calls for the immediate cre-ation of a new Strategic Investment Bank tofacilitate economic recovery and argues thatthe Government could also encourage house-hold spending if it allowed the early draw-down of pension savings.

“The Government faces a choice in that itcan stick rigidly to the 2013 budgetary planand knowingly depress the domestic economyor it can take account of internal economicconditions and redistribute the deficit reduc-tion measures between 2013 and 2015,” thedocument, agreed by the NEC on Friday (21stSeptember), states.

“The Troika must be persuaded that lower-ing the budget adjustment scheduled for 2013and increasing efforts to boost investment andemployment growth is the only hope forIreland coming anywhere close to meeting thebudget deficit targets in 2015.

“We need an investment plan which willmake a major employment impact. TheGovernment’s €2.25 billion investment stimu-lus spread over 7 years, while welcome, doesnot go far enough.

“At a time when tender prices are back at1998 levels and 40% of those on the LiveRegister are workers skilled in the crafts and

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See page 6

By Frank Connolly

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SIPTU callsfor a ‘NewCourse’

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Towards a new course – theSIPTU 12 point plan for economic recoveryPage 18-19

Win a €500 shopping voucher with SIPTU MembershipServices Page 30

Aleida Guevara March daughter of Che with an original copy of the 1916 Proclamation in Liberty Hall on Wednesday(26th September) see page 2

Artist’s support for James Connolly bridge

NewsLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

2

Advertise in LibertyTo advertise in Liberty, contact the Communications Department on 01 858 6372 or email communicationsdepart-ment@siptu.ie • Liberty offers very competitive rates for advertisements which reach SIPTU members countrywide

Pension EntitlementsPage 20

Croke ParkAgreement: the factsPage 8

News from theNorthPage 12

Sinn Féin’s PearseDoherty on budgetalternatives Page 14

Liberty ViewPage 17

FC ST. Pauli –Germany’s leftwingPage 34

Mother Jones festival successPage 27

Liberty is dedicated to providing a platform for progressive news and views.

If you have any ideas for articles or comments please contact: communcationsdepartment@siptu.ie

Liberty is published by the Services, Industrial, Professional & Technical Union,Liberty Hall, Dublin 1

SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor • Vice President, Patricia King •General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn

Production: SIPTU Communications Department, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, Tel: 01 8588217 • Email: communicationsdepartment@siptu.ie

SIPTU Head of Communications, Frank Connolly • Journalist: Scott Millar • Design: Sonia Slevin (SIPTU) & Joe Mitchell (Brazier Media) • Publications Assistant, Deirdre Price • Administrative Assistant, Karen Hackett

Produced, designed, edited and printed by trade union labourPrinted and distributed by The Irish Times, City West, Dublin.

In this month’s Liberty

Eight workers, who had theiremployment terminated by theGleeson Group in late August,began a protest outside the com-pany’s distribution plant onMonday, 24th September.

SIPTU Organiser GrahamMacken said: “The majority ofworkers in the distribution plantare SIPTU members. However, thecompany has refused to meetwith union representatives to dis-cuss changes to their terms andconditions of employment.

“In recent months managementhas implemented pay cuts with-out agreement with the workers.This action is in breach of thePayment of Wages Act. On

Monday, 27th August, manage-ment terminated the employmentof eight workers, the majority ofwhom are active trade unionmembers. It was claimed that thejob losses were part of a redun-dancy situation but the day afterthe workers finished their jobs,management hired agency work-ers to take over their roles.

Management has repeatedlyrefused to meet with union repre-sentatives and has declined aninvitation to attend the LabourRelations Commission to discussthe issue. The eight workers havedecided to bring their cases to theEmployment Appeals Tribunal andnot to call for industrial action by

their colleagues at this stage.Elected representatives from

Sinn Féin and the United LeftAlliance have participated in thedaily protests outside the plant.

Sinn Féin TD AengusO’Snodaigh raised the issue in theDáil on Tuesday, 25th September,stating: “These work practiceswere unacceptable in 1913 andremain unacceptable. It is wrong,it is confrontational and it will beopposed.”

Products distributed by theGleeson Group include TipperaryWater, Bavaria beer, Finches softdrinks, Devil’s Bit Cider and BoostEnergy drink.

Gleeson Group workers protest

LibertyView

related construction industries,the Government can and must domore.

“Credit lines must be restored.We need a new StrategicInvestment Bank. It’s time to

abandon the myth that the estab-lished banks are lending to theirpotential. They are focused onrestoring their loan to depositratios, not facilitating economicrecovery. Despite the limitations

on resources the Government mustproceed with the StrategicInvestment Bank to which it iscommitted in its own programme.”

Continued from page 1

See pages 17-19

Aleida March joined the26th July Movement in 1954in Santa Clara, Cuba.

Asked to transport money to therebels in the mountains ofEscambrey, she met the young Cheduring one of her trips. Theirdaughter Aleida said the youngArgentinian born revolutionarywas struck by the beauty andcharm of the local carnival queen.

As her mother explains in herbook “Remembering Che; my lifewith Che Guevara”, the pair hadlittle time to enjoy their newfound love over the next few yearsas they fought against the Batistadictatorship. As their daughter,Aleida Guevara March, explainedher mother found it very painfulto write her memories of Che.

“It’s a very intimate book. It isprobably the human side of Chethat very peopleknow about. Ireally love thebook as itbrings me clos-er to my fatherwho died whenI was six yearsold. They firstmet in themountains dur-ing the revolu-tionary years. The26th July move-ment decided tosend money toChe who wasalready inEscambrey and shewas the womanwho brought the

money. He met a verycute and charmingyoung woman andthey fell in love. Itwas painful for her toremember and shecried a lot at thebeginning of the writ-ing of this memoir,”she said.

Her mother is thedirector of the CheGuevara centre inHavana and leads ahealthy and activelife, Aleida says.

Aleida is one offour children hermother had with Chewho also had a childfrom a previous rela-tionship. Her motherlast saw the worlds

mosticonicrevolu-tionaryin1966afterhis returnfrom theCongoand before hisdeparture toBolivia where hewas killed a yearlater.

Aleida GuevaraMarch is open-ing the ‘Che doBheatha’ festi-val in Kilkee onFriday (28th

September) where she will launchand sign her mother’s book. Shewill also speak at a public meetingin Liberty Hall, Dublin on Monday1st October at 8.00 p.m. whereshe will also be available for booksignings.

Tickets for Liberty Hall event,€5, are available from DeirdrePrice Tel; 01 858 6372 or email;dprice@siptu.ie.

Remembering Che

Aleida Guevara Marchon top of Liberty Hall

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

3News

“MY JOB is one of greatresponsibility that involvescaring for people who areoften isolated and totallydependant on their homehelp services for the basicessentials of life.

My working day begins at 8.00 a.m.with a visit to client A. He suffersfrom the effects of a stroke, whichhas left him paralysed on the leftside.

I assist the client to get out of bed,get showered, dressed and to cleanand light his fire.

The client uses a nebuliser which Iprepare for him. He has breakfast. Ithen make his bed, do the washing,

tidy the house and I get him someitems from the shop. The HSE allo-cates me one hour to assist client A.

Next, I travel to Client B. She suf-fers from angina and is recoveringfrom cancer. I help her dress andwash. I light the fire, make the bed,make her tea, and do washing andironing, and light housework. Timeallocated is half an hour.

Client C has had hip replacementsand has a frozen shoulder. She has afull body wash daily. I assist her withputting on special stockings to pre-vent ulcers.

She has also suffered from ulcerson her feet which I monitor. I makeher tea, empty the dishwasher and

clean her house. Time allocated isone hour.

Client D is suffering from the lat-ter stages of multiple sclerosis and isalso assisted by a family member.She is completely confined to bedand we use slide sheets when turn-ing and changing her.

She is doubly incontinent and hasto be washed and changed in herbed. Once a week she has a showerwhich requires two home helps, aswe have to use a hoist and a specialshower chair. We have to be verycareful she doesn’t develop bed-sores. Time allocated by the HSE forthis client’s care is half an hour andone hour on days when she uses the

shower. My working day endswith a visit to Client E who is awheelchair user and requires a hoistto get out of bed so she can bebrought to the bathroom, dressedand showered.

I make her bed and help her withdoing her hair. The HSE providesone hour of home help services,morning and evening, to this client.

My clients do not live next door toeach other and I travel about 30miles each day. My petrol expensesare refunded but I do not get paid fortravelling time.

I spend approximately two hours a daytravelling to visit my clients and some daysmy last appointment is at 9.00 p.m.”

Day in the life of a home helpHome help Geraldine McNamara works for the HSE in county Tipperary

Hard graft: Home helpGeraldine McNamara

MORE than a thousandhome helps and home careworkers attended a series ofmeetings during the summerof the SIPTU national cam-paign to Defend Home HelpServices.

So far almost 60 gatherings havebeen held throughout the South andWest with further events scheduledfor other areas during the autumn.

SIPTU lead organiser and DefendHome Help Services campaign coordi-nator, Miriam Hamilton,told Liberty: “The pur-pose of the meetingswas to update theseworkers on negotia-tions between SIPTUand the HSE on theircontracts of employ-ment and to discusshow workers in eachcounty, through theirunion, can campaignto defend vital localhome help services.

“With more meet-ings planned in Kerry,Limerick, Louth andMeath in the comingweeks and more to come in othercounties, we are endeavouring toorganise every home help in thecountry.”

She added: “Home helps aroundthe country are telling us that theyhave seen reductions to their hoursand that clients have had their carereduced.

“These workers need time todeliver quality care. Home helpsknow that neither they nor theirclients can afford further reductionsin hours.”

Year on year the number of homehelps employed by the HSE is beingreduced while there is a correspon-

ding increase in the outsourcing ofservices to private ‘for-profit’ com-panies.

This is eroding the quality profes-sional services currently providedby home helps. Meanwhile, SIPTUhas requested an emergency LabourCourt hearing into the rapidly dete-riorating treatment of home helpsby the management of the HealthService Executive (HSE).

The request follows HSE’s failureto honour the terms of a Labour

Court recommen-dation that speci-fied that manage-ment enter mean-ingful discussionson finalising anagreement to pro-vide home helpswith adequate con-tracts and securityof earnings.

SIPTU HealthDivision Organiser,Paul Bell, said:“SIPTU has attempt-ed to initiate mean-ingful discussionswith the HSE but

has been unable to make anyprogress due to management intran-sigence.

“During this period, the condi-tions of employment of home helpsacross the country has deterioratedrapidly, with cuts to their workinghours which have resulted in anunacceptable reduction in the serv-ices provided to vulnerable citizens.

“These actions are not onlyendangering clients’ lives but arealso in breach of the Croke ParkAgreement which prioritises the useof home helps directly employed bythe HSE to provide these vital serv-ices.”

Home helps organisingcampaign gathers pace

SOME 200 people attended ademonstration against attemptsto reduce the pay and workinghours of SIPTU home helps inWicklow Town on 23rd August.

The demonstration began outsidethe Grand Hotel at 3.00 pm and pro-ceeded to the offices of WicklowCommunity and Family Services

(WCFS), Abbey Street.At the WCFS offices, SIPTU

Organiser, John Hubbard, handed ina letter calling on management toenter “meaningful negotiations”with the workers and their unionrepresentatives.

John Hubbard told Liberty: “Thehome helps were overwhelmed atthe support they received from peo-

ple who had travelled from acrossthe county to attend the protest.

“On 1st May the management ofWCFS implemented a 5% pay cutwithout consultation or agreementwith staff.

“Since 1st August a further 5% paycut has been implemented, all pre-mium rate payments ended and zerohour contracts introduced.”

Backing at Wicklow Town demo

Support in SligoMORE than 150 peopleattended a protest in supportof home helps in Sligo Townon 20th September.

The protest took place atlunchtime outside the HSE officesin Markievicz House.

SIPTU Organiser, Declan Ferry,said: “Home helps held the demon-stration to highlight an attempt bythe HSE to cut home help services inthe Sligo and Letirim by 10,000hours per month.

“Home helps completely opposethis attack on local services that willendanger clients’ lives and breachesthe Croke Park Agreement.”Pi

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NewsLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

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Austerity isn’t Working!Trade Unions & Communities say:

Co-ordinated by The Irish Congress of Trade Unionswww.ictuni.org

UU Art College, York St. Belfast Assemble 11.00am March-off 11.30am

Rally @ Custom House Square 12.15

UU Art College, York St. Belfast Assemble 11.00am March-off 11.30am

Rally @ Custom House Square 12.15

GREEMENT was reachedin the long-runningstrike at the Lagan Brickmanufacturing plant inKingscourt, county

Cavan, on 12th September whenworkers and management accepteda deal brokered by Sinn Féin.

SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, toldLiberty: “The workers voted to accept pro-posals which provide for a fair and reason-able conclusion to the dispute. The agree-ment provides the workers with an oppor-tunity to get back to a normal life.”

The deal was secured after an interven-tionn by Sinn Féin President, GerryAdams, who contacted the Belfast-basedowners of the Lagan Group.

After voting in favour of the deal, theworkers released a statement thanking allthose who had supported them during thedispute.

“We want to thank all our families, par-ticularly our wives and partners, for theirsteadfast support over these challengingmonths.

"We also want to thank our friends andneighbours and the people of countiesCavan, Monaghan and Meath and our sup-porters from across Ireland.

“Without their solidarity our effortswould have been much more difficult tosustain. Our dispute was also supportedby many businesses and we thank themfor their goodwill and generosity."

The workers also thanked SIPTUOrganiser, John Regan, and the union forits support, as well as the politicians whoplayed a crucial role in finding an agreedsolution to the dispute.

“We thank Sinn Féin TD, Caoimhghin ÓCaoláin and Fine Gael Minister of State,Shane McEntee, for their help in bringingthis dispute to an end.

“Our thanks too to Gerry Adams TD andBelfast City Councillor, Jim McVeigh,whose intervention, along with Deputy ÓCaoláin, led to this welcome settlement.”

The details of the agreement concludedbetween the workers’ representatives andthe management of Lagan Brick are confi-dential.

However, the deal is believed to be acombination of a Labour Court recommen-dation issued on 20th July and a previousproposal from the company.

The dispute began when workers at theLagan Brick manufacturing plant inKingscourt were informed it was closingonly hours before it ceased operation on16th December, 2011.

ADeal struck in Lagan Brick Dispute

A SIPTU member wasreinstated into his job asa security attendant inthe National Gallery ofIreland following aLabour Court ruling thathe should have beengiven a Contract of indef-inite duration ratherthan a series fixed termcontracts.Michael Coyne was represent-

ed by the MISC at his LabourCourt hearing in late Julywhich determined that man-agement at the nationalgallery had breached his rightsunder the Protection ofEmployees (Fixed Term Work)Act 2003 when it failed tooffer him a contract of indefi-nite duration after working atthe facility for eight years.The court ordered the Galleryto reinstate Coyne, pay any

arrears in wages due to himand €3,000 in compensation.MISC representative, PeterGlynn, said: “In the employ-er's defence of ‘objective justi-fication’ they argued cost andlack of Department of Financesupport. We successfullyargued that both cost and thepublic sector moratorium isnot an objective ground asdefined within the Section 7of the Act.”

News in Brief

At Listowel DistrictCourt on Wednesday,19th September, DistrictJudge Mary Larkinimposed a fine of €1,000on Daniel McAuliffe &Sons (Construction) Ltdof Listowel, Co. Kerry, forfailing to comply with aLabour Court Order.

The Labour Court Orderdirected the company to payover to the ConstructionWorkers Pension Scheme thesum of €17,389, in respect of

pension, mortality insuranceand sick pay cover for the peri-od from January 2008 toDecember 2009.

SIPTU Organiser, PatrickMcCabe, said: “The impositionof a quarter of the maximumfine that can be applied forthis breach of the law is nodeterrent to constructionfirms."

A recent survey by theConstruction Industry Federation(CIF) found that 52% of con-struction companies believe

they have lost more than fivejobs to ‘black economy opera-tions’ in the last 12 months.

SIPTU Utilities and ConstructionDivision Organiser, ChristyMcQullian, said: “The issue ofcompliance and the enforcementof the Registered EmploymentAgreements are central to talksbetween the CIF and unions at theLabour Relations Commission.”

The CIF has demandedmajor cuts to worker wages, amove which is being opposedby unions.

Little pain for businesses that break the law

FAI refuses Labour Court invitationThe Football Associationof Ireland (FAI) hasrefused to attend theLabour Court to discussthe dispute at the sport-ing organisation whichhas been provoked by a

management attempt toimpose a 10% pay cut, afreeze on pension schemecontributions and sevencompulsory redundan-cies on its staff.

SIPTU Organiser, Denis

Hynes said: “The workers atthe FAI have already sufferedtwo pay cuts over the past 18months and we have told man-agement they cannot beexpected to take any more.”

SIPTU has welcomed thedecision to keep opentwo Atlantic Homecarestores in Galway and theLiffey Valley Centre inDublin which had beenmarked for closure when

the company went intoadministration in June.

SIPTU Organiser, DenisHynes said: “The decision tokeep open two of the storesthat had originally been ear-marked for closure will save

up to 40 jobs. The move wasmade possible following exten-sive talks between the examiner,the Atlantic Homecare stores’landlords and SIPTU, which rep-resents workers at the compa-ny.”

Jobs saved at Atlantic Homecare

There is optimism thatthe takeover of ClerysStores by the US privateequity group, GordonBrothers, will provide jobsecurity for workersemployed in the compa-

ny’s landmark store onO’Connell Street inDublin. Following a meeting on 18thSeptember with the new own-ers SIPTU Organiser, GrahamMacken, said: “We are cau-tiously optimistic that they

will be able to provide certain-ty to workers.” However, headded SIPTU is concerned bythe new owners’ decision notto take on the liabilities of thecompany’s existing pensionscheme and is seeking furtherdiscussions on this issue.”

Optimism at Clerys

Win at National Gallery

SIPTU supported theInternational TransportWorkers' Federation (ITF)in securing $102,735 inwages due to nine EasternEuropean seafarers.

The Dutch-Antilles registered

vessel, the mv Julia, was board-ed by the ITF coordinator forIreland and Britain, KenFleming, in Drogheda Port onThursday, 13th September.

He told the ship's operators,Transship Management, that theship faced arrest if the funds

were not paid immediately.Faced with the prospect of themv Julia sitting in the BoyneChannel with a crew refusing tosail her or finish loading her, thecompany paid the outstandingwages in full on Friday (14thSeptember).

Crew secures over $100,000 in unpaid wages

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

5News

What the talks leaders say:

Contract cleaning

Security

‘This agreement will preventfurther displacement andavoid a situation whereemployers can seek to paycontract cleaners only theminimum pay of €8.65 anhour.’– Martin Brennan is a SIPTU sectorcommittee member and memberof the negotiating team for theContract Cleaning Sector.

IPTU’s Contract Cleaningand Security ServicesSector is ballotingmore than 10,000 secu-rity static guards and

contract cleaners over the nexttwo months.

The union is recommending a YESvote in the ballot over two newnational collective agreements.

The proposals, if endorsed bySIPTU members, will pave the way tohave both agreements registered

under the newly enacted IndustrialRelations Act 2012. SIPTU lobbiedfor the legislation so that theEmployment Regulation Orders(EROs) and Registered EmploymentAagreements (REAs) could be put ona sound legal footing.

Contract cleaners and security offi-cers were previously covered byEROs up to July 2011 when theywere struck down by the High Court.

Since then, SIPTU along with awider progressive coalition of otherunions and NGOs have been lobby-

ing for new legislation in order toprovide workers – such as cleaners,security officers and other low-paidworkers – to negotiate collectivelybargained yet legally enforceableminimum conditions of employ-ment for their industries.

SIPTU cleaners as part of the FairDeal for Cleaners campaign played aleading role in agitating, lobbyingand protesting to advance the rightsof all low-paid workers. Because ofthis, SIPTU cleaners managed tosecure a “holding” REA for six

RTE is currently screeninga documentary series high-lighting the critical workcarried out by the DublinFire Brigade.

Titled Fire Fighters, it will runfor eight weeks and will featurethe stories of those brave men

and woman – many of whom areSIPTU members – who carry outthis vital public service.

Sector Organiser Owen Reidy,who represents SIPTU membersin DFB, told Liberty: “It is to bewelcomed that RTE have decidedto make such a documentary at

this time as it will provide thepublic an opportunity to see thecritical professional work that ourmembers in Dublin Fire Brigadecarry out 24 hours a day 365 daysa year to keep the population ofthe greater Dublin area safe.

“Hopefully the programme will

also be a catalyst for a more rea-soned and less vitriolic debatewhen discussing the value andfuture of the public service andthose who provide it in Irelandtoday notwithstanding the eco-nomic challenges we face.”Fire Fighters RTE 1 8.30 p.m. Tuesdays

Fire Fightersdocumentarytells it as it is

PROPOSALSAT A GLANCE

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At your service:Dublin’s finest in RTE 1 documentary

• Increased minimum hourly pay to €10.75

• Sunday premium hourly rate at an extra €3.44 per hour

• Overtime 1.5 after 48hrs• Unsocial hours

payments – consolidated into €10.75 an hour

• Sick Pay – up to €100 per week for four weeks per year plus Social Welfare entitlements

• Personal Attack Benefit – Up to 26 weeks pay, if attacked

• Death in Service Benefit - one year pay after six months service up to age 65

• Public holiday payment – if rostered to work Christmas Day treble time plus eight hours to apply

• Displacement – Clause on maintenance of existing agreements

• Protects minimum pay rate of €9.50 an hour

• Good Friday to be treated as a public holiday for existing staff, normal working day for new entrants

• Sick pay – ERO sick pay scheme retained

• Overtime at 1.5 after 40 hours for first four hours and x 2 thereafter

• Sunday Overtime at double time after 40 hours

• Sunday Premium – existing arrangements company by company to remain

• Death In Service Benefit €5,000 to apply subject to service criteria

‘Without a national legallyenforceable collectively bargained agreement ourindustry would go back tothe Dark Ages whereby cowboy security firms couldexploit security officers anddrive standards down.

‘With this agreement wehave restored some key central elements of the previous ERO and havemade some real gains forthe industry and our mem-bers as a whole.

‘This allows us a real platform to organise moresecurity officers and buildon the real gains made.’– Christy Waters, a SIPTU NECmember, is a security officer withManguard Plus and a member ofthe Security talk team.

‘It’s so important to fullyorganise every site, everyworkplace so that we canpolice this agreement andbuild on it. This agreement isa means to an end not an endin itself. The end in itself is toachieve fairness, respect and adecent wage for all cleaners.’– Barbara Molas, also a member ofthe Contract Cleaning talk team, is asector committee member andunion rep in Beaumont Hospitalwith Resource.

Barbara Molas

Martin Brennan

ChristyWaters

months from February to Augustthis year.

The sets of proposals protect andenhance the minimum conditions ofemployment in both industries. Incontract cleaning, the minimum rateof pay of €9.50 has been protected.In security, the minimum entry rateof pay has been enhanced by a 7.5%increase, now at €10.75 an hour.

The proposals are being recom-mended by both SIPTU negotiatingteams. These teams are made up ofunion organisers who organise andbargain in the industry along withelected Shop Stewards who areindustry experts in cleaning andsecurity.

Seeking to develop REAs in bothcontract cleaning and security is acritical part of SIPTU’s overall unionand sector strategy and is a bid toorganise workers and build workerpower with real leverage in thecleaning and security industries.

Having such agreements in placeis critical in contracted services inorder to take wages out of competi-tion and to avoid placing unionisedcontractors in an uncompetitive sit-uation.

They also constitute a key piece ofinfrastructure that seeks to defendworkers’ earnings in what are labourintensive industries.

The union believes the two agree-ments – if endorsed by the member-ship – will create an opportunity toorganise more cleaners and securityofficers.

The agreements have alsoinvolved significant collaborationbetween SIPTU’s StrategicOrganising Department and the sec-tor during the contract cleaning REAtalks.

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Cleaners and securitystaff in vote over deals

EROs/REAs talks

Crew secures over $100,000 in unpaid wages

Workers stage protest overthe cutting of premium ratesoutside Boots’ flagship storein Belfast city centre

Legal bid launched overremoval of premium payBOOTS workers in the Northare to take further legal actionover the company’s continuedrefusal to make premium pay-ments to staff for workingSundays and bank holidays.

An English court ruled earlier thisyear that the firm had made illegalchanges to workers’ employmentterms and conditions by unilaterallytaking away double time forSundays and bank holidays.

The case was brought by the PDAunion on behalf of its members atthe pharmacy chain.

In the judgment, Judge Brittonstated: “The premium rate is a non-discretionary clear-cut term andcondition of remuneration. It is notdependent on the discretion of theemployer.

“All claims of unlawful deductionfrom wages relating to the ending ofpayment of premium pay at double-time succeed.”

Despite this, Boots has tried toenforce the same changes across itsstores in Northern Ireland.

According to Anne Thompson ofSIPTU, Boots has ignored the courtjudgment and tried to force unionmembers to sign new contracts,thus taking away premium pay bythe back door.

She told Liberty: “After seekinglegal advice, SIPTU Northern IrelandDistrict advised our members tosign the new contracts under suffer-ance, or refuse to sign the new con-tract forcing Boots into an unfair dis-missal showdown.

“Most of our members chose the‘signing under duress’ option. Ourlegal team is now about to takeaction in the courts.”

Boots workers have for some timebeen fighting management oversimilar attacks on pay, status, termsand conditions.

According to SIPTU, Boots –

owned by a multi-millionaire ven-ture capitalist Stefano Pessina – is afirm that can certainly afford to payits loyal workforce.

It is teaming up with Walgreens,one of the biggest firms in the US,and is also entering the Chinesemarket.

Cookstown member Julie Hunter,a SIPTU activist at Boots, said: “Ibelieve that over the next threeyears things will become muchworse as the company movestowards the final stages of its merg-er with Walgreens.

“More than ever, the workers inBoots need to stick together andwork with SIPTU through legalaction and whatever other action weneed to take. This is not a companythat cannot afford to pay its work-ers.”

SIPTU has been representingworkers in Boots in NorthernIreland for 30 years.

NewsLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

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Mary Byrne Christy MooreRobert Ballagh Alan Brogan

Brendan Grace Paula MeehanFrances BlackBrendan O’Carroll

WITH the renowned AgnesBrown joining the campaign,who would bet against JamesConnolly Bridge becoming areality?

Mrs Brown’s creator comedian,Brendan O’Carroll, said his back-ground in a “union family” and hav-ing once been a member of “RobertEmmet branch of the JamesConnolly Youth Movement” meantthat he fully recognised the impor-tance of Connolly’s legacy.

He also said it was no accidentthat Mrs Brown and her boys live ina house in “James Larkin Court”.

Another of Dublin’s best-lovedcomedians, Brendan Grace, alsopointed to his family connection toConnolly’s legacy when voicing hissupport for the campaign.

He said: “The new bridge in theheart of the city is in an area I knowwell. During my youth I was oftenin the area as my father worked as abarman in O’Reilly’s Pub inHawkins Street. There he oftenserved customers, such as BrendanBehan and later Con Houlihan, whowere staunch admirers of the workof James Connolly.”

Among the proposal’s otherprominent supporters is the Headof Special Projects at the NationalArchives of Ireland and author ofDublin 1911, Catríona Crowe.

She said she supported the nam-ing of the bridge in honour ofConnolly in recognition of his rolein campaigning for women’s rights,declaring him to be “one of thegreat feminists of his time.”

Actor Bryan Murray said:“Connolly’s activities representmore than just the actions of oneman, no matter how crucial. Rather,they speak of the aspirations anddesires of working people in Dublinat the beginning of the revolution-ary period.” The campaign to name

the new bridge was covered in arecent RTE Liveline programme.Labour Group leader in Dublin CityCouncil and former Lord Mayor,Dermot Lacey, phoned in to say whyhe was backing the campaignbecause Connolly “more or lesswrote the [Easter] Proclamation. Weare going to have the children’srights referendum later this year and

one of Connolly’s key phrases, ‘cher-ishing all the children of the nationequally’, still resonates to this day.”

He added that naming the bridgein honour of Connolly would alsomaintain the tradition of namingbridges after writers because he“was one of our greatest intellectualwriters.” Answering a question fromJoe Duffy on why the bridge should

be named in honour of Connollywhen a hospital and railway stationalso bear his name Brendan Carrsaid: “What we are trying to do isremember the struggle of the peopleof Dublin 100 years ago and the linkwe have between 1913 and 1916 isJames Connolly.”

He added; “It is the time for us toreflect and remember what the peo-

ple went through 100 years ago andthe way to do that is by remember-ing their leader.”

The name of the bridge will bedecided at a full public meeting ofthe Dublin City Council later thisyear.

For more information visit theJames Connolly Bridge Campaign onFacebook or www.siptu.ie

Artists back ConnollyBridge drive

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LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

7News

“Mr Kenny has the num-bers in the Dáil. If Labourisn’t prepared to accept theresponsibilities that comewith being in governmentduring these difficult timesthen Mr Kenny should beprepared for the sake ofthe nation to govern with-out it.” (Irish Independenteditorial 5th September).

If anyone was under any illusion as tothe real intentions and aspirations of theestablishment in this country, the editori-al of its favoured mouthpiece in earlySeptember made them loud and clear.The newspaper was responding to thecontroversy that erupted when theMinister for Health, James Reilly,announced cuts of £130 million in hisdepartments’ spending.

Criticising Labour Party backbenchersfor denouncing the cuts, and the mannerin which they were announced, the IrishIndependent editorial writer then wenton to attack those who refuse to colludein the dismantlement of the Croke ParkAgreement.

“By refusing to countenance a renegoti-ation of the Croke Park deal whiledenouncing Dr Reilly’s health spendingcuts, the Labour Party is seeking to bothhave its cake and eat it,” the editorialranted.

Over the following few weeks a verita-ble tsunami of abuse was levelled at pub-lic service workers, at the Agreement and

its supporters in the trade union move-ment in the newspaper and its stablemate, the Sunday Independent as well asacross the airwaves.

Even when the Taoiseach insisted thatthe Government would honour theAgreement which was, he said, deliveringsignificant savings the attacks on thosewho provide health, education, local gov-ernment and other vital services contin-ued unabated.

It seems that those who were nowherenear the scene of the crime which col-lapsed the Irish financial system andeconomy in 2008 are to be blamed for theensuing crisis.

The agenda of those who wish to see anend to Labour’s participation in govern-ment is clear. It is to ensure that workers,

public and private sector alike, and theirfamilies will continue to take the brunt ofthe austerity programme that is alreadydriving the economy further into reverse.

The latest CSO figures indicate thatoutput for the first two quarters of 2012 iseven poorer than in the same period for2011 when it was already at rock bottom.

An extra 36,000 were unemployed, emi-gration is still rolling at 1000 per weekwhile the total out of work is headinginexorably towards the half a millionmark.

By taking Labour out of governmentthose guiding these policies, which arefundamentally predicated on protectingthe wealthy, are aiming to force the costof labour even further downwards andremove the vital protections that ensureworkers a level of decency in their termsand conditions of work.

Those who wish to have Labour leavethe coalition government, including someon the left, have got to explain why theywould accept the alternative posited bythe establishment and expressed mostforcefully in the Independent editorial inearly September.

For that alternative is undoubtedly itsreplacement by a single party Fine Gaelgovernment reliant on a group of right-wing independents. This would see themarginalisation of the moderate ChristianDemocrat wing of Fine Gael. Then wewould have a government prepared tomake the ‘hard decisions’ those at the topof the establishment have been demand-ing. In other words, it would be ‘open sea-son’ on working people and those whodepend on public services to a degreewhich would make the misery of the lastfour years like a walk in the park.

Whatever the consequences, Labourmust discharge its historic obligation todefend working people as best it can. Atthis juncture, it can only do so from with-in the Government. Connolly’s partymust stay in and fight on.

By Jack O’Connor

Connolly’s party muststay in and fight on

It seems that those who werenowhere near the scene of thecrime which collapsed the Irishfinancial system and economy in2008 are to be blamed for theensuing crisis.

Croke Park AgreementLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

8

€100,000. The workers that enjoyvery high incomes, as well as gener-ous conditions, allowances and pen-sions form a small minority of thepublic service. It is the view of SIPTUthat those on the highest incomes,over €100,000, in both the public andprivate sector, should carry more ofthe burden of pay and other cuts toincome through a more equitabletaxation system. Forcing those onlow and middle incomes to take adisproportionate amount of the painis both unfair and delays the recov-ery of consumer spending that isessential for the Irish economy toreturn to growth.

Public service workers have hadtheir incomes cut by 14%, and insome cases well in excess of thatamount, since 2008 and are facingfurther reductions in the forthcom-ing budget while household chargesand property tax have considerablyincreased their cost of living.

It is clear that the full potential ofCroke Park has not yet been realised.The reforms in work practices to datethrough roster changes, redeploy-ment, the extended working day andloss of allowances have impacted dis-proportionately on the lower paidgrades across the public service.These grades have also suffered fromthe loss of regular, rostered over-time which, in the majority of cases,is calculable for pensionpurposes.These workers are repre-sented in large numbers by SIPTU,including hospital porters, cateringstaff, local authority outdoor workersand home carers.

That the lower grades in the publicservice have taken the biggest hit isclearly illustrated by an analysis ofLabour Court recommendations inrelation to public sector claims overthe past two years. Any future strat-egy will have to give credit to thosewho have contributed the most tothe savings and transformationachieved to date.

Those responsible for managing thenecessary transformation of the pub-lic service must now come forwardwith workable proposals to eliminatethe duplication of services that isstill evident in many areas across thevarious sectors. Failure to do so willonly encourage those who wish toundermine and destroy theAgreement and who are determinedto enforce their wage-cutting agendaacross the economy, on public andprivate sector workers alike.

Contrary to much of the commentaryby those who seek to undermine andabandon the Agreement, 40% ofworkers in the public service earnless than €40,000 a year while 75%earn less than €60,000 a year. Thesemiddle and low income workers have

Croke Park Agreement1

2

3

5

7

8

9

10

11

126

The Government has said that it willcontinue to honour the Croke ParkAgreement despite the persistenttirade of attacks against it andagainst workers in the public service.The reason the Government supportsthe Agreement is because it contin-ues to deliver verified savings acrossthe health, education, local govern-ment, and State services.

In its first two years, pay and non-paymeasures have generated savings of€1.5 billion a year and the deal is oncourse to increase this to €3.3 billionin annual savings by 2015 when theAgreement expires. Staff numbers inthe public service, currently at 290,000down from a peak of 320,000, contin-ue to fall through the voluntary redun-dancy scheme. There has been a reduc-tion in staff of 28,000 since 2008, andof 17,300 since 2010. The reduction inthose employed means that a smallernumber of workers are maintainingvital services for those who depend onpublic services, for less income.

The cost of running the public serv-ice has reduced by 17.7% over thelifetime of the Agreement from €17.5billion in 2009 to €14.4 billion (netof pension costs.) Many of thesereforms are themselves cost-reducingincluding through the substantialsavings achieved by the standardisa-tion of annual leave across the publicservice and through revised andreduced sick pay terms.

Considerable savings have also beenobtained through the redeployment,to up to 45 kilometres, of staff acrossthe various sectors as permitted underthe Agreement and notwithstandingthe considerable disruption it hascaused to the very many workers andtheir families affected by this arrange-ment.

There has been a significant reduc-tion in overtime payments throughroster changes in, for example, support and professional grades inthe health services and theoutdoor/operational grades withinthe local authorities.

These dramatic changes to the publicservice have been obtained throughnegotiation and co-operation withpublic service workers and theirunions and in an atmosphere of indus-trial peace. The Agreement providesthat these flexibilities and changes areagreed on the basis that there will beno further pay cuts or levies or com-pulsory redundancies during its fouryear term.

taken the brunt of the income reduc-tions that have resulted from thechanges to rostering, overtime andother arrangements as the result ofthe Agreement.

In contrast, just over 2% of employeesin the public service earn in excess of

4

Setting outthe facts...

SIPTU Vice President PATRICIA KING, a trade union representative on the Implementation Body established to oversee the Agreement, sets the record straight

ALFOUR Beatty CLGwas formed last yearby the merger ofEmerald Gas Limited,

CLG Developments Limitedand GMC ConstructionLimited.

All three had previously provid-ed services to Bord GáisNetworks – work that was thentaken over by the new company.

The firm inherited a 250-strongworkforce with a long history ofunion organisation.

In early September, Liberty metthree of the company’s SIPTU shopstewards at the Balfour BeattyCLG’s headquarters in NorthDublin to discuss how the unionoperates within the new enter-prise.

Thomas Lennon became activein the union two years ago at thebeginning of the process to set upBalfour Beatty CLG.

“We were coming into the newcompany and the existing shopstewards were taking redundancyand I decided to get involved,” herecalls.

Thomas is also the SIPTU repre-sentative on the Balfour BeattyCLG Board of Management thatmeets at least four times a year.

He thinks the reluctance shownby some to involve themselves inunion activity reflects a warinessresulting from the “targeting” ofactivists for unfair treatment bysome employers in the construc-tion industry.

Thomas remembers SIPTUOrganiser John Regan making itclear that such an approach wouldnot be tolerated in the new compa-ny.

“I remember the first time Iwalked into a meeting with ourtrade union official and he turnedround to management and said,‘Look there is no target on hisback’. That was the first thing hesaid to them and it let them know

‘People are notaware enough ofwhere the tradeunions camefrom... that it is anoble movementthat helps peopleworking togetheras a unit andlooks after thevulnerable’

Photo from left to right Paul McArdle,Brendan Delany, andThomas Lennon.

that shop stewards were not goingto be pushed around anymore.”

However, it soon became clearthat management at Balfour BeattyCLG was interested in a more co-operative approach.

With SIPTU’s help, a monthlyforum bringing together shop stew-ards, union officials and manage-ment was set up.

At forum meetings, which areattended by shop stewards fromBalfour Beatty CLG depots in Galwayand Cork, union activists and man-agement raise issues of concern.

Following these meetings, shopstewards keep their colleaguesinformed with texts and emails.

Shop steward Brendan Delaneyfirst became active in SIPTU morethan 20 years ago when he workedfor construction material supplierTegral.

He told Liberty: “The forummodel does work, you do get thechance to bring up the issues thathave to be dealt with, whereasbefore you were only coming tomanagement with grievances and itwas confrontation the whole time.”

Shop steward Paul McArdle firmlybelieves “businesses are beginningto see the value of unions”.

He said: “If you have five peoplerepresenting 200 people and youcan discuss problems with themwhen they arise, it results in thingsrunning smoothly without animos-ity.”

The shop stewards say thatobserving how union officials dealwith management has given theman insight in how to conduct nego-tiations.

Brendan also highlighted the ben-efits of attending a shop stewards’course at SIPTU College, in particu-lar meeting with activists fromother workplaces such as Irish Railand Dublin Port.

Although the shop stewards arepleased with how relations withmanagement have developed atBalfour Beatty CLC, they didexpress concern about the widerpolitical assault on the trade unionmovement.

Brendan said: “We need to have astronger voice at national level. Ifyou turn on the radio on a Sundaymorning, you hear IBEC and busi-ness people just pushing workingpeople into the ground.

“Working people have no voicenow. I know the media controlswho they let speak but somethinghas to be done about it.”

Paul added: “I’ve been active inthe trade union since I was kid, butyou do get a lot of negativity beingexpressed by people towards thetrade unions, and it is getting verydifficult to convince the next gener-ation to become involved.

“People are not aware enough oftheir history, where the tradeunions came from. That it is a noblemovement that helps people work-ing together as a unit that looksafter the vulnerable.”

By Scott Millar

B

New firm and anew approach...

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

9Workplace Committee

National Conference

Sustainable Energy & JobsCreating and supporting jobs in Ireland through sustainable energy

Hosted by SIPTU and SEAI

Croke Park Conference CentreThursday, 1st November, 2012

Speakers include; Minister for Communications, Energy and

Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte

SEAI Chief Executive, Brian Motherway

SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor

Chief Executive Officer Bord Gáis, John Mullins

Deputy Chief Executive Officer ESB, John Shine

Chief Executive Officer Bord Na Móna, Gabriel D’Arcy

Chief Executive Officer Glen Dimplex, Sean O’Driscoll

Business Development Director Kingspan, Gary Treanor

Sustainability Manager Glanbia, Audrey O’Shea

SIPTU Manufacturing Division Organiser, Gerry McCormack

Director Biomass Energy Coillte, Bill Stanley

Chief Executive Officer Element Power, Tim Cowhig

Director Energy and Environmental Services Ernst & Young, Barry O’Flynn

General Manager Cylon Active Energy, Nicola Corrigan

Chief Executive Officer SOS Ventures, Sean O’Sullivan

For more information/bookings contact:Karen Hackett

Liberty Hall, Dublin 1Tel: 01 8588217khackett@siptu.ie

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

10 Interview

What are Labour’s achieve-ments in the first 18 monthsof Government?

Our main focus has been theeconomy and our main achieve-ment has been the restoration ofthe country’s international reputa-tion. Ireland’s standing was inshreds when the new Governmentcame in.

Taking 330,000 people out of theUniversal Social Charge and restor-ing the minimum wage were alsoimportant.

The jobs initiative programmewas a contribution but in circum-stances where there is tumult inthe Eurozone, and therefore lowgrowth, it is especially difficult toaddress the Live Register.

The biggest issue confronting thecountry is the crisis in theEurozone – 12 months ago Irelandwas Europe’s problem now Europeis Ireland’s problem. We can onlyrun fast to stand still while theEurozone is in tumult. Therefore,European stability is the pre-condi-tion we need for this economy togrow again.

How important is providingprotection for workers’ rightto collective bargaining?

I think it is important that wevindicate pledges that were madein the Programme for Government,namely the committment onCollective Bargaining. There are dif-ficulties, it is not a secret that thetwo parties in Government wouldnot be ad idem on some of theseissues.

The system of industrial rela-tions that we have had in Ireland, atleast since 1946, generally speakinghas worked quite well. Both sidesof industry have been prepared togive their allegiance to a voluntarysystem that has worked.

That is until Ryanair won aSupreme Court case in 2007which supported their chal-lenge to a Labour Court rul-ing in favour of IMPACT Pilotmembers.

I honestly don’t think that oneswallow makes a summer. It is clearin the industrial environment thatwe work in at the moment thatthere continues to be a need fortrade unions and trade unions haveto have the freedom to dischargetheir functions and obligations totheir membership.

I would be reasonably satisfiedthat we can do that.

Do you mean that theGovernment intends to legal-ly recognise the right forworkers to trade union recog-nition?

Well, trade union recognition is adifferent issue to the right to collec-tive bargaining. The right to collec-tive bargaining is well establishedin this country.

That is open to question due tothe Supreme Court ruling that if an‘excepted body’ (a group estab-lished by an employer to representworkers in negotiations) is in exis-tence, a company does not have torecognise a trade union.

There are difficulties. There havebeen tentative efforts to resolve

them and I hope they are successfulbut – as I repeat – there are two par-ties in the Government that are notnecessary ad idem on this.

The employer organisations alsohave strong views on it, as does theIDA in relation to its possible impacton attracting Foreign DirectInvestment to this country.However, I think the discussionswill come up with solutions. Theymay not be 100% acceptable to tradeunion leaders but I think there willbe solutions.

You think it is possible torenegotiate the Croke ParkAgreement before it endswhereas some sections of FineGael seem to have an ideolog-ical problem with the wholeconcept.

There are a lot of people com-menting on the Croke ParkAgreement that have never read it.There is no shortage of opinion inIreland but there is very often ashortage of evidence. I think that a

lot of people don’t understand thatif the Government, or public servicemanagement, want to put issues onthe table, they can put them on thetable.

It would be foolish, in my view, tolet the agreement run its coursewithout engaging with the unions.

I have consistently argued thatyou can’t claim to reform the publicservice if there isn’t a structure therethat facilitates that reform.Otherwise, you are shooting at mov-ing targets. Some people don’t seem

to understand that the Croke ParkAgreement is that vehicle and that ithas delivered significant reformalready and there is a long way to goyet.

What do you make of claimsthat Ireland does not haveenough diversity in themedia?

The media is different. It is notlike making concrete blocks.Plurality and diversity in the media

Minister for Communications,Energy and Natural ResourcesPAT RABBITTE spoke toLiberty at the opening ofthe new Dáil term...

Cabinet Confidential

INTERVIEWBy Scott Millar

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

11Interview

goes to the heart of the health ofour democracy and the character ofpublic discourse. Undue concentra-tion of ownership is especiallyunhealthy in the media because ithas such a formative influence onpublic affairs. A year ago theGovernment approved the heads ofa new Competition Bill, of which adozen odd sections refer to themedia. When enacted, this Bill willput a higher premium on the publicinterest test.

How much of a role do youthink the media played inallowing our economy to getinto the state that it did?

There are all kinds of commenta-tors, economists and some celebrityjournalists poking their heads upsuggesting they had warned againstthe crash. It never happened. Theyare rewriting history.

There were exceptions such as(UCD economist) Morgan Kelly, wholate in the day, in 2006 did warn of

difficulties, but generally speakingour media was uncritical.Generallyspeaking our media was heavilyreliant on advertising connected tothe building boom. That is simply ahistorical fact. They can beat theirbreasts from the editorial pulpit butthat is the way it was.

You have said that in Irelandthere is often a lot of opinionbut a lack of evidence. Do youthink this Government can

help change this?You’re challenging the

Government to change the cultureand that is a big project. It concernsthe manner in which leaders, politi-cal and administrative, State institu-tions, like the Central Bank and theRegulator, the elite generally andopinion makers generally, none ofthem shouted stop. I think the post-colonial mindset and Catholic flexi-bility on forgiveness has proven adreadful cocktail in terms of the dis-aster that has befallen us; to shift

that mindset is a big cultural challenge.

The main objective of thisGovernment is getting theeconomy back on track butare there any other areas youbelieve it can leave a legacy?

I tend to think that any monu-ments on the landscape are likely tobe in the economic and reform area.For example the decision to bringindustrial strength broadband toevery secondary school in the coun-try and the ConstitutionalConvention, which is also an impor-tant project. I think it is importantthat the Constitutional Conventioncommences with issues that are lesscomplex which allows us to see howthe experiment works.

In light of the discovery of oilin the Barryroe field off coun-ty Cork, do you think youshould consider again thepart natural resources couldplay in economic recovery?

We don’t know enough aboutBarryroe. It is very encouraging butit is not yet clear whether it is com-mercially viable, there is oil therebut is it commercially extractable?

Do you think the campaigngroups who claimed in the1970s that Ireland had vastuntapped natural resourceswere wrong?

Well, I was one of them. It is verydifficult to be definitive and saythey were wrong because wehaven’t had the exploration activity.So we have to get the activity, interms of prospecting and explo-ration up, but how do you do that?The Oireachtas Committee andSIPTU have produced reports andif there is an argument to reviewthe terms that is compelling I’mhappy to do that but, I repeat,holding up the minimum explo-ration that is going on cannot bejustified.

Perhaps more state sectorinvestment?

Ah well, I don’t have €80 millionto spend on drilling wells; we sim-ply don’t have access to that invest-ment in the crisis situation inwhich we find ourselves. In thosecircumstances you have to struc-ture the tax regime in a fashion thatattracts those who can afford todrill.

Do you fear for the electoralfortunes of the Labour Partyat the end of thisGovernment?

I think it is all to play for; it real-ly does depend where the economyis at in 2016, it’s the economy stu-pid and it still is. If the Governmentcan get the country back on theroad to economic recovery, getgrowth going again, and get peopleback to work, then distribute thebenefits of that in a manner thathelps the people at the bottom ofthe ladder, then its all to play for.

Does it sadden you that theLeft would seem to be bereftof ideas?

I think, right across Europe,socialist and social democratic par-ties have gone through a very diffi-cult time since 1989. The old para-digm created by figures such asWilly Brandt, Jacques Delors andHarold Wilson is behind us. Weneed a new narrative to persuadepeople that solidarity and commu-nity are values to be supported.

LABOUR’S ELECTORAL PROSPECTS‘I think it is all to play for;it really does dependwhere the economy is atin 2016, it’s the economystupid and it still is’

‘I think the post-colonial mindset and Catholic flexibilityon forgiveness has proven adreadful cocktail in terms of thedisaster that has befallen us; to shift that mindset is a bigcultural challenge’

IRISH CULTURE & SOCIETY

CROKE PARK AGREEMENT‘It would be foolish, in myview, to let the agreementrun its course withoutengaging with the unions’

‘12 months ago Irelandwas Europe’s problemnow Europe is Ireland’sproblem’

EUROZONE CRISIS

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

12 News from the North

SINN Féin MEP, MartinaAnderson, has welcomed aEuropean Commission com-mitment to support an EU-wide ‘Youth Jobs Guarantee’programme.

It is understood the Commissionwill propose a Council recommenda-tion on the issue in December.

Calling the move “good news forour young people”, MartinaAnderson claimed the proposalswould “remove any excuse for gov-ernment not being proactive in pro-moting apprenticeships and intern-ships as a means of getting ouryouth into work”.

In its working document theCommission makes it clear a keyaspect of the European Social Fundwill be to promote such schemes.

Youth guarantee schemes alreadyoperate in some countries with thelowest levels of youth unemploy-ment such as Austria and the

Netherlands. Martina Anderson added: “In

light of this commitment I wouldurge [Stormont] Department ofEmployment and Learning ministerStephen Farry to ensure that hisdepartment is fully prepared to takefull advantage of these proposals assoon as they are finalised.”

Sinn Fein MEP welcomes EC youth jobs guarantee

Pension pothike for topUK bossesTHE LATEST PensionsWatch sur-vey from the TUC has revealed largepension pot increases for top UKbosses.

Published earlier this month, thesurvey analysed the pensionarrangements of 351 directors fromFTSE 100 companies.

It revealed that the average trans-fer value – or pension pot – for adirector's defined benefit pensionhas increased by £400,000 over thelast year to reach £4.33 million, pro-viding an annual pension of£240,191.

Furthermore the value of the aver-age director's pension has increasedfaster than most ordinary pensionschemes and is now 24.4 times thesize of the average occupational pen-sion (£9,828).

The ever-increasing value of direc-

tors' pensions is in sharp contrast tothe fortunes of the pensions of mostordinary workers, with the numberof employees saving in employer-backed schemes falling every year.

SIPTU Executive CommitteeMember, Phelim Jennings, toldLiberty: ‘The variance in pensions isjust one serious indicator of theunfairness around wages and condi-tions at the moment.

“It is our members’ hard labourthat generates the profits for thesedirectors and yet they reap therewards. Our members’ pay isn’teven keeping pace with inflation.This is an example of modern dayhighway robbery.”

SIPTU also welcomed the TUC callfor greater clarity in the reporting ofpensions, including the mandatorydisclosure of accrual and contribu-tion rates

By Brenda Callaghan

We’re calling for change...‘emptypurse’ protest challenge to MLAsTHE Northern IrelandCommittee of Congressorganised a ‘welcome back’protest on 11th Septemberat Stormont to mark thebeginning of the Assembly’snew legislative session.

The session will include discus-sion on welfare ‘reform’ proposalsfrom the Social DevelopmentMinister, Nelson McCausland.

Research conducted by theNorthern Ireland Commissionerfor Children and Young People(NICCY) has indicated that the pro-posed changes to the welfare sys-tem will force more children intopoverty.

The research found that approxi-mately 6,500 children would loseout due to the plan to cap benefitsat £26,000 a year for working-agehouseholds.

The women’s movement hascome together to oppose the pro-posed ‘reforms’, highlighting theissue with an ‘empty purse’ cam-paign which included the occupa-tion of benefits offices during thesummer.

SIPTU activist, Anne Thompson,took part in the ‘empty purse’protests.

She told Liberty: “I thought this

ISABLED people,community activistsand trade unionistsjoined forces to

protest outside the Belfastoffices of Atos in earlySeptember.

The demo highlighted the infor-mation technology firm’s role in theUK government’s highly-controver-sial ‘fitness to work’ tests for inca-pacity benefit claimants.

However, one campaigner wasmissing from the protest.

Cecilia Burns had been declared‘fit to work’ following an Atosassessment in February leading toher benefits being cut. Sadly, shepassed away on 31st August.

Cecilia – although very ill and stillreceiving treatment for cancer –highlighted her situation as a livingexample of the unfairness of the sys-tem, which increases poverty at thetime when individuals are at theirmost vulnerable.

Those at the protest, which tookplace in pouring rain, held aminute’s silence in memory ofCecilia.

And speakers reaffirmed theirdetermination to continue theprotests to highlight the unjustnessof the system.

The government appointed Atosto reassess all 2.6 million people inthe UK claiming incapacity benefit –and its successor employment sup-port allowance (ESA) – by 2014 in abid to encourage more people toreturn to work and to cut the welfarebill.

Demonstrators heard that thelarge number of decisions over-turned on appeal flagged up justhow flawed the proccess was.

They also showed that the testswere too impersonal and not med-ically-rigorous enough.

The tests also did not sufficientlytake into account the fluctuatingnature of some conditions.

Under the system, claimants areplaced in three categories: thosedeemed able to work straight away,those considered able to do so atsome point in the future with theright help – the so-called work-relat-ed activity group – and those judgedunable to work and needing uncon-ditional support.

In Northern Ireland, almost aquarter of those on incapacity bene-fit who have been reassessed werefound to be capable of work.

The Department for SocialDevelopment claims 67% ofclaimants' appeals are upheld in its

favour. The four main church lead-ers in Northern Ireland have pub-licly declared their concerns overwelfare reform and its potentialimpact on family life.

The Tory-Liberal Democrat gov-ernment received a public rebuttalof their policies on welfare reform atthe recent Paralympic Games inLondon.

Ministers began avoiding thegames, which controversially includ-ed Atos among its sponsors, afterPrime Minister David Cameron,Chancellor George Osborne andHome Secretary Theresa May wereall visibly shaken when crowdsbooed them during medal presenta-tion ceremonies.

SIPTU activist, Maggie Black, toldLiberty: “The reaction of theParalympics supporters shows howcrucial and important these welfarereforms are to everyone who suffersa disability.

“It is simply wrong that while pro-tecting the banks they are trying tobalance the books by attacking theweaknesses and most defenceless insociety.”

D

was a very original and visible wayof making people think about theimpact of the cuts. They couldrelate to the physical presence ofthe empty purse and the support wegot during the protests was veryheartening.

“It is appropriate that we take ourprotest to Stormont so that MLAsare under no illusion that we will

accept these reforms without afight.”

The Stormont protesters warnedall MLAs that McCausland’s propos-als would amount to an unjustattack on the weakest in society.

Speakers at the protest delivereda clear message – “Keep your handsof our welfare system” – to MLAs ofall parties.

Purse protestoutside Stormont

Demo highlightsunfair ‘fitness to work’ audits

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LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

13Economy

By Vic Duggan

AS SILLY seasongives way to budgetseason, Irish citizensand politicians alike

are confronted with thedepressing reality that notmuch has changed since theylast checked – the economyis flatlined, unemploymentremains stubbornly high,and the Government is stillborrowing more than a bil-lion euro a month.

When Francois Hollande waselected President of France in May,a Gallic counterweight to Germanintransigence promised an alterna-tive to austerity in Europe. Growthseemed to be very much on theagenda.

This spring-time optimism hasgiven way to the cold, hard realityof autumn. Measures to stimulateeconomic growth have been wel-come, but in short supply.

The Eurozone economy is miredin recession. Europe’s core andperiphery alike will get littlerespite from the painful process of

reducing budget deficits, even aseconomies shrink.

More than ever, the growth agen-da needs to be front and centre.

Ireland can’t yet borrow sustain-ably on the markets. We remaindependent on the kindness ofstrangers – and those strangers arecalling the shots.

As such, Ireland is faced with lit-

tle alternative but to continuemeeting its headline targets. Evena significant deal on the bank debtburden would do little to alter thebudget arithmetic.

To bring the budget deficit below3% by 2015, Ireland has committedto a further €8.6bn in tax hikes andspending cuts over the next threeyears – €3.5bn in 2013, €3.1bn in2014 and €2bn in 2015.

This might suggest that budgetswill get easier, but this is not thecase for three reasons:

1. These amounts are premisedon a return to relatively robustgrowth in the later years;

2. The ‘easy’ options, such as cut-ting capital spending, have beenlargely exhausted; and

3. Having cut day-to-day spend-ing by €1.45bn in 2012, this will beramped up to €1.7bn in 2013 and€1.9bn in 2014.

While the headline targets are

set in stone by the EU authorities,how they are achieved is subject todomestic political negotiation. Thebalance between tax and spendingmeasures, and their specificdesign, is largely a matter for theIrish government.

Budgets are about choices. Thereare always alternatives. When try-ing to bring down the deficit in alow growth environment, however,

the choice is often between thedisastrous and the unpalatable.

The Government is hamstrungby a ‘troika’ of political promises:no hikes in income tax, no cuts inbasic welfare rates, and no cuts topublic sector pay.

Quite simply, the numbers don’tadd up, and promises will be bro-ken.

The negative social and econom-ic impact of deficit reduction can-not be eliminated, but it can beminimised.

Cuts in basic welfare rates notonly hit the poorest hardest, theysuck the most out of the economybecause those who have leastspend more of their income.

Cutting capital expenditure,often the easiest political option,can undermine the economy’s pro-ductive capacity in the long term,hitting growth and jobs. Cuts inpublic sector pay will mean

reduced tax revenue and increasedindustrial strife.

Nobody likes paying taxes, andnobody likes seeing their tax billincrease. Most controversial of all,however, are new taxes thathaven’t been charged before.

This is one of the core challengesat the heart of introducing a broad-based property tax.

What Ireland needs is a ‘solidari-ty wealth tax’ along the Frenchmodel. This would help retainsocial solidarity and restrain thenegative impact on domesticdemand.

Net wealth above a certainthreshold, perhaps €1m, includingboth property and financialwealth, would be taxed at a lowrate of less than 1%.

As in France, the rate wouldincrease with wealth. Loans aresubtracted from the total, therebyavoiding the problem of taxingnegative equity.

It would be dishonest to suggestthat soaking the rich would solveall of Ireland’s fiscal problems, butthere is certainly an argument tobe made for starting at the top andworking down.

A Tax-Start at the top

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Ireland can’t yet borrow sustainably on the markets. We remain dependent on the kindness of strangers – and those strangers are calling the shots.

The negative social andeconomic impact of deficitreduction cannot be eliminated, but it can beminimised.

What Ireland needs is a ‘solidarity wealth tax’ alongthe French model. This wouldhelp retain social solidarityand restrain the negativeimpact on domestic demand.

EconomyLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

14

he Minister forCommunicationsand NaturalResources PatRabbitte has saidthat ‘there is no

alternative in LeinsterHouse’ to the current pathbeing pursued by Fine Gaeland Labour. That MinisterRabbitte so eagerly para-phrased Margaret Thatcher’sinfamous quote says a lotabout this Government.

In the first week of Decemberthe Government will announce itslatest round of crippling austeritymeasures. While we won’t knowthe detail until then we alreadyknow the impact it will have onour economy and society.

The Government plans towrench €3.6bn from the domesticeconomy. Cuts to public spendingwill further damage vital health,education and community servic-es. Cuts to social welfare will pushmore families into poverty. Taxincreases on low and middleincome earners will damage thedomestic economy and put morepeople out of work.

According to the ESRI, Budget2012 was the most regressivesince the start of the crisis. It hitlower income groups the hardestand left those on the highestincomes virtually untouched.Many of us fear that Budget 2013will be even worse.

In a desperate attempt to dis-

tract public attention from thisreality Government Ministers arein search of a scapegoat. Since thestart of September we have seenMinister after Minister targetgroups of people apparentlyuntouched by the economic crisis.One week we are told that pen-sioners must be hit. The nextweek we are told it is public sec-tor workers. And all the while

Ministers echo Pat Rabbitte’smantra that there is simply noalternative.

The truth is very different.Politics is all about choices andthere are clear alternatives to thecrippling policies of austeritybeing pursued by Fine Gael andLabour.

In October, Sinn Féin willlaunch a detailed job creation and

retention programme. InNovember we will launch ourAlternative Budget. Both proposalswill be fully costed and will detaila different path to that of the cur-rent government.

As in previous years we willmatch the Governments ownadjustment target, but in a waythat is fairer and conducive tosocial development and economic

growth. We will demonstrate that tax

reform and elimination of wastein public spending can deliver realsavings and extra revenue toinvest in health and education.

However you cannot cut and taxyour way out of a recession. Themissing ingredient in theGovernments approach is the lackof any economic and social stimu-lus programme.

Our jobs proposals will set out aprogramme aimed at kick startingthe economy – getting people offthe dole, back into work and backpaying taxes. This is the only wayto reduce the deficit without dam-aging our social infrastructure ordomestic economy.

Pat Rabbitte is wrong – thereare alternatives both inside andoutside of Leinster House. Theproblem is a lack of political willto seriously consider these alter-natives. The Irish Congress ofTrade Unions, the Nevin EconomicResearch Institute and SIPTU haveput forward credible alternativesto the failed policies of austerity.Others groups such as TASC andClaiming Our Future have out-lined their alternatives.

Sinn Féin is part of this alterna-tive agenda advocating recoverybased on equality, sustainabilityand investment in jobs, servicesand people.

Pearse Doherty is Sinn Fein TD forDonegal South West and is the party’sFinance Spokesperson

T By Pearse Doherty TD

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SF says there is a fairer way

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

15Comment

O ANOTHER bailoutbudget is loomingand the games havealready begun. The

Government parties are supposed to be at logger-heads. The media swingfrom one dramatic leak tothe next.

Our fears are being mobilised andour fatalistic acceptance is beingnurtured. In the meantime, spend-ing cuts from the last budget contin-ue to be rolled out.

Recent cutbacks in the healthservices now dominate the head-lines. They reflect how the bailoutbudgets are dramatically diminish-ing the well-being of those already atthe margins of society.

The anger of people with disabili-ties mobilised powerfully and themedia spotlight was effectivelysecured. The Cabinet met andappears to have made importantconcessions. However, this overallbudgetary process is not for derail-ing.

We do need to be campaigning onthe forthcoming budget despite anyweariness at political unresponsive-ness. Gains are possible, even if theyare token in comparison to the over-all hardship being visited on thosewho depend on public services.

People with disabilities have justwon a victory and some of the worstexcesses were trimmed on foot ofprotests after the last budget.

Different interests across civilsociety will now bring forward avariety of demands in these budgetcampaigns. This is inevitable at thisstage even though shared demandsmight fare better.

It does leave different parts of civilsociety vulnerable to being playedoff against one another and to beingdismissed as competing vestedinterests.

Civil society organisations cam-paigning on the budget could useful-ly unite behind a small number ofover-arching messages. Commonmessages could be crafted withinwhich each organisation can pose itsdifferent demands.

This would encourage a mediadebate that challenged some of thedominant trends that are shapingthese bailout budgets. It wouldenable public debate that was liber-ated from some of the mythsdeployed to justify these dominanttrends.

Claiming Our Future is conveningmeetings of civil society organisationsthat have traditionally been involved inbudget campaigns.

The purpose of these meetings is toexplore if it is possible to craft and com-

S

municate these macro messages. The experience of Claiming Our

Future in developing its recent PlanB initiative provides some startingpoints. Plan B involves a range ofdetailed suggestions for an alterna-tive strategy that could be pursuedby Government even within the con-fines of the Troika impositions.

This Plan B points to some of themacro messages that could beshared across civil society.

The first macro message could bethat there are alternatives.

The Government has hiddenbehind the message that there is noalternative to the current budgetstrategy. It is a demoralising messageand it is designed to demobilise.

It is a false message and serves tohide real and inequitable choicesbeing made by this Government.

omy by EU standards.The Government needs to tax

wealth, assets and property. It needsto raise the effective tax rate for highearners. It needs to remove tax

exemptions that benefit the wealthy. We do not have to agree on the

detail but we can agree to forcefullyarticulate that an increased and equi-table tax take should be prioritised.

A third macro message could be thatjobs must be created in the short-term.

The recently announced stimuluspackage was limited in scale with atimeframe for job creation that ismedium-term rather than short-term. We could use the budgetdebate to expose this and demandinvestment in short-term job cre-ation.

The budget debate could be animportant moment for emphasisingvalues of equality, environmentalsustainability and popular participa-tion. These values should shape thebudgetary decision making process.

However, there needs to be a morepowerful popular demand for this inthe face of the current political disin-terest in such values.

It would be a powerful rebuttal ofthis tactic if all civil society organisa-tions campaigning on budget issuescouched their demands in an analy-sis that points out that there arealternatives. It is not inevitable thatthose who live in poverty or who arestruggling on the poverty line haveto pay for the crisis we are in.

The second macro message couldbe that it is necessary to increasetaxation and broaden the tax base inan equitable manner.

The current balance of two to onebetween spending cuts versus taxincreases in the budget needs to bereversed. Equitable and increasedtaxation needs to be at the centre ofsorting out the fiscal deficit.

Civil society could challenge thetraditional aversion to taxation andhighlight that we are a low tax econ-

Disability campaignersprotest outside LeinisterHouse in early Septemberat proposals to slashhome help hours

Picture: Photocall Ireland

Shame on you ministers, time you got the message

Recent cutbacks in the health services now dominate the headlines. They reflect how thebailout budgets are dramaticallydiminishing the well-being ofthose already at the margins of society.

By Niall Crowley

Civil society could challenge thetraditional aversion to taxationand highlight that we are a lowtax economy.

SF says there is a fairer way

NEC ProfilesLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

16

HOSPITAL worker MaryDolan McLoughlin’sactive role in the unionstretches back to thelate 1980s.

Limerick-born, she has worked atSt John’s Geriatric Hospital in Sligosince September 1979, becomingchief shop steward in the early 1990s.

The first major challenge she facedin that role was having to deal withstaffing issues at St John’s.

This led to the creation of four dis-tinct grades covering duties carriedout by healthcare assistants, securitystaff, household workers and cateringattendants.

Mary was then elected to the SligoBranch Committee, twice holding theposition of Vice President.

The Branch has taken part in arange of activities locally, includinginvolvement in the town’s St Patrick’sDay parade, winning a major prize inits centenary year.

Mum-of-five Mary also secured

nomination to SIPTU’s RegionalExecutive Committee in the West.

She told Liberty: “This politicalactivity led me to become a memberof the Labour Party. Indeed, I was acandidate for Labour in the last localelections missing out on electionmyself, but securing a seat for Labourwith my transfers onelimination.”With the move to newstructures in the union, Mary saidshe wanted “to ensure some level ofcontinuity” from the old to the newand sought election to the NEC.

Since her election, Mary said shehad strived to “bring the local mes-sage to a national forum and thenational message to my HealthDivision colleagues locally”.

She does this at shop stewards’meetings held every couple ofmonths in the Western area.

Mary added: “The union’s forummust keep the best of the old struc-tures and bring them into our neworganising model in order to ensurethat the ethos and loyalty to theunion remains intact.”

Continuity is vitalMary Dolan McLoughlinNEC PROFILE

Phelim JenningsNEC PROFILE

PHELIM Jennings hasbeen involved in socialjustice issues for mostof his life.

Born and raised in Newry, countyDown, the inequalities and humanrights abuses in the North as well asthe political conflict that touched somany lives dominated his formativeand early adult years.

Phelim first joined the IrishTransport and General WorkersUnion in 1976 while working in alocal meat plant.

He has been a member of SIPTUsince starting work as a HGV refuselorry driver with Newry and MourneDistrict Council in 1997.

He is committed to the principlesof “fairness and justice for all”. Hehas been active and vocal in organis-ing protests and taking part in strikesin the campaign against public sectorcuts.

As a health and safety representa-tive, he successfully completedHealth and Safety Stages 1 and 2.

He also obtained a Certificate inEmployment Law through the TradeUnion Department at Belfast

Institute of Further and HigherEducation (BIFHE).

Phelim has been an active shopsteward defending members’ rightsfor 15 years, 10 of those as SIPTU con-venor, a position he currently holds.

He credits much of his success as atrade union representative to the“guidance and expertise” of variousSIPTU officials over the years. Anactive member at Branch level,Phelim was also a member of theRegional Executive until the newstructures were brought in.

Phelim was the first Chairpersonof the then newly-formed NI Branchand is the current Chairperson of theNI District Committee.

He was nominated to serve on theNEC and told Liberty he was “proudto use this position to promote andactively defend members’ rights irre-spective of background or politicalaffiliation”.

Indeed, Phelim views his role onthe NEC as helping to ensure thatSIPTU’s role as all-Ireland tradeunion is “promoted and advanced”and that “the voice of grassrootsSIPTU members is heard”.

Mary Dolan McLoughlin underlinedimportance of keeping the ‘best’ ofold union structures intact

Phelim Jennings thinks ‘grassrootsvoice’ within the union must beheard

An all-Ireland focusSIPTU’s Education Sectorhas written a letter call-ing on members atTrinity to support in-house catering at theButtery restaurant in theuniversity.

The union’s section com-mittee at TCD will be circulat-ing the letter in the comingweeks to all college staff. Asource told Liberty: “Outside

contractors are being used bymembers of staff each dayand we want to remind themthat our in-house cateringcompany employs directlabour.

“By asking our membersand all university staff to sup-port the Buttery, we are ask-ing them to support their col-leagues and support directlabour.”

Back direct labour during lunch, TCD members told

In the News

In response to a threat byAer Lingus to sue SIPTUover any losses incurred byproposed industrial actionfrom Monday (1st October)General President JackO’Connor said on Tuesday;“SIPTU is engaged in anentirely legitimate tradedispute. It arises from thefact that Aer Lingus and theDAA have decided to walkaway from their obligationsunder the agreements forthe pension funding entitle-ments of their staff."As a result thousands ofmembers in Aer Lingus andthe DAA will forfeit virtuallytheir entire life savings. Allthis has been brought aboutby the imposition of anabsurd and ridiculous fundingstandard by the State authori-ties."

Meanwhile SIPTU SectorOrganiser, Dermot O’Loughlincriticised the DAA for takingHigh Court proceedings toprevent the industrial action.“Our members are frustratedand annoyed at the DAA foradopting tactics that will onlyserve to aggravate a very diffi-cult and complex situation.

“This pensions crisis didnot begin today or yesterday.In fact, SIPTU has been proac-tively engaged for over twoyears in trying to find fair andreasonable solutions to theseunfortunate circumstances.The average DAA employeecontributes over €80 per weekto the pension fund which isnow in difficulty. The schemehas been grossly underfundedfor several years because theemployer’s contribution hasbeen considerably lower thanthat which generally applies.”

SIPTU dismay at DAA courtapplication for injunction

SIPTU is to spend up to€300.000 in upgradingits premises in Tralee,county Kerry.

The landmark premises atUpper Rock Street, Tralee wasopened in 1959 and has sinceserved as the Tralee branchoffice of the Union and itspredecessor the ITGWU.

The major refurbishment ofthe premises will transformConnolly Hall into a hub fromwhich members of all theDivisions and Sectors of theUnion can meet and interactas well as serving as a base forstaff to conduct their work ina modern fit-for-purpose set-ting.

According to SIPTU SectorOrganiser, Andrew McCarthy,

the investment represents asignificant commitment bythe Union to members in theregion while also providingmuch needed employmentfor construction workers.

“This investment by theNational Executive Council ofSIPTU is a commitment by theUnion to afford workers inKerry access to up to datefacilities in building strongworkplace representation andin striving for fairness at workand justice in society. It is alsoprovides much neededemployment for constructionworkers at a time of unprece-dented recession in theindustry,” Andrew McCarthysaid.

SIPTU to refurbish Tralee offices

By JACK O’CONNORSIPTU General President

LibertyView

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

17Liberty View

The fiscal strategy set out in theTroika agreement is not working.Economic stagnation has been com-pounded, rather than alleviatedbecause of the impact on domesticconsumption. Budgetary retrench-ment on a scale virtually unparal-leled in the developed world hasbeen employed as a single barreldeficit reduction policy. The socialprice in terms of unemployment,emigration and misery has been fartoo severe.

One sided austerity will not succeed. Wemust gradually step away from it andembark on a New Course based on invest-ment to stimulate economic activity. The

centrepiece of this New Course should be aplan to generate 25,000 net new jobs by theend of 2013 and 50,000 by the end of 2014.This would entail persuading the Troika toagree that some of the adjustment sched-uled for 2013 would be deferred over theremaining years of the programme in orderto facilitate growth. Parallel with this, allavailable instruments to generate jobs andgrowth must be mobilised.

Simultaneously, the perverse policy of cut-ting the pay of those on modest incomesand those dependent on social transferswhile sparing the rich must be abandoned.People on average earnings and those relianton welfare must spend all their income inorder to live – thus recycling it into the

economy. The better off tend to save thustaking resources out of circulation andinflating the already bloated savings ratio.This means rebalancing the deficit reduc-tion measures so as to entail a significantlylarger contribution by the better off.

Policy makers such as the US FederalReserve and even the ECB, are cominground to the obvious – i.e. countries needthe space to generate jobs and grow theireconomies. It is beginning to appear asthough a temporary fix, at least, may beworked out for the global economic system.If this transpires we should be well placedto benefit through investment, increasedtrade, jobs and growth over the mediumterm. However, we must find a way to cre-ate employment and overcome stagnationin the interim. Otherwise the damageinflicted will retard our development for avery long time and render us less capable ofbenefiting from any global recovery.

According to generally accepted estimatesreducing unemployment by 50,000 wouldcontribute approximately €1bn to theExchequer through income tax and alleviat-ing the cost of social transfers. These calcu-lations do not include the positive effect onindirect taxation levels. Moreover, they donot reflect any element of the benefit whichwould accrue from the impact of decliningunemployment figures. Most of all they donot reflect the beneficial effect on the well-being of those who would becomeemployed and their families as well as the

encouragement for those seeking jobs. Thisis about transforming the vicious cycle intoa virtuous cycle.

We in the Trade Union Movement have previously set out proposals for a StimulusPackage to create 30,000 jobs through astrategic infrastructure programme,“Delivering Growth and Jobs”. Prior to thesummer recess the Government announceda plan which ran to about one-third of thepotential. The remaining two-thirds shouldbe proceeded with straight away.

The Government should also introduceadditional measures to boost householdspending by allowing early draw down ofpersonal pension savings (i.e. AVC’s andPRSA’s) with full tax relief, without compro-mising occupational pension funds.

This should be complemented by a radicalexpansion of the Employer Job (PRSI)Incentive Scheme in respect of all net newjobs maintained for at least three years toencourage employers to recruit workers.Appropriate safeguards to protect againstdisplacement would have to be put in place.

Finally, while this New Course must focuson 2013 and 2014 it should be accompaniedby the development of a New Economic andSocial Plan for the medium term. We willsay more on this later.

The centrepiece of thisNew Course should be aplan to generate 25,000net new jobs by the endof 2013 and 50,000 bythe end of 2014.

Simultaneously, the perversepolicy of cutting the pay ofthose on modest incomes andthose dependent on socialtransfers while sparing therich must be abandoned.

Prior to the summer recess the Government announced a plan which ran to about one-third of the potential. The remaining two-thirdsshould be proceeded withstraight away.

12 POINT PLAN18

A 12 Point plan for recovery and growth of the Irish economy was endorsed by the National Executive Councilof SIPTU at its meeting on Friday 21st September 2012.

Incentivise job creationand penalise jobdestruction – a realstimulus plan is need-ed to cut the Ireland’sdole queues

Cutting in the absence of growth is self-defeating. Almost one quarter of the totallabour force is looking for work or is under-employed and the domestic economy isheading into its sixth successive year ofrecession. The strategy of the past fouryears which has imposed budget cuts andtax increases of €25bn, equivalent to 16% ofGDP, is not succeeding. Ireland mustembark on a New Course.

Let growth take root. Crisis in theEurozone, a weakening UK economy and astuttering recovery in the US are all likelyto hit Irish export growth next year. Forsome, this is reason to cut the deficit bymore than that envisaged in the“Programme” to prove the Government’scommitment to meeting its budget targets,but this would further deflate the Irisheconomy. Instead, the impact of eventsabroad and economic conditions here athome is good reason to do less. By allowinggrowth to take root we have a better overallchance of achieving sustainability in thepublic finances.

Cut unemployment – not jobs, pay and wel-fare. The centrepiece of the New Coursemust be a plan to generate 25,000 net newjobs by the end of 2013 and 50,000 by theend of 2014. The Government faces a choicein that it can stick rigidly to the 2013 budg-etary plan and knowingly depress thedomestic economy or it can take account ofinternal economic conditions and redistrib-ute the deficit reduction measures between2013 and 2015. The Troika must be per-suaded that lowering the budget adjust-ment scheduled for 2013 and increasingefforts to boost investment and employ-ment growth is the only hope for Irelandcoming anywhere close to meeting thebudget deficit targets in 2015 as a share ofGDP.

We need an investment plan which willmake a major employment impact. TheGovernment’s €2.25bn investment stimulusspread over 7 years, while welcome, doesnot go far enough. At a time when tenderprices are back at 1998 levels and 40% ofthose of the Live register are workersskilled in the crafts and related construc-tion industries, the Government must domore. This can be done (see ICTU PolicyDocument “Delivering Growth and Jobs”).

Credit Lines must be restored. We need anew Strategic Investment Bank. It’s time toabandon the myth that the establishedbanks are lending to their potential. Theyare focussed on restoring their loan todeposit ratios– not facilitating economicrecovery. Despite the limitations onresources the Government must proceedwith the Strategic Investment Bank towhich it is committed in its own pro-gramme.

Boost household spending by allowing theearly drawdown of personal pension sav-ings. There is an estimated €5bn in person-al pension savings. Early drawdown of AVCsand PRSAs with full tax relief* should befacilitated for tax years 2013 and 2014.(This should not apply to occupational pensions i.e. DB and DC schemes.)

Private Sector Pensioners should be reas-sured. The pension entitlements of 310,000people in Defined Benefit pension schemeshave been jeopardised by the requirementto comply with an absurd funding standardbased on unprecedentedly inflated annuityrates. Other countries have moved toaddress this problem by allowing PensionTrustees to price liabilities against averageannuity rates over a number of years.People will not spend unless confidence intheir pension expectations are restored.Changes to the State Contributory Pensionin September 2012 will primarily affectworkers who took time out for caringduties over the course their working lives.They should not now be penalised and theHomemakers Scheme should be back datedto 1964.The abolition of the transitional pension atage 65 should not proceed in 2014 asplanned and should be phased in over 5years at least.

Incentivise Job Creation – penalise jobdestruction. The Employer Job (PRSI)Incentive Scheme should be radicallyexpanded in respect of all net new jobsmaintained for at least three years toencourage employers to recruit workers.Appropriate safeguards should be put inplace to avoid displacement.

Indigenous Manufacturing and Services. AnExpert Group should be established toinvestigate the options for supporting exist-ing indigenous companies to expand andgrow and create additional jobs. It mustexplore how to improve network supplylinkages between Irish companies acrossthe country. It should identify a way toreform public procurement rules so thatIrish firms can better compete for Statecontracts. Domestically produced goodswhich compete with foreign owned prod-ucts must be better promoted and support-ed so that they can increase market share inthis country.

Tax the greedy- spare the needy. It is per-verse to continue cutting the incomes ofpeople who must spend it all in order tolive and thus recycling it into the economy,while sparing the rich so that they can save.To date, over three out of every five eurosraised in new tax measures since 2009 hasbeen shouldered by working people. Just20% of tax changes have been targeted atthe better off.

Towards A New Course1

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LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

12 POINT PLAN 19

No laughing matter, gentlemen: Troika officialsduring one of their trips toDublin. The fact is austerity isn’t working...

We must abandon myththat Ireland’s banks arelending to their potential.We need a new investmentbank instead...

It’s simple, those who havemore should pay more...

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The Government must;

• Do as they promised and abolish tax reliefs for the high income earners and increase the minimum effective tax rate.

• Impose a graduated solidarity PRSI chargeon all those earning over €100,000.

• Introduce a properly structured wealth tax.

• Fashion the proposed property tax on thebasis of no increase on the current €100 household charge in respect of properties valued up to €300,000, with a graduated banded system thereafter. This should be structured so that those with the most valuable properties should pay most. (Those dependent on welfare should be excluded and there should be relief in respect of first time buyers who paid stamp duty between 2004 and 2007.)

• Apply PRSI to all unearned income over the current threshold of €16,692.

The waste of taxpayers money on privateinterests must be curtailed. The slash andburn brigade are fixated with cutting publicspending, focussing their attention exclusive-ly on the pay and conditions of public sectorworkers, (38% of whom earn average earningsor less) and on those dependent on socialtransfers. They have been much less vocal onthe real waste in public spending such as thecost of outsourcing of public services to pri-vate contractors, the loss of tax revenuesthrough failure to enforce compliance inpublic sector construction contracts and theprice paid for drugs by our health service.

The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committeeshould instigate a value for money audit ofthe public procurement practises across allGovernment departments and public authori-ties, to scrutinise revenue and employmentrights enforcement practises. It should iden-tify the full extent of the cost to the State ofoverpricing aswell as the loss incurredthrough tax revenues foregone.

Parallel with this, subventions to privateschools and other elitist institutions shouldbe discontinued. The third level educationgrant system should be restructured toinclude capital assets in the calculation ofqualifying criteria and to exclude any possi-bility of income manipulation.Simultaneously, the wasteful practise ofState subvention to the private health sectorthrough our public hospitals should beended.

We need a new Economic and Social Plan.The National Development Plan upon whichthe Troika Agreement is based is a one-sidedausterity recipe which is not working. Weneed a new Economic and Social Plan for themedium term emphasising investment,growth and social progress.

Towards A New Course

12

11

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

Boost household spendingby allowing an earlydrawdown of personal pension savings

PensionsLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

20

HE Government seemsintent on pressingahead with changes tothe rates of payment of

State Pensions (Contributory)and increases in pensionableage despite strong oppositionfrom SIPTU, the Irish Congressof Trade Unions, women’sorganisations and older peo-ple’s advocates.

Changes to the State pensionentitlements of insured workers,the first of which kicks in fromthis month, will see the introduc-tion of new average contributionrate bands and new rates of pen-sion payment for both the StatePension (Contributory) and theState Pension (Transition).

The reforms also provide for theabolition of the State Pension(Transition) for new claimantsfrom January 2014, thereby push-ing up the age at which workersare entitled to draw down a statepension from 65 to 66.

Furthermore, changes to the leg-islation provides for two addition-al increases in the age at whichworkers will qualify to draw aState pension to 67 from 2021 and68 from 2028.

Increases to the age at which theState pension is payable had beenflagged by the previous govern-ment in its March 2010 NationalPensions Framework and was oneof the commitments given inrespect of the EU/IMF Programmefor Financial Support.

The State Pension(Contributory) is paid to peoplefrom the age of 66 who have suffi-cient social insurance contribu-tions.

Currently there are four rates ofpayment which are based on a per-son’s yearly average contributions.Workers with an average of 48 ormore yearly contributions receivea state pension of €230.30. Thismaximum rate remainsunchanged.

Up to now workers who havecontributed a yearly average ofbetween 20 and 47 contributionsreceive a weekly pension of €4.50less than a person on the maxi-

mum i.e. a rate of €225.80. However, from September, two

new reduced rates of €207.00 for30 to 39 average yearly contribu-

tions and €196.00 for averageyearly contributions between 20and 29 will be introduced.

Rates of payment for workerswith between 15 and 19 averageyearly contributions will bereduced by €22.70 per week andwith 10 to 14 average yearly pay-ments will be reduced by €23.20

per week. The State Pension (Transition)

which is paid to people aged 65who have retired from work andwho have sufficient social insur-ance contribution is also changedfrom this month.

Changes in rate bands and pen-sion rates which come into effectfrom September, 2012 are out-lined in the table.

Many workers will have expect-ed to receive their state pensionsbased on the rates and qualifica-tion criteria which had pertainedup to now and will have plannedtheir retirement income accord-

ingly. The decision to impose thechanges at extremely short notice,has left workers high and dry with

insufficient time and no opportu-nity to make alternative provision.

The new rates are to be intro-duced in an entirely abrupt andarbitrary manner.

For those workers who firstmake their claim at age 65 or 66from September and who have ayearly average of less than 39 con-tributions, their entitlement isreduced substantially from whatthey would have received had theyfirst made their claim in August.

While all workers with inter-rupted social insurance contribu-tions – due for instance to careergaps or periods spent working inboth the public and private sec-tors- will be affected by the stag-gering reductions in State pensionentitlements, the worst hit of allwill be women.

Women are more reliant thanmen on income derived from theState pension.

Breaks in paid employmentmean women have less of anopportunity to build up a pensionoutside the state system. A 2010survey by Friends First found that43% of womenhave no pen-sion plan at all.

Under theHomemaker’sScheme, theState givescredits tothose who canprove that theywere engagedin caring forchildren orother peopleduring thesebreaks inemploymentbut thatexemption willonly date backto 1994.

SIPTU hasargued thatthis is tooshort a time-span and has calledon the Minister for SocialProtection to apply these creditsfor those who took unpaid breaksfrom employment back to 1964.

Labour force participation rates

for over-65’s are low in Irelandwith only about 9% of workersworking past 65.

This may be about to change asworkers are faced with a tickingtime bomb of an income gap dur-ing the time at which they retirefrom work and when their statepension entitlements kicks in.

Some commentators have point-ed to occupational pensionscheme lumps sums as a source of‘bridging income.’

This is of no use to workers whohave not been in a position tobuild up a pension pot and will becold comfort for workers whoseplanned budgets had not includedspending their lump sum to meettheir basic needs.

Others say that in the interven-ing period workers will be able toclaim Jobseekers Allowance but inorder to do so workers will have tobe actively seeking and availablefor full-time work.

For most workers, who havecontributed to their State pensionthrough their PRSI contributions,this is not acceptable.

By Ethel BuckleyANALYSIS Ethel Buckley is SIPTU National Campaigns & Equality Organiser

T

However, from September, twonew reduced rates of €207.00 for 30 to 39 average yearly contributions and €196.00 foraverage yearly contributionsbetween 20 and 29 will be introduced.

The new rates are to be introduced in an entirelyabrupt and arbitrary manner.

Women hit hardest byState pension changes

Breaks in paid employment meanwomen have less of an opportuni-ty to build up a pension outsidethe state system. A 2010 surveyby Friends First found that 43%of women have no pension planat all.

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

21Pensions

Yearly AverageContributions

Personal RatePer Week

48 or over €230.30

20 – 47 €225.80

15 – 19 €172.70

10 – 14 €115.20

Yearly AverageContributions

Personal RatePer Week

48 or over €230.30

40 – 47 €225.80

30 – 39 € 207.00

20 – 29 € 196.00

15 – 19 €150.00

10 – 14 €92.00

Yearly Average Contributions

Personal RatePer Week

48 or over €230.30

40 - 47 € 225.80

30 - 39 € 207.00

24 - 29 € 196.00

Yearly AverageContributions

Personal RatePer Week

48 or over €230.30

24 - 47 €225.80

State Pension (Contributory) Current Rates - Age 66

Current State Pension (Transition) Rates - Age 65

(This payment will not be available to new applicants turning 65after 1st January 2014)

New State Pension (Contributory) September 2012 Rates - Age 66

(This payment wil l not be available to new applicants turning 65 after1st January 2014)

New State Pension (Transition) September Rates - Age 65

Women hit hardest byState pension changes

IMPORTANT information for those who have spenttime caring full-time in the home...

The Homemaker’s SchemeThe Department of Social Protection runs aHomemaker’s Scheme for women and menwho provide full-time care for a child under12 years or an ill or disabled person over 12years. The Scheme has operated since April1994. The scheme makes it easier forhomemakers to qualify for a State Pension(Contributory) by providing credits for eachfull tax year spent caring. Make sure youare registered now!

Homemakers should apply before the end ofthe tax year after the year you first becamea homemaker.

Late applications: For those who qualify ashomemakers from 6th April 1994 to 31stDecember 2011, applications will be accept-ed up to 31st December 2012. If you do notapply within the time limit, you may losesome entitlement.

For more information contact your localSocial Welfare office or call theHomemaker’s Scheme Section on LoCall1890 66 22 44

>

EconomyLibertySEPTEMBER 2012

22

TOTAL of 78 Irishparl iamentarianshave signed a state-ment of support forthe humanitarian

sailing ship, the SV Estelle –now on its way to breakIsrael's blockade of Gaza –and called for the immediatelifting of the siege.

More than 80% of people in Gazaare aid-dependent as a result of thewidely-condemned blockade. Morethan 40% of Gaza’s people areunemployed and the local econo-my is in tatters.

The statement was signed bydozens of TDs, MEPs, senators,MLAs and MPs from both northand south.

As well as many independents,the list includes Senator IvanaBacik and Ciaran Lynch TD of theLabour party, Conor Murphy MP,Gerry Adams TD and ConorMurphy MP of Sinn Féin, SenatorsDarragh O'Brien and Jim Walsh ofFianna Fáil, Mark Durkan MP andConall McDevitt MLA of the SDLP

as well as James Bannon TD of FineGael.

Paul Murphy MEP and JoanCollins TD of the ULA also puttheir names to the statement.

A number of government minis-ters in Northern Ireland, includingDeputy First Minister MartinMcGuinness, have signed therobust statement, which expressesunambiguous support for the non-violent Gaza flotilla movement.

Never before has such a largenumber of Irish parliamentarianscome together to insist on animmediate end to the siege.

The Estelle aims to breakthrough Israel's illegal maritimeblockade.

A tall ship built in the 1920s, theEstelle sailed several weeks agofrom Sweden, before stoppingtwice along the coast of Spain.

It is travelling from Corsica andheaded for Italy before sailingdirectly for the port of Gaza. It isexpected to reach Gaza in early tomid-October.

On board the aid ship are recon-struction materials and other

humanitarian goods that arebanned or heavily restricted by theIsraeli authorities.

An Irish ship, the MV Saoirse,attempted to reach Gaza inNovember 2011, but – 60 milesfrom its destination – was sur-rounded in international waters byup to 20 Israeli naval vessels and

forcibly seized. There were 14 Irish citizens on

board the Saoirse at the time.Welcoming the statement by the

Irish parliamentarians, FintanLane, a spokesperson for GazaAction Ireland, told Liberty: "GazaAction Ireland would like to sin-cerely thank all the politicians who

signed this letter. “It is an important statement in

that political figures from acrossthe island of Ireland have united tosay that enough is enough and theblockade of Gaza must end now.

“It is also a recognition that,unfortunately little has changedsince Gaza became a huge interna-

tional issue – the Israeli blockadehas been condemned by many gov-ernments, and deemed illegal bythe UN, but nothing concrete hasbeen done to end the suffering.”

He added: “Men, women andchildren continue to subsist in thelargest open-air prison in theworld."

Dozens of Irish politicians call on Israel to lift cruel siege of Gaza

Fiscal car continues to spin in the mudBy Tom Healy

OO many familiesand communitiescontinue to experi-ence the triple bur-den of unemploy-

ment, unsustainable person-al debt and contractingincome whether as a resultof on-going ‘reforms’ tosocial welfare or loss ofworking hours and real paycuts as wages fall short ofprice inflation in many sec-tors.

The position of those huge num-ber of workers, those dependenton income support such as chil-dren, one-parent families, personswith disabilities, the unemployedand pensioners remains extremelyprecarious and uncertain especial-ly in the context of unrelentingand continuing fiscal austerity intothe immediate future and beyond.A recent survey of the Irish Leagueof Credit Unions suggests that onein five adults in Ireland have lessthan €20 left at the end of themonth after meeting bills andessential spending. This propor-tion rose to 45% with less than€100 left to spend. Many people inthese circumstances are extremelyworried if there are furtherchanges made to social welfare orincome tax.

December’s Budget is set to take€3.5 billion out of the economy.Unless reversed most of this will comefrom cuts in key services and income pro-tection for low-income groups. NERI esti-mates that these measures in isolation to

any other factor will cost up to 30,000 jobs.Fiscal austerity is not working: unemploy-

ment remains high and domestic demandis stagnant.

Our research shows a ‘Plan B’budget could create 21,000more jobs than what theGovernment’s own fiscalplans allow for. ‘Plan B’means:• Not making further cuts

to front line services in education, health and social protection (thus reversing planned furthercuts in social welfare andin health and education)

• Raising taxes on high-income and high-wealth households (by 1.5% on average of gross income)

• Investing in jobs and infrastructure (€500 million in 2013 ‘off the Government books’ plus €500 million in a reversal of budget capitalspending cuts earmarkedby Government for 2013)

At this fragile state of economicdevelopment it is imperative, inour view, to avoid causing furtherdamage to domestic demand andemployment. In recent monthsvoices have been raised to theeffect that ‘middle Ireland’, let

alone those in poverty or withoutwork, cannot take any more. In theAutumn Observer EconomicObserver we have outlined thecase for an alternative adjustmentin this coming budget. Such anadjustment could lead to the samedeficit outcome (7.5% of GDP) butwould protect existing levels offront-line services and social pro-tection while factoring in reduc-tions in the total public sector pay-bill. It would also avoid the likelyloss in jobs estimated by us as29,000 resulting from a spending-intensive large fiscal adjustment of€3.5 billion in this December’sbudget.

The wheels of the fiscal car con-tinue to spin in the mud as addi-tional pressure on the acceleratorof fiscal austerity leaves littleimpression on employment, out-put or consumer confidence.Instead, we need a rubber mat ofan investment stimulus under thefiscal wheels to allow a lift offfrom the recessionary mud. Anexport-led recovery towing vanwould certainly help if such wereavailable but such outside helpalone is not enough.

The Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) which was established earlier this year with the financial support of many unions including SIPTU has produced an alternative budgetary approach to what is on offer.

The website of the institute is: www.NERInstitute.net

T

Our research shows a ‘Plan B’ budget couldcreate 21,000 more jobs than what theGovernment’s own fiscal plans allow for.

A

Never before has such a large number ofIrish parliamentarians come together toinsist on an immediate end to the siege.

Fintan Lane Gaza Action Ireland

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

23Community

By Paul Gavan

HE transformationalnature of theCommunity Em-ployment scheme run

by the Cork Academy ofMusic only becomes clearwhen you meet and talk tocourse participants.

Glen Kelly had previously workedin construction but had been out ofwork for three years. Burdened witha high mortgage and receiving just€10 a week from social welfare, headmits he was “long-term unem-ployed and depressed”.

But one year on, Glen has quali-fied to Grade 5 of Music Theory withthe Royal Academy of Music inLondon.

He intends to achieve Grade 7 inthe coming months and then moveon to UCC to complete a degree inmusic.

Muireann ni Chonnaláin is anoth-er course participant who claims thescheme has changed her life.

She told Liberty: “I was a singleparent struggling to find a way backinto work. I grabbed this opportuni-ty to study and work full-time withmusic and it’s been a brilliant experi-ence.”

In just nine months she hasbecome an accomplished musicianand has already achieved Grade 5qualification in Music Theory.

She is busy composing her ownsongs and looking forward to furthereducation and a career in teachingand performing.

Gerard O’Regan, a 51-year-old for-mer laboratory worker, had been outof work for five years before joiningthe Academy.

He said: “CE has enabled me toreinvent myself through the trainingand education on offer. My long-term goal is to study for a degree inMusic Therapy. I used to drop mywife to work and then go home forthe day. Now I have a path forwardinto work and a career throughmusic.”

Bairbre Flood joined the courselast November and is studying MusicTheory, guitar, drums and singing.

Her progress can be measured bythe fact that her first album is nowavailable on bandcamp.com – and iswell worth a listen!

The Academy was set up by BobSeward as a voluntary initiative in1994 in recognition of the need for amusical institute on Cork’s northside.

It was established to give margin-alised adults and young people theopportunity to learn music as ameans of encouraging them to accessfurther education and to improvetheir skills in the labour market.

Staff member Noreen Keanedescribed the Academy’s philosophyas “using music to engage partici-pants into the process of learning”.

She continued: “An importantaspect of this holistic approach is afocus on training in personal andsocial skills which contribute toentry requirements for third leveleducation.” More than 700 peoplehave now graduated from this inno-

Striking the right note forCommunity Employment

vative CE scheme and most havegone on to secure paid employmentand a career in the music industry.

Dozens of students have gone onto complete degrees, Masters andeven PhDs – thanks to the work ofthe Academy’s team of dedicatedtutors and staff.

Reflecting on the achievements ofthe last 18 years, Bob Seward is in nodoubt about the value of the trainingprovided through CE.

He said: “I believe the transforma-tion and progression pathways ofour students demonstrates the ben-efits of CE for adults in the commu-nity towards further education as

well as entry into the labour mar-ket.”

At a time when funding for CEschemes is under unprecedentedpressure from government cuts, theAcademy participants are deter-mined to play their part throughSIPTU in flagging up the importanceof continued funding and supportfor Community Employment.

So, in conjunction with SIPTU,they are organising a free public con-cert in the Triskel Arts Theatre on4th October in Cork city centre toshowcase the talent and value thatthis ground-breaking CE scheme hasdelivered. SIPTU Organiser Trevor

Quinn told Liberty: “Workers fromthe Academy will be joined on thenight by participants from theTogher CE music project and theCantabile Vocal Ensemble Choir, andwill be supported by CE workersfrom the Triskel Arts Centre in aunique collaboration to promote thevalue of high-quality CE trainingprojects in Cork city.

“All local councillors and TDs fromthe city and county will be invitedand urged to ensure their continuedsupport for CE schemes in the city.”

For more information on the con-cert, contact Trevor Quinn on 087 2906803.

T

Rehearsal time: ChrisDaly, Aoife O’Hanlonand Craig Hurley

Transforming futures: BobSeward and Noreen Keane

Life-changing: Muireann ni Chonnaláin, GlenKelly, Gerard O’Regan and Bairbre Flood

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION & SUPPORT CENTRE (MISC) Email: misc@siptu.ie

8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday

& SUPPORT CENTRE (MISC)MEMBERSHIP INFORMA

& SUPPORT CENTRE (MISC)TION MEMBERSHIP INFORMAMEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

s

TION @csim:liamE

8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday

ei.utpis8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., Monday - Friday

Dozens of Irish politicians call on Israel to lift cruel siege of Gaza

Fiscal car continues to spin in the mud

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

24

YOURHEALTH

MIND

By ILLONA DUFFY

HEAD LICE

HAT to dowhen morethan home-work comes

home fromschool?September not onlysignals the end ofsummer and a returnto school but also apeak in infestationsof head lice and, lesscommonly, scabies.

It has also been shown that themere mention of head lice willcause increased itching in peopleso, prepare to scratch!

All parents should be aware ofthe risk of head lice in school-going children and actively checkfor signs of infestation.

However, although associatedwith a high nuisance value, headlice are not a source of medicalconcern.

Head lice are a parasitic insectthat feed off the blood of theirhost (us). Infection is by transfer ofan adult head louse from the headof an affected person.

This usually occurs in childrenbecause of close head-to-head con-tact during play and the sharing ofhead wear and hair brushes.

The louse literally walks acrossto the new scalp where it begins tofeed and lay eggs.

An adult louse can lay up to

eight eggs a day and these remaintightly attached to the hair, grow-ing out with it as it lengthens.

The eggs are white and may ini-tially be mistaken for dandruff.However they do not move on hairbrushing.

The eggs take up to eight days tohatch, releasing an immaturelouse which takes up to a week tomature to an egg laying state. Eachlouse can live for up to 30 days.

SymptomsMost people with head lice are

asymptomatic and diagnosis ismade by seeing the eggs (nits) onthe hair or seeing an actual louse.

Some people do have an itch butthis is only in those who have asensitivity to the bugs and may notdevelop until the lice have beenpresent for weeks.

Occasionally people may devel-op rashes on their scalp or morecommonly at the back of theirneck near the hairline.

How to know if you havelice?

Often schools will send homenotification that there has been anoutbreak of head lice and that it isimportant to check your child.

It is best that parents check theirchildren regularly to catch them inthe early stage. It can often be dif-ficult to see the actual head louse.

They are grey-brown in colourand tend to be close to the scalp.They move quickly and the only

true way of searching for live lice isto fine comb the hair. This shouldbe done on wet hair using a specialcomb, usually metal, and involvescombing from the base of the hairnear the scalp to the end of thehair. It is important to comb slow-ly otherwise the lice may stray.The eggs are usually easier to seeas they are white and as previous-ly mentioned will not move onnormal hair brushing.

TreatmentTreatment involves the use of

lotions and – more importantly –thorough and repeated fine comb-ing of the hair. The lotions aredivided into two main groups:

1. Chemicals such as Malathionthat actively poisons and kills thelouse. There have been concernsthat head lice have become resist-ant to many chemicals and thatthey therefore may be less effec-tive

2. Lotions containing chemicalsthat smother or dehydrate thelouse. Because these are physicalinsecticides there is less risk resist-ance.

It is advised that the chosenlotion be used to kill the live lice.Following this the hair should befine-combed to remove both liceand eggs.

It is vital to try and remove alleggs as the lotions cannot kill theeggs. For this reason it is advisableto repeat the treatment one to twoweeks later to kill any new licethat have hatched from the eggs.

The most common reasonsfor not clearing head lice are:

1. Failure to fine comb andremove eggs and 2. re-infectionfrom close contacts. For this sec-ond reason it is worth telling closecontacts so that they can check anderadicate any infestation. Finally,there is no shame in having headlice and they tend to be more com-mon in girls with long clean hair!

W

Illona Duffy is a GP in Co. Monaghan and

member of the Irish Medical Organisation

Mind Your Health

A lousy little problem

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

25

HARON, a single moth-er living on her own, isabout to drop off herfive-year-old child at

school and continue on to thefactory where she works as aproduction supervisor.

Her child gets violently sick afterbreakfast and this symptom isaccompanied by a high tempera-ture.

She decides that the child needsurgent medical attention so sherightly brings the child immediatelyto the local doctor, who upon aninitial examination, determines thatthe child has contracted a bugwhich has been knocking about.

The doctor advises that the childneeds to stay at home for at leasttwo days. The mother cannot organ-ise childcare immediately so shemust look after the child for theday.

She can arrange her own mother,who usually collects the child fromschool, to come over and look afterthe child the following day.

The mother has to take the dayoff work but is slightly nervous of anegative reaction from her boss.She has just returned from a pro-tracted period of sick leave but shehas never experienced a familyemergency yet.

The question arises as to whethershe can legitimately take the day offby availing of force majeure leave.

What is force majeure leave?Force majeure comes from the

French and means “chance occur-rence, unavoidable accident”.

From an employment point ofview force majeure leave was intro-duced by Section 13 of the ParentalLeave Act, 1998 with subsequent

amendments. It gives the employee a brief and

minimum period of paid leave inorder to deal with an emergency sit-uation where another family mem-ber has suffered an illness or injury.

The situation must be so immedi-ately pressing that the attendanceof the employee is indispensable.

During an absence an employeeis regarded as being in the employ-ment of the employer and retainsall employment rights and it cannotbe classed as any other leave – e.g.sick leave or parental leave.

Who is classed as a familymember?

(a) a child or adoptive child of theemployee;

(b) the spouse of the employee,or a person with whom the employ-ee is living as husband or wife;

(c) a person to whom the employ-ee is in loco parentis (essentiallyacting as a parent);

(d) a brother or sister of theemployee;

(e) a parent or grandparent of theemployee.

The 2006 Act extended the defini-tion to include persons in a rela-tionship of domestic dependency.The sexual orientation of the per-sons concerned is immaterial andincludes same sex partners withwhom employees have a relation-ship of domestic dependency.

What is the entitlement?An employee may not take more

than three days of force majeureleave in any 12 consecutive months,or five days in any 36 consecutivemonths. Absence for part of a day iscounted as one day of force majeureleave.

Give an example of what ismeant by “the attendance ofthe employee is indispensa-ble”?

In the above example, the pres-ence of the single mother at theemergency would likely to bedeemed as indispensable.

If the mother were able to call,for example, on a partner or anoth-er relative in the house there andthen to look after the child, then itwould be difficult to argue that herpresence was indispensable.

Can an employee take twoconsecutive days together?

Technically, yes, but the stipula-tion for “urgent”, “immediate” and“indispensable” remains.

The second day would not beallowed in the case above becausethe employee’s mother was avail-able to mind the child on the sec-ond day and there was also the ele-ment of foreseeability. Two consec-utive days leave would be an excep-tional occurrence. What about prior notice of an

illness?If it can be shown that the child

displayed symptoms the day ornight before. then it would be diffi-cult to argue force majeure as theemployer could argue that the situa-tion of urgency was foreseen andthat the employee had the opportu-nity to arrange alternative assis-tance.

Supposing the motherthought the child was seri-ously ill but was subsequent-ly told that it was not a med-ical emergency – would thatbe classed as force majeure?

The child in the above scenarioshowed signs of serious illness.Therefore it would be irrelevantwhether it might not be as seriousas first thought. The right is evalu-ated from the standpoint of the employee.

What should an employeedo if faced with a forcemajeure situation?

As well as dealing with the situ-ation as best as they can –which isthe priority – he/she should at thefirst available opportunity contactthe employer and relay what hadhappened.

There is also an obligation on

the employee to fill up the desig-nated form under the Act as soonas possible after return to work.

This form includes the nameand address of the ill person, therelationship of that person to theemployee, the date of the leave aswell as a short statement of thefacts. Medical certificates for theill person are not required.

What happens if a disputearises as regards grantingthe leave?

The first port of call should bethe SIPTU representative who willassist with advice and representa-tion.

If the matter is unresolved, anemployee – and unusually anemployer – is entitled to refer adispute to the RightsCommissioner Service.

The referral must be within sixmonths of the disputed entitle-ment. SIPTU members will be pro-vided with representation.

The employer or employee mayappeal the Rights Commissioner’sdecision to the EmploymentAppeals Tribunal.

An appeal is made by givingwritten notice to the Tribunalwithin four weeks of the date onwhich the Rights Commissioner’sdecision is given.

In conclusion...Sharon would qualify for a day

off under force majeure rules. Ifher boss disputes the issue, shecan call upon her SIPTU represen-tative for advice and support.

By Tom O’Driscoll

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Force majeure leave

S Taking leave in an emergency...

Know Your Rights

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

26 Health & Safety

Commission’s SME move‘will cost lives and limbs’

HE European Comm-ission wants to min-imise the regulatoryburdens on smalland medium sized

enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are defined as enterprises

with fewer than 250employees – and would cover mostbusinesses in Ireland as well asapplying to most other EU countriesas well.

It would seem that what theEuropean Commission is intent ondoing is to deregulate occupationalsafety and health (OSH) legislationfor all SMEs across the EU.

This can be seen in a recentCommission document, entitledMinimising Regulatory Burden forSMEs – Adapting EU Regulation tothe Needs of Micro-enterprises,which can be downloaded from theinternet.

In Ireland we have seen that theGovernment has cut resources to theHealth and Safety Authority (HSA).

Already we have witnessed a risein work-related accident deaths at atime when the number of people atwork is falling. It does not take a

TBy Sylvester Cronin

genius to figure out what wouldhappen if OSH legislation isremoved for SMEs – work relatedaccidents, illnesses and deaths willincrease even more.

Incredibly, the Commission is try-ing peddle nonsensical statementssuch as, "Exemptions or lighter pro-visions for smaller businesses will

not undermine overall public policyobjectives pursued through the rele-vant regulations, for example inpublic and workplace health andsafety..."

Who do they think they are fool-ing with this gobbledegook?

Are they trying to pretend thatremoving legislative protection for

SME workplaces would haveabsolutely NO adverse impact onwork-related accidents, illnesses orfatalities?

The Commission has not pro-duced any proof or empirical data tosupport such an assertion.

Having checked the annual statis-tical reports from the HSA, whichdetails official Irish OSH statisticsover a number of years, it appearsthat there are no data sets disaggre-gated for SMEs.

Therefore there is no evidencethat even suggests that removing orreducing safety and health legisla-tion for Irish SMEs won’t have adetrimental impact

On the contrary, I believe therewill be serious consequences and anincreasing number of workers’ livesand limbs will be lost as a result.

It is grossly irresponsible ofCommission chiefs or Irish politi-cians to reduce OSH protection leg-islation in this area. Doing so willincrease the risk to workers’ safetyand health while at work.

It must be realised that protectingworkers’ safety and health while atwork is not simply a workers’ rightsissue – it is a human right.

On an equality basis, why shoulda worker in a SME have a lower levelof protection at work than that of anemployee working for a biggerenterprise?

If the truth be known the workerin the SME would probably needgreater protection, as the largeremployers tend to have a better gen-eral record of managing OSH.

Good safety and health – as largeremployers have realised – enhancesbusinesses/enterprises by increas-ing productivity, reducing absen-teeism, lowering insurance costs,and reducing unit costs, thus boost-ing competitiveness.

We do not see any differencesmade between workers from differ-ent sized employments when itcomes to paying income tax.

PAYE workers are treated equallyregardless of the size of the employ-ments they work in. The sameshould apply to health and safety.

This is an issue that should bebrought to the attention of all politi-cians – workers’ safety and health isnot a luxury, it is a human right anda necessity.

European Commission seems intenton minimising safety and health regulation for the SME sector

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A unique opportunity for women from minority ethnic communities to come together to explore the gender perspective of racism. This conference will provide a space for women from a wide range of

backgrounds and other relevant stakeholders, to share their speci�c experiences of sexism and racism and to generate ideas and commitments to work together towards equality and integration.

RSVP by 18th Sept to enarireland@gmail.com or call 01 8897110 ref: ‘Women’s Conference’ Some childcare support may be available. If you require support, please let us know asap. Check out our website,

www.enarireland.org

DIVERSE VOICES OF WOMEN TODAY

Tuesday 2 October 2012 in Wood Quay Venue,Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8 at 10.30am-4pm

BREAKING THE SILENCE ON RACISM

This project is co-financed by the European Commission under the European Integration Fund and is supported by the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration in the Department of Justice and Equality and Pobal

DIVERSE VOICES OF WOMEN TODAY

A unique opportunity for women from minority ethnic communities to come together to explore the gender perspective of racism. This conference will provide a space for women from a wide range of back-grounds and other relevant stakeholders, to share their speci�c experiences of sexism and racism and to generate ideas and commitments to work together towards equality and integration.

Speakers include: Fakhra Salimi - Director of the MiRA Resource Centre for Black, Immigrant and Refugee Women, Oslo

Anastasia Crickley - Member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial DiscriminationMariaam Bhatti - Domestic Workers Action Group, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

Monica Makulova - Roma Project, Pavee Point Travellers CentreMaria Joyce - National Traveller Women’s Forum

Nobule Ncube – AkidwaWelcome address by Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Under-Secretary- General of the United Nations

and Executive Director of UN Women (by video link up)

RSVP by 18th Sept to enarireland@gmail.com or call 01 8897110 ref: ‘Women’s Conference’ Some childcare support may be available. If you require support, please let us know asap.

Check out our website, www.enarireland.org

Tuesday 2 october 2012 in Wood Quay Venue,Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8 at 10.30am-4pm

BREAKING THE SILENCE ON RACISM

This project is co-�nanced by the European Commission under the European Integration Fund and is supported by the O�ce for the Promotion of Migrant Integration in the Department of Justice and Equality and Pobal

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

27Mother Jones

By Ger O’Mahony

FESTIVAL honouringMother Jones, anIrish-born icon of thetrade union move-

ment in the US, has beenhailed an outstanding success.

A series of well-attended lectures,films, history tours and gigs wereheld in the place of her birth –Shandon in the city of Cork –between 31st July and 2nd August.

These included a special event atthe local North Chapel on 1stAugust – to mark the 175th anniver-sary of her baptism there.

Filmmaker Rosemary Feurer’sdocumentary The Most DangerousWoman in America on MotherJones, born Mary Harris in 1837, wasscreened on three separate occa-sions such was the demand.

The festival featured a series ofconcerts featuring the likes of theCork Singers Club as well as musi-cians Two Time Polka, Hank Wedeland Andy Irvine.

New tribute songs were alsopenned by Richard Cooke and Teresa

McCarthy for the festival.A large crowd also attended the

inaugural Mother Jones lectures atthe Firkin Crane theatre.

Opening the event, SIPTU GeneralSecretary Joe O’Flynn praised theorganising committee and askedwhy such a “powerful, determinedand courageous leader of workersand social interest campaigns” wasnot more widely honoured “in ourschools and throughout Irish society”.

Professor Elliott Gorn, biographer ofMother Jones, listed the achievementsof the trade unionist once dubbed“the most dangerous woman inAmerica”.

He asked the audience: “Who wasmore silenced in early 20th CenturyAmerica than this elderly immigrantwidow?”

Gorn quoted writer Upton Sinclair’sfamous description of Mother Jones:“All over the country she had roamedand wherever she went, the flame ofprotest had leaped up in the hearts ofmen, her story was a veritableOdyssey of revolt.” Marat Moore, afounder member of a group called the

Mother Jones Festival success

Daughters of Mother Jones, claimed anew chapter in the history of MotherJones was being written “where it allbegan for Mary Harris… in Cork”.

She pointed out that it had “trig-gered much creative work”, addingthat Mother Jones’ legacy had beenlinked to “the Occupy movement andcurrent economic and union strug-gles”.

Highlight of the festival was the 1stAugust unveiling of a plaque in herhonour on John Redmond Street, nearthe old Butter Market and under the

bells of Shandon, where Mary Harrisspent her childhood years. Jim Nolanand Ted Tynan, of the Cork MotherJones Committee, unveiled the plaqueat the ceremony with music by thelocal Butter Exchange band.

The plaque, commissioned fromMick Wilkins in the Cork SculptureFactory, contains the followinginscription: “Mary Harris 1837-1930,known as Mother Jones, campaignerfor workers’ rights, opponent of childlabour, champion of Americanmineworkers was born on the north

side of Cork and baptised at the near-by North Cathedral on 1st August1837. Pray for the dead and fight likehell for the living.” Cork had indeedwelcomed home her most famous andmost relevant rebel daughter,

A ‘Spirit of Mother Jones’ festival,featuring discussions, talks, plays,music and singing, will run from 30thJuly to 1st August in Shandon nextyear.

All trade unionists, families andfriends are most welcome..

A US union legend Mother Jones,above, and, inset left, plaqueunveiled in her native city of Cork

Audience at screening of Mother Jones documentary

Mother Jones biographer Elliott Gorn

Folk musician Andy Irvine

Picture: CC Library of Congress

Joe O’Flynn

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

28

TURN OFF THE RED LIGHT - Target the kerb crawlers pimpsOU may have read orseen recent mediacoverage about theTurn Off the RedLight campaign

which is seeking to endexploitation and sex traf-ficking by making it illegalto pay for sex.

The campaign is a group of 57organisations, including SIPTU,which wants the law changed totarget those who buy sex ratherthan victimising women forced towork under constant threats,abuse and violence.

Together our partners have acombined membership of 1.6 mil-lion people representing everypart of Irish life, including doc-tors, nurses, technicians, publicservants, young farmers, humanrights campaigners, survivors ofprostitution, victim support net-works and many others.

We have been greatly encour-aged by SIPTU members, whohave not just joined us as a groupbut as individuals and haveemailed TDs, senators and coun-cillors seeking their support for achange in the law.

The campaign is fully partici-pating in a public consultation

process announced by theGovernment over the summerand we have made a written sub-mission to the Dáil JusticeCommittee highlighting that cur-rent laws have failed and seekingchange.

Our research shows that 1,000women a day are selling sexthrough the internet in Irelandand up to 90% are doing soagainst their will.

Those who oppose us point tothe legalised brothels of Holland.They don't tell you thatAmsterdam is a hub for humantrafficking – there are as manyillegal brothels as there are legal

ones and half of those which arelicensed are run by convictedcriminals. In fact, the Dutchadmit they have failed.

To put it simply, whetherlicensed or not, pimps will neverbe good bosses and to ask us tobelieve that making brothels legalwill overnight turn them intomodel employers is a myth.

What we advocate is anapproach similar to that taken inSweden a decade ago. There, pay-ments for sex were made illegaland since then on-street prostitu-tion has halved at a time whenthe industry is surging in othercountries. More importantly is

the change in mindset; researchshows young Swedes reject thenotion of paying for sex.

Over the coming weeks we willcontinue our campaign. We willat times again be asking membersof SIPTU to make their voicesheard and hope that we can againrely on your support.

The opportunity to bring aboutreal change has arrived. If we letit slip by now then it may not re-occur for decades. Thanks foryour support to date, and staywith us so that together we willfinally Turn Off the Red Light.

Denise Charlton is Chief Executive of the Immigrant Council of Ireland

By Denise Charlton

Y

Turn Off the Red Light

SIPTU in call for government action toprotect undocumented migrant workers

IPTU has called onthe Governmentto protect vulner-able workers whohave become

undocumented throughno fault of their own.

The SIPTU GeneralPresident, Jack O’Connor, saidthat he was “shocked andappalled” at the High Courtdecision in late August thatrestaurant workerMuhammad Younnis is notentitled to a €91,000 awardmade by an EmploymentRights Officer.

The award was granted afterYounnis was found to haveworked up to 77 hours a weekfor seven years for less thanthe minimum wage in thePoppadom restaurant,Newlands Cross, Dublin. TheHigh Court found thatYounnis’s contract was invalidbecause his employer, AmjadHussein, had failed to renewhis work permit.

In his High Court ruling,Judge Gerard Hogan foundthat the Employment PermitsAct (2003) prohibited a non-national from being employedwithout an employment per-

mit and the Oireachtas haddeclared that a contract ofemployment involving a non-national was substantivelyillegal in the absence of a per-mit.

The ruling states that theLabour Court could not law-fully entertain an applicationfor relief in respect of anemployment contract that wassubstantively illegal and forthis reason its decisions couldnot be allowed to stand.

Jack O’Connor added: “I amcalling on the Government toaddress this lacuna in the lawimmediately.

“While I have no doubt thatMr Younnis and his legal advi-sors will be studying the deci-sion very carefully with a viewto an appeal, this is far toourgent a case and its conse-quences far too wide rangingto be long fingered in thecourts.

“Given the speed and ruth-lessness demonstrated bysome irresponsible Irishemployers in the past, we arein danger of becoming a havenfor even more widespreadexploitation of vulnerablemigrant workers.”Muhammad Younnis

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MRC

I S

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

29International

Our country is NOT for sale...

HE 2009 Oxfamreport, Mining andSustainable Develop-ment in Central

America, lays bare the conflict over mining in theregion.

On the one hand, metallic mininghas delivered healthy profits forhuge corporations such as Goldcorpand Metallic Rim.

But the effects of pollution andcontamination, as well the meagreeconomic benefit to localeconomies, have been a source ofgreat controversy and led to massivecivil mobilisation against metallicmining in Guatemala, Honduras andNicaragua.

Despite the international boom ingolds and metals, the benefit of min-ing these commodities to localeconomies is negligible.

For example, mining representsonly 0.5% of GDP in Guatemala. Theauthor of the Oxfam report con-cludes that gold and metallic miningcan never deliver sustainable eco-nomic growth to Central America.

In 2006, Guatemala’s deputy min-ing minister observed that “localopposition has reduced the numberof licences for metal exploration inthe country from 740 to 315 just inthe past two years.”

Honduras is close to imposing anoutright ban on mining, despite sig-nificant opposition from mininginterests.

El Salvador, the smallest republicin Central America, has so far almostentirely resisted gold and metallicmining. This is largely a conse-quence of the work of the nationalroundtable against mining, thealliance of El Salvadoran civil societyorganisations and its allies in theNorth America and Canada.

Alejandro Labrador works full-time for the No to Metallic Mining ElSalvador group.

The group’s slogan is “El Salvadoris not for sale. El Slavador will bedefended”.

He told Liberty: "We are veryproactive in educating people in fullabout the dangers of metallic miningfor El Salvador.

“We visit the communities whowill be affected. Yes, the miningcompanies do too. But we expose infull the damage that can be done.

“We try and build as big a localcoalition as possible against miningand do it before the mining compa-nies do so.“

US-born Jean Morill, who worksfor the National Roundtable againstMetallic Mining in San Salvador,said: “The mining companies willtell local communities, which oftenhave high levels of poverty andunemployment, that mines will

T By Paul Dillon

bring countless jobs and economicbenefits.

“At the same time, they will givemoney to key individuals in thecommunities to try and win overallies.”

On the day I spent with Alejandro,Jean and their colleagues, I visitedthe tiny village of Sociedad, in north-ern El Salvador.

The anti-mining campaignersorganised a meeting for local school-children and teachers.

The platform of speakers was rep-

Mining information:Major Vasquez of theFMLN with anti-miningcampaigner AlejandroLabrador after theyspoke at a meeting inthe village of Sociedad

El Salvador tells mining corps:

resentative of the national anti-min-ing movement. It included a localpriest (the Catholic Church is officially against mining) MajorOmar Antonio Lazo Vásquez fromthe leftist FMLN, and anotheractivist who has researched thepotential effects of metallic miningin the area. A large potential threat,however, looms from the outside.

This comes from a lawsuit againstthe government of El Salvador takenby the Canadian mining multina-tional Pacific Rim which was granteda licence to conduct feasibility inves-tigations in rural Cabanas in thenorth of El Salvador, but was refuseda licence to mine.

The Central American Free TradeAgreement (CAFTA) represents a fur-ther threat.

Peadar Kirby, who has writtenwidely on development in LatinAmerica, told Liberty: “The CAFTAwas pushed on central America byPresident Bush.

“It has not been reversed byObama, [which] is about as progres-sive a regime as can be expected inthe US.

“It puts under pressure anyprogress made by social movementsin protecting resources, as it offersthe possibility that a country canjust be opened up, regardless of thewill of elected governments.”

‘We expose in full the damage thatcan be done[by mining]...We try andbuild as big a coalition as possibleagainst it’

HETAC Certificate Course

in Business Studies

(Trade Union Studies)

Evening Programme

2012 - 2014

Further information may be obtained

from any SIPTU Office or from:

Sylvester Cronin, Acting Head of SIPTU College,

563 South Circular Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.

E-mail: college@siptu.ie

Website: www.siptu.ie

Tel: 01—4530199

The Certificate in Business Studies (Trade Union Studies) is a

modular programme with modules generally delivered in

sequence rather than contemporaneously. This course has been

developed in partnership with the National College of Ireland.

The Programme has been developed for learners who are trade

union members and activists. The primary target consists of

members of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Congress). All

participants will be mature adults with experience of trade union

issues.

Individually and collectively, the candidates may have significant

prior learning. The modules of the course will be delivered on a

consecutive basis of one class per week for ten weeks presented

within a fifteen month period.

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Education &Development

SupportScheme

Members in Further EducationThe scheme will offer up to ten awards each year.

Second-Level Awards for Members and for Members’ ChildrenUp to thirty awards will be made each year to second-level students to cover the senior cycle (the two years up to the Leaving Certificate).

Gaeltacht Awards for Members’ ChildrenUp to twenty-five awards will be made each year for the children of members to cover the cost of their participation (accommodation and tuition fees) in a Gaeltacht course under the scheme operated jointly by SIPTU and Gael Linn.

A member, applying on his/her own behalf or on behalf of his/her child/children, must have at least one year’s membership of the Union and be in benefit when both the application and the payments are made.

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

30 Membership Services

FintanLane

An Agreement for union recognition was signed with the Railway Procurement Agency on 26th July. Thephoto shows from left Alison O’Kelly, Human Resources, SIPTU Organiser Jane Boushell, Ger Hannon, Directorof Corporate Services and Vishal Choudary Chintapalli, Secretary of the Union Committee.

SIPTU Membership ServicesOffering Great Value forMoney for SIPTU MembersCall 1890 300 745or log on to www.siptu.jltonline.ie

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JLT Ireland is the appointedCo-ordinator of SIPTUMembership Services.

“SIPTU MembershipServices offers members andtheir family’s access to greatsavings and benefits across awide range of products andservices,” says JLT DirectorTony Burke.

“We are delighted to workwith SIPTU and will continueto strive to enhance our prod-ucts and offerings and providecompetitive savings to SIPTUmembers.”

JLT Ireland continues tooffer great value for SIPTUmembers and their familieson their home insurance withexclusive discounts and awide range of benefits includ-ing accidental damage cover asstandard.

JLT Ireland also providesmembers with competitive carinsurance with a €50 discountoff their premium at renewal.

The company recognises theneed to look after first-timeand new drivers with theirYoung Drivers policy whichcovers both full and provision-al licence holders and thesepolicies are open to bothSIPTU members and their

family members.Earlier this year, JLT Ireland

launched an income protec-tion group scheme for mem-bers in the Ambulance Sector.

An income protection planis a simple, tax efficient coverthat aims to protect yourincome in the event of long-term illness or disability. Fulldetails of the scheme are avail-able on www.siptu.ie

Among the most recentadditions to the wide range ofoffers available to SIPTU mem-bers is interest free monthlyinstalments and FreeJourneywise PersonalAccident cover, up to €26,000,for anyone insured on a OneDirect Car Insurance policy.

These extra benefits are inaddition to the many otherfeatures of a One Direct policy,which include a 20% discountif all drivers are penalty pointfree and hold an Irish drivinglicence, and 24 HourBreakdown Rescue Cover asstandard

One Direct BusinessDevelopment Manager, AlisonHennessy, told Liberty: “OneDirect is committed to work-ing with SIPTU members toensure they receive the bestdeals possible when seekinginsurance products. We striveto make it easier for you to dobusiness with us”.

On travel insurance SIPTUmembers can avail of quick-cover.ie single trip travelinsurance from €9.66.Quickcover.ie also providesgreat value family worldwideannual travel from €69.30including "winter sports,

scuba diving, golf and manyother recreational activities."

Family worldwide travelcovers trips of up to 45 dayswith an option to be increasedto 60 days. Backpackers travelpolicies are also available onvery competitive terms.

The quickcover.ie website iseasy to navigate and one ofthe best and cheapest ways toarrange travel insurance.

The newest addition to theSIPTU Membership Servicesrange of products is VhiHealthcare. Vhi Healthcare isdelighted to become part ofSIPTU Membership Services,and with more than 1.2 mil-lion customers nationwide isIreland’s leading privatehealth insurer.

“Vhi Healthcare operates ona not-for-profit basis solely forthe benefit of its customers,using its premium income toprovide customers with accessto the most modern andappropriate healthcare avail-able today”, says VhiHealthcare BusinessDevelopment Manager, TrevorMontgomery.

Vhi can offer SIPTU mem-bers the widest range ofhealthcare plans availablewith cover for hospital care,day-to-day benefits, employeeassistance products, dentalproducts brought to you bydentalcover.ie, urgent careclinics for treatment of minorinjuries, hospital-in-the-homeservices, 24-hour supportfrom qualified nurses andmuch more.

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At the TASC education seminar ‘Sharing Experiences of Education Reform and its Challenges between the Nordiccountries and Ireland’ in September.

Pictured from left; Noel Ward, Deputy General Secretary, INTO; Sally Maguire, Vice President , ASTI; Minister forEducation and Skills, Ruairi Quinn; Dr Nat O’Connor, Director, TASC.

The seminar was told that Nordic countries have developed sustainable and high performing education systemslargely because they are based on strongly articulated values of equality, democracy and Bildung - a consciousattention to the formation of young people as part of a collective responsibility by society.

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

31International

THE Tánaiste and Minister forForeign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore,right, has welcomed the recentannouncement of peace talks toresolve the long-running conflict inColombia.

On 27th August Colombian presi-dent Juan Manuel Santos confirmedmedia reports that the Colombiangovernment and the RevolutionaryArmed Forces of Colombia (FARC)had started preliminary peace talksin Havana, Cuba.

He also confirmed that the govern-ment and FARC have signed anagreement to begin negotiations ona six-point agenda in October.

The Norwegian, Venezuelan andCuban governments have assistedexploratory talks and discussionswill begin officially in Oslo onOctober 5th, before returning toHavana.

It is also suggested that anotherguerrilla movement, the National

Liberation Army (ELN), will join thenegotiations. Colombian civil socie-ty organisations have welcomed thetalks while highlighting the need forincreased international vigilanceand support to ensure the negotia-tions succeed.

Gilmore welcomed the initiativeduring a recent meeting with a dele-gation from campaign group Justicefor Colombia (JLC Ire), led by JLC andSIPTU President Jack O’Connor.

As if to confirm the fragile natureof the peace process, it was reportedthat Andres Gil, a nationalspokesperson for ‘The PatrioticMarch’ movement, was illegallydetained at Bogota airport on 13thSeptember.

He was about to depart on aEuropean tour along with other lead-ers of the growing progressive move-ment that mobilised tens of thou-sands on to the streets of Bogota in amarch for peace and justice earlier

this year. The arrests are seen aspart of a growing persecution againstactivists in the new political move-ment which brings together indige-nous, peasant, trade union andother civil society organisations.

More seriously, in August, ClaudioEsterilla, the Afro-Caribbean leaderof the Committee for theDevelopment of the BlackCommunity for his region, was dis-covered with a serious head woundafter being shot in the municipalityof Santiago de Cali.

He was taken to hospital and iscurrently being treated in intensivecare.

Death threats, attacks and intimi-dation of local people have becomeincreasingly frequent over thecourse of 2012.

Noting the long and difficult roadahead, Eamon Gilmore confirmed tothe JFC delegation that Colombiawould become a priority issue for

his department – given the signifi-cant human rights issues at the heartof the conflict. As a starting point, hesaid he was committed to requestinga full report on the current politicaland human rights situation inColombia from the Irish consulate inMexico.

He also suggested that UniversalPeriodic Review of Colombia – beingconducted by the UN Human RightsCouncil next year – would presentanother forum for keeping the con-flict high on the international agen-da.

Meanwhile, JFC (Ire) hasannounced the latest of its cam-paigns calling for the release of jailedColombian trade union activists.

Omar Alfonso Combita – a teacherand activist trade unionist – hasbeen detained since October 2011without being convicted of anycrime. Full details will be availableon www.ictu.ie/globalsolidarity

HE unjust imprison-ment in the US of theCuban Five was high-lighted in Septemberby the visit to Irelandof Magali Llort and

Dr. Haymel Estinosa.Magali Llort is the mother of

Cuban Five member, FernandoGonzalez. Haymel Estinosa is thedaughter of an airline pilot killedin a terrorist attack planned in theUS by one of the men the CubanFive were monitoring in Miamiwhen they were arrested.

Magali Llort has been involvedin the international campaign tofree the Cuban Five since theywere arrested in Miami in 1998.Her son, Fernando Gonzalez hasserved almost 14 years of a lifesentence imposed on him formonitoring the movements andintentions of Cuban terroristsbased in Miami, among them wasOrlando Bosch – a self-professedorganizer of a campaign of bomb-ings of Cuban civilian targets.

“My son, together with AntonioGuerrero, Ramon Labanino, ReneGonzalez and Gerardo Hernandezgave up everything they had tofight the scourge of terrorism. Inever realised or imagined thatmy son was involved in defendinghis country and saving lives untilthe day he was arrested. As far as Iknew he had gone to Miami towork as an economist.

“All five men were arrested onthe same day, 12th September1998, at the same time in differ-ent locations in Miami and takenin for questioning. The FBI firstattempted to get the men tobecome traitors to their countryand start working for them. Whenthey realised the men would notdo this they initially charged three

of them, including Fernando, withnot having the correct visas.”

Following his conviction, onDecember 18, 2001 Fernando wassentenced to 19 years of imprison-ment for on charges of GeneralConspiracy, Conspiracy to act as anon-registered foreign agent and

using a False Identity.Magali said: “He has been

moved on several occasions toprisons in different States in theUS. It is very difficult for familymembers to see him. We are cur-

rently trying to win his freedomin the US courts with new evi-dence that has emerged showinghow the US Government wasinvolved in paying journalists tohype up this case and have themen convicted.

“I just live in hope that I am

alive to see my son free again.”Dr. Haymel Espinosa Gomez is

the daughter of the co-pilot ofCubana Airlines Flight 455 whichwas blown up just after take offfrom Caracas Airport, Venezuela,

in September 1976. The bombing resulted in the

deaths of all 73 people onboard.The bombing was the work of USbased Cuban terrorists amongthem, Orlando Bosch.

Bosch was arrested in Caracas inOctober 1976, and held for nearly

four years while awaiting trial forhis role in the atrocity. He wasacquitted along with three co-defendants in September 1980,with the court finding that a bombhad brought down the flight but

that there was insufficient evi-dence to prove the defendantswere responsible.

“At 11.00 p.m. on 6th October,1976, my family was told myfather’s plane had been bombedand no one was left alive. The suf-fering of the families of the vic-tims of 9/11 is similar to ours, andwe’ve been suffering for morethan 30 years.

“Since 1959 more than 4,000Cuban citizens have lost theirlives due to terrorist attacks, all ofthis because the US cannot acceptthe Cuban people making theirown decisions. The attacks on ourcountry have also come in theform of chemical attacks on ouragriculture and our people. Theseincluded the introduction of atype of dengue fever to Cuba,which resulted in the deaths of101 children

“In the 1970s the terroristsbegan targeting Cubana Airlines.My father had survived attacks ontwo earlier occasions prior to thefatal one in Venezuela. In the1990s the terrorists began toattack tourist hotels in Cuba. Inone bombing, 15 years ago, anItalian tourist was killed.

“The groups that carried outthese attacks were formed inMiami by Cuban dissidents whooppose the Cuban people. Thesegroups have been aided by the US.Due to these attacks we have areason to defend ourselves andthat is what the Cuban Five weredoing.”

The visit was organised by theFree the Cuban Five CampaignIreland, and the two womenaddressed well-attended meetingsin Cork, Belfast, Derry, Galway andLiberty Hall in Dublin.

Cuban Five Campaign Comes to DublinT

Gilmore backs peace moves to end conflict in Colombia

EamonGilmore

Scott Millar reports

Magali Llort and HaymelEstinosa at a public meetingin Liberty Hall onWednesday 19th September

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LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

32 Book Review

HE author synopsis-es his case in onecompelling sen-tence – “this book

is about the politics of effi-ciency and fairness”.

Over 290 easily accessible pages,Joseph Stiglitz, provides an under-standing of what has happened tothe global economic system, inter-prets what is happening to it andoffers a vision of what he believesmust happen, if there is to be a sus-tainable future.

No-one can question his compe-tence. This Nobel Prize winner (inEconomic Sciences 2001) who iscurrently University Professor ofthe Columbia Business Schoolserved as Chairman of the USCouncil of Economic Advisorsunder President Bill Clinton andwent on to fill the role of seniorVice President and Chief Economistof the World Bank.

This book follows the now famil-iar pattern of his earlier work. Asalways it is pacey, devastatinglyinsightful and presented in popularstyle. However, the analysis is rig-orously thorough. The argumentsare marshalled with military preci-sion and reinforced by 651 detailed,densely typed notes and referencesto foil detractors and to facilitatefurther academic pursuit.

It focuses initially on the devas-tating consequences of the “GreatRecession” for middle and lowincome citizens, the young and civilsociety generally. Then it proceedsto dissect the labyrinthine relation-ship between economics and poli-tics that led to the crash.

It goes on to describe the way inwhich “those who created the crisiswalked away withmillions” at theexpense of society ingeneral and the mostvulnerable in particu-lar.

Then, and mostchillingly, it outlineshow the same peopleare still determiningthe response so that itreflects and protectstheir interests even atthe expense of jeopar-dising the prospects forsustainability.

However, the most compellingaspect is the critique of the conse-quences of inequality. Mostinsightful here is the elucidation ofthe economic implications in termsof unaffordable inefficiency andwaste. The work concludes with achapter outlining the author’s roadmap to stability, recovery and a sus-tainable future.

This book is no repudiation ofcapitalism, much less an endorse-ment of socialism. Adam Smith canrest easily in his grave. Indeed ifanything, it amounts to an appealthat Smith’s theories should betried out for a while.

T

According toStiglitz, the “invisi-ble hand” didn’thave much to dowith the collapseat all. Indeed, itdidn’t really get alook in as the get-

rich-quick brigade monopolised thelandscape.

Moreover, it has had even less todo with the response. That beingsaid, he is by no means mesmerisedby the myth of the markets.

While clearly no supporter of thedictatorship of the proletariat, he isnot an adherent of dictatorship ofthe market either. It is not the“invisible hand” he is concernedabout but the very visible hegemonyof corporate vested interests, espe-cially at the top of the financial serv-ices industry, singularly motivatedby unbridled greed.

The USA provides the central loca-

tion for the work. This book is pri-marily about that country butbecause it is the citadel of the Anglo-American neo-liberal model of capi-talism, which reigned unchallengedin the world until the fall ofLehmans in September 2008, it isabout civilisation as well.

Stiglitz questions how an econom-ic philosophy which has failed theempirical test of history nonethelesscontinues to determine the outlookof policy makers, academics andpoliticians alike. How is it that itcontinues to exercise its perniciousdominance over human endeavourafter taking us all to the precipice ofcatastrophe?

He clearly understands the reasonwhy. He takes us to the top of themountain so that we can see it forourselves.

The only reason why the failedeconomic orthodoxy still reignssupreme, for another while at least,

is because it coincides exactly withthe interests of the better off. Theyare identified as the 1% which hasmanaged to exercise hegemony overthe rest of humanity – the 99%.

The reader is taken on an educa-tional tour through the maze ofavenues, routes, devices and pas-sageways by which those at the topof the corporate pyramid shape gov-ernment to draft the rules in favourof themselves, thus exacerbatinginequality and the inefficient use ofresources.

Apart from blatant bribery, we areintroduced to the much more perva-sive phenomenon of ‘cognitive cap-ture’ and how it contaminates regu-latory authorities.

We receive a vivid demonstrationof the linkages between corporatecolonisation of academe, economicdominance in the financing of thecultivation of ideas and of their dis-semination through parallel hege-

mony in media ownership tosupremacy in the political arena,via political funding.

All of this, (including the trainingof economists), combines to culti-vate the “deliberative space inwhich ‘conventional wisdom’emerges”. All of it contributes tocondition society to interpret theconstraints, initiatives, ideas andpolicies which serve only to rein-force the wealth and power of thedominant minority as “commonsense”.

The work deplores “the degrada-tion of values to the point whereeverything is acceptable and no-one is accountable”

The Bank bailout is encapsulatedin Churchillian terms – “never inthe history of the planet had somany given so much to so few whoare so rich without asking anythingin return”.

Bubble era financial servicesindustry activity is characterised as“extortion camouflaged by credit”.The bogus concern about potentialinflation is understood for what itis – a preoccupation with the inter-ests of bondholders.

This author who predicted thedouble dip recession dismisses theausterity agenda that feeds thedownward spiral, calling insteadfor increasing aggregate demand –through re-distribution of wealth.Indeed, it is precisely in its insight-ful elucidation of the price ofinequality that this work triumphs.

Here malnourishment, stress andanxiety along with impairment ofliving are linked with loss of pro-ductivity and the long run perform-ance of the economy. The higherthe inequality – the lower thegrowth.

However, those of a Leninist veinwill come away disappointed. Thewriter comes not to slay the mar-ket, but to rescue it.

The concluding chapter outlinesa recipe for sustainability, whichenvisages a “balanced role betweenmarkets, the State and Civil Society– naturally evolved”. The elementsextend from effective regulation,through progressive taxation tohigh levels of intelligent publicinvestment, all underpinned by ahealthy, well -functioning democra-cy.

The only basis for criticism of thebook relates to the limited dis-course on how to bring it all about.

The 1% has signalled no inten-tion of allowing the meek to inher-it the earth. In this regard the sup-pression of trade unions fromrelentless excoriation to actualphysical repression is understoodin its proper context.

However, there is surely more tocome. This work is essential read-ing for all involved in the humanrace at this critical juncture in ourevolution. It leaves one eager formore.

Are you listening WallStreet? A National NursesUnited member makesher feelings clear at aunion demo in New Yorklast year

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Going for broke

“Never in the history of theplanet had so many given so much to so few who are so rich without asking anything in return”.

Nobel Prize winningeconomist Joseph Stiglitzdissects how the 1% have secured economichegemony over the other99% in his compellingnew book

JACK O’CONNOR reviews Joseph Stiglitz’s new book “The Price of Inequality” uncovering how and why the very people who brought us to the brink of catastrophe have now consolidated their grip on power and wealth

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“WHOEVER wrote ‘parting is suchsweet sorrow’ never worked in BurghQuay – it was an institution thatevoked fanatical loyalty.”

Con Houlihan had a fierce loyalty to theIrish Press. That loyalty was reflected in hislast article in The Xpress newspaper, pub-lished in 1995 by the NUJ chapel followingthe closure of the Irish Press group.

Under the heading “Parting is such deepsorrow...” Con spoke of his love for the Pressand of his pride in The Xpress.

He also summed up his belief in qualityjournalism.

He wrote: “I am old-fashioned enough tobelieve that there is still room for the Pressgroup, if under different titles.

“I believe in good journalism’s ability tosurvive – and in this concept I include hon-esty and imagination and bright writing.

“The Xpress news sheet produced out ofRoom 103 in Liberty Hall has exhibited thosevirtues consummately. Now I must confess Irisked my life for this little paper. In its firstweek, I was shanghaied to sell it on O’ConnellBridge. Now read on...

“It was raining in torments and a cold windwas coming up The Liffey.

“I got drenched and perished: I could forcethe headline over my obituary: DEATH OF ASALESMAN.

“After about half-an-hour I was struck by a

brilliant idea – I would do my vending in thepublic houses.

“And so I did – and I hereby thank the goodpeople of the Horse and Tram and the LiffeyBar and The Plough and The Flowing Tide andThe Sean O’Casey for their kindness and gen-erosity.

“There is still good in the Global Village wecall the world.

“And I hereby bid farewell to the gallant lit-tle vessel, The Xpress, another lovely shipthat has passed in the day. “

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

33

MICK Roche was a true sonof the Irish working class.

For more than 40 years, he servedthe trade union movement bothnationally and in his nativeWexford.

His sense of justice, fairness andhis deep belief in workers’ rightsreflected how he lived his whole life.

Mick worked with WexfordCorporation and Wexford CountyCouncil in Water Services and also asa retained fire fighter in Wexfordtown station.

He was a SIPTU activist in everyarea of his working life.

As the Chair of the County Section

OBITUARY Mick Roche

Committee for the Fire Service, herepresented fire fighters not only inWexford but across the country atnational level.

He also led the longest strike inthe history of the Fire Service in themid-1990s – an action which lastedfor more than three months.

As a shop steward in both theCorporation and Council, he servedmembers at every level – locally,regionally and on the National LocalAuthority Committee as its ViceChair.

Mick served as a Trustee for manyyear in the Wexford Branch of theunion and represented SIPTU on the

Wexford Council of Trade Unionsand the People’s College.

Over the years he attended SIPTUDelegate Conferences and ICTU con-ferences

But not only did Mick serve hisown community and members buthe also had a deep concern for thosein other countries with no rights orquality of life.

Through the Trades Council hepassionately supported the ICTUGlobal Solidarity Campaign fightingagainst child labour, for trade unionrights in Cambodia and many othercampaigns against exploitationacross the world.

In the two weeks before his death,Mick was nominated to the union’sretired members national commit-tee, a position he took with relishonly to phone in his apologies to thefirst meeting as his illness took hold.

Mick will be long remembered bythose of us who were honoured toknow him, worked with him andfought alongside him.

There are many more who neverknew him but have and will benefitfrom his many efforts on behalf ofworkers of the world.

For his wife Carol, children andfamily, he has left a great and proudlegacy. Michael Wall.

Mick Roche:Deep belief inworkers’ rights

TRIBUTE Ann Ross

ANN Ross was a warm, loving personfull of life and vitality. Her untimelydeath after a long illness has left avoid in the lives of all who knew her.

A devoted family woman, her loss will befelt greatest by her loving husband, Martin,and her two children, Kevin and Christina.

Ann started working for the Irish Transport& General Workers Union in 1988 and hasbeen an integral part of the union in Kerryever since.

No task was too great or too small for Ann

and her pleasant personality made her a joy towork with.

Those that worked with her will give testa-ment to her outstanding contribution to theunion and its members in Kerry and beyond.

Her ability to organise the officials workingwith her in Kerry was second to none.

She was also a holder of an All-Ireland ladiesfootball medal as well as numerous Kerrycounty championship medals.

Her vitality during her long illness was aninspiration. She did everything to battle forlife. May she rest in peace. Andrew McCarthy

Devoted familywoman Annmade a greatcontribution toher union

Mick left a great and proud legacy

OBITUARY Con Houlihan

One of the greats of Irish journalism

EVERYONE has their own favouriteline from Con Houlihan...

Paddy Cullen retreating to the goal mouthduring the 1978 All-Ireland final “not unlike awoman who could smell something burningin her oven” was his most famous phrase butas Eoghan Corry pointed out in an EveningPress article there were plenty more – andbetter phrases – from the pen of the giftedKerryman. When Damon Hill came to live in

Dublin, Con called him ‘Damon an Chnoic’.When Dublin was considered a candidate

for division into two counties for GAA pur-poses, he declared: Hill 8?

“Someone who misplaced an apostrophewas capable of anything,” he declared onanother occasion.

And his secret. “I grew up speakingHiberno-English: English woven on a Gaelicloom.” Seamus Dooley.

To Con a phrase...Warmth and vitality that inspired all

Obituaries

By Tom O’Driscoll

HE first thing thatstruck me when Ientered St Pauli’sMillerntor Stadium

in Hamburg last Septemberwas a fluttering black bannerwith “Troy Davis RIP” embla-zoned on it in white.

Death Row prisoner Davis, whohad just been executed in the USstate of Georgia, had proclaimed hisinnocence to the end.

His cause was taken up by formerUS President Jimmy Carter,Archbishop Desmond Tutu, PopeBenedict XVI, Amnesty International– and the fans of St Pauli.

It was easy to see why St Pauli has

been labelled the most left-wing clubin the world. In the working classHamburg port area of St Pauli, situat-ed at the end of the world famousReeeperbahn, you’ll find the creak-ing and proudly dated MillerntorStadion.

It stands defiantly in mock hom-age to St Pauli’s fierce city rivals,Hamburg SV – a club that comesfrom an altogether different tradi-tion of conformity, staidness, bigmoney and flashy stadium.

Think of it more in the line ofDalymount than the Pringle (Aviva).

The fans are somewhat differentas well. In the 1980s, the strugglingclub was adopted by squatters, anar-chists, sex workers, students and

punks and has been struggling glori-ously ever since though crowds haveincreased from an average of 1,800to 20,000 sell outs.

The club was the firstin the world to banneo-nazi activity andregalia in the 1980sand is proudly anti-sexist and anti-homophobic.

St Pauli fansrecently protested atthe building of fencesaround a local bridge.

This fencing was put up to denyhomeless people places to sleepunder the bridge. The campaign wasa success and the fencing was

removed. Don’t be expecting similarcampaigns to emanate from OldTrafford or Anfield anytime soon.

The flag of St Pauli – the skulland crossbones – flies from

every shop, street cornerand pub in the districtbefore matches.

It was originallybrought from squatsby fans near the docks

but is now seen as asymbol of the St Pauli

pirates fighting against therich – such as Hamburg SV!

Presently playing in the 2.Bundesliga, after three separatespells in the Bundesliga proper, cupsat St Pauli may still only be found in

the canteen – but they are still ableto attract an estimated worldwidefanbase of 11 million.

Each fan is committed to a clubthat plays in a resplendent brownkit. It is an appropriate colour per-haps for a club that plays like crapsome of the time but also for a teamthat stands for difference, toleranceand greatness all of the time.

St Pauli fans have close ties withCeltic and Halpoel Tel Aviv.

St Pauli’s fan club in Dublin meetfor games in Murrays pub onO’Connell St and St Pauli gear can bebought at the Casa Rebelde inTemple Bar where you can buy“clothing for the discerning footballfan and revolutionary”.

T

St Pauli, Hamburg

PLAYING N THE LEFT

St Pauli has a committed fanbase that has embraced theclub’s traditional brand of progressive politics

Progressive clubs in world football

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

34 Sport

SAINTS BE PRAISED!

LibertyCrossword Across

7 Fiddle (6)8 Genuine (6)9 Baker's dozen? (4)10 Put beneath a carpet (8)11 A type of camera (7)13 Mary Harris's more famous second name (5)15 City in which the Cuban Five were arrested? (5)16 The western world had one (7)18 In Gaelic football you are allowed to use to block an opponent (8)19 Party which James Connolly helped establish in 1896 (4)21 Recovering from flight (3,3)22 Brehon law for Muslims (6)

Down1 Vice President of SIPTU (4)2 Gross irreverance towards God or the Gods (13)3 Come out once a year (7)4 Praised the cheiftains of old Ireland (5)5 Conforming to a set type (13)6 Capital of Bosnia (8)12 Surrounds the Isle of Mann (5,3)14 One who sells flowers (7)17 "Haste makes waste," e.g. (5)20 Drops from the sky (4)

*Correctly fill in the crosswordto reveal the hidden word, contained by reading the letters in the shaded squares from top to bottom. Email thehidden word to communica-tionsdepartment@siptu.ie orpost to Communications Dept.,Liberty Hall, Dublin1 alongwith your name and addressand you will to be entered intoa prize draw to win two nights for two people in one ofIreland’s Fair Hotels.

The winner of the crosswordquiz will be published in thenext issue of Liberty.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Last month’s crossword winner was: Patrick Fagan,Tallaght, Dublin 24

LibertySEPTEMBER 2012

35

IT IS a tense time at the IrishStar, where 80 workers areawaiting the next move by publisher Richard Desmond inhis battle with IndependentNews and Media.

Desmond, whose exotic media port-folio includes Asian Babes and the Red

Hot adult channel, took exception tothe decision of The Star to publish top-less pictures of the Duchess ofCambridge.

As the publisher of Ok! magazine,Desmond has form when it comes tomedia intrusion but he has neverbefore objected to the independenteditorial stance of his Irish invest-

ment.INM, the co-owners also dis-agreed with the decision to publishthe tasteless pics , but for once theIndo's response was measured.

Editor Michael O’Kane was sus-pended pending an investigation. Whoexactly will carry out that exercise isunclear.

It is difficult to believe that

Desmond is entirely motivated by con-cern for taste and decency.

With the Leveson report due shortly,he has an eye on his UK reputationand there are even those who thinkthat the magnate has his eye on aknighthood.

A Knight of the Garter perhaps?

Desmond eyes up that garter!Pi

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RichardDesmond

REMEMBER the old nurseryrhyme about the merry-go-round?

“The merry-go-round goes'round and 'round,

The children laughed andlaughed and laughed,

So many were going 'round and'round,

That the merry-go-round col-lapsed.”

It was a bit like that on Newstalkrecently when Mark Colemanwheeled out the usual suspects fora discussion on the proposed refer-endum on children’s rights.

John Waters was on the phonewarning about the State interven-ing in family life while in studiolawyer Marie Steen of the IonaInstitute got an easy ride fromColeman, who is chairman of anideologically-driven group calledthe National Forum.

There were others on the paneltoo, including Labour councillorRichard Humphreys and NUJ IrishSecretary Séamus Dooley but thepièce de résistance was a phoneinterview with British Liberal MPJohn Hemmings.

Coleman introduced Hemmingsas being not just an MP but chair-man of a group set up to promotethe rights of the family, which Johnexplained were under great threatin Britain.

It was a dull introduction forsuch a colourful guest.

This is the same John Hemmingswho had a child with his personalassistant and (then) fellow council-lor Emily Cox.

He demonstrated his commit-ment to family values by stayingwith his wife and three childrenand voted for himself in a 'Love Ratof the Year' competition in the

News of the World.Mrs Hemmings forgave John,

explaining she had tolerated 26 orso other affairs, but was less chari-table towards Ms Cox.

In 2010, she appeared in courtcharged with stealing a cat thatbelonged to Ms Cox. She pleaded"not guilty" but after a three-daytrial at Birmingham Crown Court,she was found guilty and wasgiven a nine months suspendedjail sentence for burglary.

None of this came up in conver-sation as John warned againstthreats to family values.

Instead, Marc wondered whowould be funding the referendumcampaign in favour of a Children’sRights referendum, ironically hint-ing darkly at outside forces influ-encing an Irish referendum cam-paign.

Meow!

Newstalk’s family rights advocate has colourful pastJUDGE Mary Devinsreally needs to have agood look at herself.She had to issue twoapologies after hernasty little slur onPolish people inIreland.

While hearing of the caseagainst Enda Moylette, ofDerrycoorane, Island-eady,Castlebar, Co Mayo, for pub-lic order offences, JudgeConall Gibbons heard thatMoylette had called a door-man “a fat Polish fucker”.

Judge Gibbons adjournedthe case ordering Moyletteto pay €1,000 to a Polishcharity in lieu of a convic-tion and a fine. JudgeDevins was deputising forJudge Gibbons a week laterwhen the question arose aswhether there is a Polishcharity in Ireland.

"A Polish charity? There is.

It’s called the social wel-fare," she quipped, provok-ing a storm of protest. Shewas forced to issue an apolo-gy in which she foolishlysought to put her remarks incontext.

The half-hearted apologywas followed by a second,more generous apology afterstrong protests from thePolish Forum in Ireland.

SIPTU’S Barnaba Dordasaid the judge’s commentsmade his "blood boil" point-ing out that having paidtheir taxes and PRSI Polishworkers who lose their jobsare entitled to social wel-fare.

With District Judges re-enforcing stereotypes it isno wonder racism remains aproblem. As for the door-man. He was a man goingabout his work. As it hap-pens he was Irish and asundeserving of the abuse asthe Polish community.

Sorry the hardest word

LookLeft – progressive news, views and solutionsOn sale in Easons Stores and selected news-agents throughout Ireland, only €2/£1.50

Taking Liberties

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