News Archive 2012

Report charts future of oil and gas exploration

16 May 2012

Some radical proposals to reform Ireland’s oil and gas fiscal and licensing regime have been proposed by an Oireachtas committee, including recommendations made by SIPTU last Autumn.
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SIPTU recovers nearly €2 million for workers

15 May 2012

SIPTU is the largest single user of Ireland’s employment rights bodies – and has won almost €2 million in settlements for members since the start of the year. The figures were revealed by the union’s Membership Information and Support Centre (MISC) which advises and represents individual SIPTU members in disputes with employers.
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Former H.W. Wilson workers protest tomorrow

14 May 2012

Former H.W. Wilson workers will hold a protest on Tuesday, 14th May, outside Clontarf Castle Hotel and the Dáil.   
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Congress urges the Government to back Hollande

11 May 2012

Congress General Secretary David Begg said on Friday, 11th May, that the Government could delay ratification of the Fiscal Compact Treaty - if passed - and urged them to stand "four square behind Francois Hollande" to ensure there is a new growth strategy for Europe In an address to the Communications Workers' Union (CWU) conference in Galway, Begg said elections in Greece and the victory of Francois Hollande in France meant "the tectonic plates have shifted again" in Europe.
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Irish Cement workers protest at CRH Group AGM in Dun Laoghaire

09 May 2012

Irish Cement workers held a successful protest outside the CRH Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, on Wednesday, 9th May, as part of their campaign to secure monies which are owed to them. The workers, from the Irish Cement Ltd production plants in Castlemungret, Co. Limerick and Platin, Co. Meath, are in their sixth week of strike action. Irish Cement Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of CRH.
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Lagan Brick workers march in Belfast on May Day

08 May 2012

Lagan Brick workers from the manufacturing plant in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, participated in the May Day march in Belfast on Saturday (5th May) as part of their long running campaign to secure established redundancy terms. SIPTU Organiser John Regan said; “The workers have been in dispute with the company for more than 140 days. They believe a just settlement is possible but have met with a complete refusal by the company’s owners to enter a meaningful negotiation process.”
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Lagan Brick workers to march in Belfast on May Day

03 May 2012

Lagan Brick workers from the company’s manufacturing plant in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, will be participating in the May Day march in Belfast on Saturday (5th May) as part of their long running campaign to secure established redundancy terms. SIPTU Organiser John Regan said; “The workers have been in dispute with the company for more than 140 days. They believe a just settlement is possible but have met with a complete refusal by the company’s owners to enter a meaningful negotiation process.
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Up to 1,000 attend May Day march in Dublin

02 May 2012

Trade unions, community groups and political parties were all represented in the May Day march in Dublin on Tuesday, 1st March.
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The roots of May Day

01 May 2012

Background to May Day: In 1884, unions declared that eight hours would constitute a legal day’s work from and after 1st May, 1886. When workers went on strike at a factory in Chicago on 3rd May, 1886, police fired into the peacefully assembled crowd, killing four and wounding many others.
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Domestic workers launch Week of Action

01 May 2012

To mark International Labour Day the Domestic Workers Action Group (DWAG)has launched a week of action from Tuesday, 1st May 1st, to Tuesday, 7th May. The DWAG is calling on the Government to establish more robust laws and regulations to prevent exploitation and to protect vulnerable workers whose rights have been grossly violated.
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Global expert on ‘insecure work’ to speak in Liberty Hall

30 April 2012

A noted expert on the growth of insecure and precarious work will give a public talk in Dublin's Liberty Hall today (30th April), as part of the 2012 May Day Festival. Guy Standing - Professor of Economic Security at the University of Bath - is the author of The Precariat (Bloomsbury 2011), a study of the growth and spread of insecure forms of work and the likely consequences for wider society.
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Speaking out on health and safety 'will save lives'

27 April 2012

Congress General Secretary David Begg is to call for greater support for people who ‘speak out’ about dangers at work, thereby helping to save lives and prevent injuries through accidents.
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SIPTU Better Health Care, Better Jobs campaign to hold meetings in the Midlands

26 April 2012

The SIPTU Better Health Care, Better Jobs campaign is holding meetings in the Midlands during May and is calling on members to attend the protest march in support of Abbeyliex District Hospital on Sunday, 29th April.
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Congress Executive Council not to issue recommendation on the Fiscal Compact referendum

25 April 2012

The Executive Council of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will not issue any recommendation on the forthcoming referendum on the Fiscal Compact, it was decided on Wednesday, 25th April. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Executive Council at which the issue was discussed and debated.
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IPSG Announces ZeBBie Awards Short-list

24 April 2012

The Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild (IPSG) has announced the short-list of nominees for the 2012 ZeBBie Awards to recognise excellence in writing for the stage, screen, and radio.
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Strike action at Musgraves in Cork continues

24 April 2012

SIPTU members in the Musgrave Group are continuing their strike action at the company’s warehouse in Cork in a dispute concerning changes to their conditions of employment. The industrial action, which began on 18th April, involves approximately 135 salaried staff members withdrawing their labour at the Cork Chill warehouse.
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Claiming Our Future – Reinventing Our Democracy

23 April 2012

Claiming Our Future is hosting a major meeting in Croke Park on Saturday, 26th May, as part of the movement’s series of events focused on the progressive development of Irish society. At the Croke Park event individuals and organizations from the full breadth of civil society will explore new ideas on democracy and share their thinking with each other on the topic of “Reinventing Our Democracy.”
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SIPTU calls for discussions to avert job losses at Shanakiel Hospital in Cork

23 April 2012

SIPTU has called on the management of Shanakiel Hospital in Sundays Well, Cork, to confirm its willingness to attend a meeting of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) on Thursday, 26th April, to discuss proposed redundancies at the private healthcare facility.
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Global unions push to get Rio Tinto off the Olympic podium

19 April 2012

Mining, metal and transport workers’ unions from around the world are campaigning to stop mining multinational Rio Tinto supplying the gold, silver and bronze for medals at the London Olympics in June. Unions protesting at the Rio Tinto AnnualGeneral Meeting in London today demanded that Rio Tinto “Get Off the Olympic Podium”, at the same time as unions attending an international conference in Sydney,Australia resolved to mount a global campaign against the company.
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Labour Party Conference Supports Regularisation of Undocumented Migrants

16 April 2012

The Migrants Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) and SIPTU have welcomed the Labour Party Conference’s support of a motion in support of the regularisation of undocumented migrants in Ireland. MRCI spokesperson, Edel McGinley, said; “This is a very significant step in realising the human rights and dignity of undocumented men, women and children living in Ireland.
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Motion Text

16 April 2012

Conference supports the campaign by undocumented Irish migrants to the United States of America, calling on the US government to introduce an earned regularisation scheme to allow those same migrants to make their stay in the USA legitimate and legal.
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Strike notice served at Musgrave warehouse in Cork

13 April 2012

SIPTU members in the Musgrave Group have served strike notice on the company in Cork for Wednesday (18th April) in a dispute concerning an outstanding pay claim and changes to their conditions of employment. The retail company was formally presented with seven days strike notice on Thursday (12th April). The industrial action will involve approximately 135 SIPTU members withdrawing their labour at the company’s Cork Chill warehouse.
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Bord na Móna unions recommend acceptance of pay offer

12 April 2012

The Bord na Móna Group of Unions has recommended to its 2,000 members acceptance of a pay offer from management at the semi-state company.
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Lagan Brick workers mark 120th day of dispute

12 April 2012

The Lagan Brick workers on Thursday (12th April) marked the 120th day of their dispute at the brick manufacturing plant in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. Workers at the Lagan Brick manufacturing plant were informed it was closing only hours before it ceased operation on Friday, 15th December.
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ESB workers vote for cost savings plan

11 April 2012

ESB workers have voted in favour of cost saving proposals which protect basic pay rates and include a voluntary redundancy package that will assist in reducing the semi-state company’s 6,300 strong workforce by 1,000.
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Bord na Móna workers suspend strike action

05 April 2012

A one day strike by Bord na Móna workers scheduled for next Tuesday (10th April) has been suspended after discussions between their trade union representatives and management aimed at resolving issues related to outstanding pay awards were concluded last night (4th April).
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TASC issues submissions on property tax and water policy

03 April 2012

Independent think-tank TASC has published its submissions on the future funding of water services and a new property tax.
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NAMA makes offer to help end Vita Cortex dispute

02 April 2012

The National Assets Management Agency (NAMA) has presented Vita Cortex owner Jack Ronan with a way of ending the long running dispute at the Cork foam manufacturing plant.
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Boxing champion Katie Taylor supports Vita Cortex workers

30 March 2012

The Vita Cortex workers involved in a sit-in protest at the former foam manufacturing plant in Cork met boxing champion Katie Taylor on Friday (30th March). The workers have been occupying the plant on the Kinsale Road for more than 100 days as part of campaign to secure agreed redundancy payments from their former employer.
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TEEU rejects construction employers proposal for further 20% pay cuts

29 March 2012

The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) General Secretary, Eamon Devoy, described the mood at well-attended regional meetings last night (29th March) as “buoyant but determined not to endure any more pay cuts.”
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SIPTU discussing threat to Luas jobs

29 March 2012

SIPTU has commenced negotiations with management at Veolia, Dublin's Luas light rail service operator, concerning rostering issues and a decision by the company to let go staff at the end of their 12-month fixed term contracts.
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Ireland must act on rights convention

28 March 2012

The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) has joined with SIPTU to call on the Government to ratify new international standards to protect domestic workers.
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New economic think tank proposes €15 billion stimulus and investment programme

27 March 2012

Ireland’s newest think tank - the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) - has proposed a new €15 billion stimulus and investment programme aimed at creating jobs, boosting demand and aiding economic recovery.
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Sinn Féin pledges continued support for Lagan Brick workers

27 March 2012

Representatives of the Lagan Brick workers met with Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and six party councillors on Monday (26th March) to update them on the long running dispute at the brick manufacturing plant in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan.
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Vital Dublin drug support jobs under threat

26 March 2012

Eleven jobs in a number of vital drug support projects across Dublin will be lost because of a Minister’s decision to withdraw funding.
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Urgent Need for Jobs & Growth Programme

22 March 2012

New figures showing that Ireland moved back into recession in late 2011 demonstrate the urgent need for a major Jobs and Growth Investment Programme, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions said today (22nd March).
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Congress to tell Merkel Ireland needs stimulus plan and action on bank debt

21 March 2012

Congress General Secretary David Begg is to tell German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Ireland needs measures to stimulate demand and ease the bank debt burden.
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CIT strike action deferred

21 March 2012

Industrial action due to take place at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) on Wednesday (21st March) has been deferred following the reinstatement of six SIPTU members to the institute’s catering staff.
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Chomsky reiterates support for Vita Cortex workers

20 March 2012

Internationally renowned human rights activist and author Noam Chomsky has reiterated his support for the Vita Cortex workers campaign to secure their agreed redundancy payments. In a communication received by the Vita Cortex workers today (Tuesday, 20th March) Noam Chomsky said he remained committed to their cause.
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Kingscourt shows Paddy’s Day support for Lagan Brick workers

20 March 2012

Lagan Brick workers, who are involved in a long running dispute with the brick manufacturer, were greeted by cheers and applause as they marched in the Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, St. Patricks Day parade on Saturday (17th March).
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Howlin vows good deal or no deal on State assets sale

16 March 2012

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, has said that no State assets will be sold if they are deemed to be of strategic importance or the best price is not achievable.In an exclusive interview with Liberty, the SIPTU newspaper, Brendan Howlin also made clear his total commitment to the Croke Park Agreement which he said was “by any objective analysis working in the national interest.”
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Howlin vows good deal or no deal on State assets sale

16 March 2012

No State assets will be sold if they are deemed to be of strategic importance or the best price is not achievable, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has told Liberty.
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Undocumented workers will celebrate St Patrick’s Day living in the shadows

15 March 2012

St Patrick’s Day is a day of celebration across the globe for Irish people. “This is a day that reminds us of being Irish, of our shared values of equality and justice that as a nation we want the world to see” said Edel McGinley of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI).
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Lagan Brick workers still resolute after 90 days

15 March 2012

SIPTU members at Lagan Brick, Kingscourt, co. Cavan, have been in dispute with the brick manufacturing company for more than 90 days.The dispute began on the 15th December when workers at the Kingscourt plant were informed that the facility was closing only hours before it ceased operation. The company refused to honour established redundancy terms for the 25 SIPTU members made redundant.
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Congress welcomes renewed Government commitment on union rights

15 March 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has welcomed confirmation from Government that it will legislate to ensure union rights in Ireland are brought into line with human rights standards across the European Union and urged that work begin on the issue “without further delay.”
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International unions put New Zealand on notice over attacks on workers

14 March 2012

A powerful group of global unions – which between them represent tens of millions of unionised workers – today (14th March) said they are now on ‘red alert’ over the treatment of workers in New Zealand that is being dramatically illustrated by disputes at the Ports of Auckland, Affco and the Oceania care company.
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International unions on red alert over attacks on workers in New Zealand

14 March 2012

The powerful group of global unions that brings together organised workers internationally across the world’s continents is calling for an immediate end to concerted attacks on workers in New Zealand.
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Concern over Eddie Stobart work practices raised in Dáil

14 March 2012

Dublin Mid West Labour TD, Robert Dowds, raised concerns over the safety of work practices at distribution company Eddie Stobart in the Dáil on Tuesday (13th March).
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PAC meeting on Skills Fund postponed as audit continues

13 March 2012

A meeting of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to discuss issues surrounding the Skills Training Programme Fund (known as the ‘Skills Fund’) administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and at which SIPTU was due to attend, has been postponed until May.
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SIPTU queries ‘inaccurate assertions’ by committee chair

13 March 2012

GENERAL Secretary Joe O’Flynn has exchanged correspondence with the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), John McGuinness TD to take issue with comments he reportedly made recently about the Skills Fund affair in the media.
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Support for Jobs Plan Grows

13 March 2012

There is a growing support for trade union movement proposals to access the estimated €70 billion held by private Irish pension funds to create tens of thousands of new jobs. Following the dramatic scenes of thousands of people queuing to enter recent job fairs in Dublin and Cork promoting work opportunities overseas it is evident that urgent measures are required to stimulate the economy.
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Vita Cortex talks begin at LRC

13 March 2012

Talks aimed at resolving the long running dispute over redundancy payments at the Vita Cortex foam manufacturing plant in Cork will convene at the Labour Relations Commission today (Tuesday 13th March).
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Auckland Save our port rally

09 March 2012

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) dockers’ section secretary, Frank Leys, will tell dockers, their families and supporters rallying in Auckland tomorrow (10th March) that 400,000 dockers worldwide are backing them in their struggle to save jobs.
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Congress Executive Council agrees to meet again on Fiscal Compact Referendum

09 March 2012

The Executive Council of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions today (9th March) agreed to reconvene at a later date in order continue its discussions on the Fiscal Compact and the proposed referendum.
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Peace activist calls on Government to support Cuban 5

09 March 2012

US anti-war activist, Cindy Sheehan, has called on the Irish government to support efforts to secure the immediate release of five Cubans detained in the US.
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Inequality still a ‘significant factor’ in working lives of women

08 March 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions said today (8th March) that the last decade had seen "no discernible progress" towards addressing the gender pay gap and that inequality remains "a significant factor in the working lives of women."
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Gerry Adams visits Vita Cortex workers

08 March 2012

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams visited the Vita Cortex workers sit-in on the Kinsale Road, Cork, this morning (Thursday, 8th March) to express his solidarity with their campaign to secure agreed redundancy payments.
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Migrant domestic workers call on Government to ratify ILO Convention

07 March 2012

Hundreds of migrant women employed as domestic workers in Ireland are demanding their dignity on International Women’s Day.
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Bord na Móna workers vote for industrial action

07 March 2012

Bord na Móna workers have overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action in order to secure a pay increase owed to them since 2009.
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Bord na Móna workers vote for industrial action

06 March 2012

Bord na Móna workers have overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action in order to secure a pay increase owed to them since 2009.
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Peace activist Cindy Sheehan Asks Obama to Release Cuban Five at US Embassy

05 March 2012

Dublin, Ireland, 5th March: To mark the 5th of the month for the Cuban Five, US peace activist Cindy Sheehan read out a letter to President Obama in front of the US embassy in Dublin this morning asking him to excercise his executive powers to free the Cuban anti-terrorists fighters incarcerated in prisons in that country since 1998.
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Tánaiste offers his support to Vita Cortex workers

02 March 2012

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has told the Vita Cortex workers he will do all he can to bring a swift and successful conclusion to their campaign to secure agreed redundancy payments.
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SIPTU welcomes planning permission for redevelopment of Liberty Hall

27 February 2012

SIPTU has welcomed the decision of Dublin City Council on Friday (24th February) to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of Liberty Hall subject to a number of conditions. The union’s General Secretary, Joe O’Flynn, explained that SIPTU and its professional advisors will be considering the various conditions attached to the planning permission over the coming days.
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Protest at EU Commission Offices to mark European Trade Union Day of Action

24 February 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is to stage a protest picket at the offices of the European Commission in Dublin on Wednesday 29th February, as part of the European Trade Union Day of Action.
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International Campaigns

24 February 2012

SIPTU joined with other European trade unions to protest against plans by multi-national company Unilever to slash workers pension benefits in Rotterdam on the 16th February.
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Key to getting people back to work is to ‘create demand in the economy’

23 February 2012

Congress General Secretary David Begg has said that the key to getting people back to work is to “inject badly needed demand into our economy, which has been subjected to a relentless austerity drive."
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Actor Cillian Murphy pledges support for Vita Cortex workers

23 February 2012

Internationally renowned actor Cillian Murphy has sent a message of support to the Vita Cortex workers on the 70th day of their sit-in at the former foam manufacturing plant on the Kinsale Road in Cork.
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PRIVATISATION PLAN A ‘BAD DEAL FOR IRELAND’

22 February 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions said today that the plan to sell off state assets was a ‘bad deal for Ireland’ that could see the country lose control over the national energy sector at a time when energy security is paramount. Speaking in response to the Government announcement, Congress General Secretary David Begg said: “While there is a small element of relief that the scale is limited compared to previous privatisation plans, this is still a bad deal for Ireland.
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Congress says Community Sector cuts ‘self-defeating’

22 February 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has criticised spending cuts in the community and voluntary sector as “short-sighted and ultimately self-defeating.” Launching a new study on the impact of cuts – Downsizing the Community Sector – Congress General Secretary David Begg said it was clear many of the cuts were taking place “below the radar and out of the spotlight. But their impact is enormous. In many communities these cuts are eroding the social fabric, eating away at what binds those communities together,” he said.
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Congress says Community Sector Cuts ‘Self-Defeating’

21 February 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has criticised spending cuts in the community and voluntary sector as “short-sighted and ultimately self-defeating.”
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Christy Moore and Paul McGrath boost morale of Vita Cortex workers

21 February 2012

It was a morale boosting weekend for the Vita Cortex workers with a sold out solidarity concert headlined by Christy Moore on Friday (17th February) night and a visit from Irish football legend Paul McGrath on Saturday.
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State Assets can play strategic role in economic recovery

16 February 2012

Independent think-tank TASC has launched a new report entitled The Strategic Role of State Assets: Reframing the Privatisation Debate which makes a number of specific recommendations regarding individual state-owned enterprises.
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Privatisation could ‘turn ESB into another Eircom’

16 February 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has strongly criticised proposals to sell off state assets saying it “threatens to transform companies like the ESB or Bord Gais into another Eircom.” Speaking after a meeting of the Congress Executive Council, General Secretary David Begg said: “Selling state assets will cost jobs and see Ireland lose control over crucial areas of the economy. It’s threatens a rerun of the Eircom fiasco.
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SIPTU Vice-President tells Oireachtas committee that removal of JLC system has created no extra jobs

15 February 2012

Research carried out by SIPTU has discredited claims by employers’ organisations that the abolition of the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) wage-setting mechanism has resulted in the creation of extra jobs.
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Congress says proposed system for setting wage rates is “wide open to abuse”

14 February 2012

A Congress delegation has told the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education that a simple comparison of wage rates in differing countries was not a sound basis for setting pay in sectors of the economy governed by registered agreements and employment regulation orders.
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Campaign to protect construction workers livelihoods

14 February 2012

A nationwide campaign to resist an attempt by the Construction Industry Federation to slash workers’ wages by up to 40% and down to the level of the minimum wage will begin within days.
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Construction industry bosses attempt to slash wages will be resisted

10 February 2012

SIPTU will resist Construction Industry Federation (CIF) attempts to slash building workers’ wages by up to 40% and down to the level of the minimum wage.
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Football legend Alex Ferguson supports the Vita Cortex workers

13 February 2012

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson made a surprise phone call to the Vita Cortex workers on Monday (13th February) afternoon to tell them he supported their fight and to “stick in there” until they secured victory.
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SIPTU members at Rehab Group protest over its failure to implement Labour Court rulings

13 February 2012

SIPTU members held a protest at the headquarters of the Rehab Group in Sandymount, Dublin on Monday (13th February) to highlight the failure of the company to honour two outstanding Labour Court recommendations.
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Over 5,000 march in support of Vita Cortex workers

12 February 2012

Cork city centre came to a halt on Saturday (11th February) afternoon as over 5,000 people marched in solidarity with the Vita Cortex workers. The march began outside the SIPTU offices at Connolly Hall, Lapps Quay, at 2.00 p.m., and was described by Gardaí as the largest protest in Cork in recent years.
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Fair Deal for Cleaners campaign supports Dutch colleagues

10 February 2012

SIPTU Fair Deal for Cleaners campaign members held a solidarity protest at the Dutch Embassy in Dublin on Tuesday (7th February). The protest was in support of cleaners in Holland who have been on strike for over a month.
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Buses from Dublin to demonstration in Cork in support of Vita Cortex workers on Saturday

10 February 2012

There is a demonstration this Saturday (11th February) by the Cork Council of Trade Unions in Cork City at 2pm for the Vita Cortex workers.
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Launch of new anti-drugs initiative

10 February 2012

The Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign is launching a new broad based initiative in Liberty Hall on Friday (17th February) which is aimed at placing the drugs crisis in our communities back on the political agenda. Citywide is inviting all those interested in finding ways of collaborating to respond to the devastating impact of the continuing drugs crisis, to come along on to the Liberty Hall Theatre for the launch event which begins at 12.30 a.m.
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Construction industry bosses attempt to slash wages will be resisted

10 February 2012

Ex-employee of Poppadom Restaurant Chain demands payment of €92,000 for gross exploitation

09 February 2012

Former Poppadom Restaurant employee, Muhammad Younis, has been awarded €92,000 by a Rights Commissioner, following an official complaint about alleged breaches of employment rights
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Solidarity protest in support of Hungarian journalists

09 February 2012

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on trade unionists to attend a protest outside the Hungarian Embassy in Dublin on Friday (10th February) at 1.15 p.m.
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McCreevy diary proves need for lobbyist register

08 February 2012

Former Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy’s meetings with property developers and bankers during the peak of the economic boom prove the need for a register of lobbyists, according to Labour MEP Nessa Childers.
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Congress calls on unions to support Vita Cortex rally

08 February 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called on affiliated unions to back a rally in support of the Vita Cortex workers scheduled for Saturday (11th February).
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Fiscal Compact “worst response to crisis”

07 February 2012

The Fiscal Compact agreed by 25 EU governments is the worst imaginable response to the challenge of recession and stagnation, SIPTU President, Jack O’Connor, has said. The Agreement, which seeks to enforce strict budget discipline across Europe, will have a far reaching effect on people’s lives across the EU by reducing pension provision, cutting public services, eroding people’s rights at work and driving down the cost of labour, he said.
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Lagan Brick dispute talks reconvene at LRC

06 February 2012

Talks have reconvened at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) today, 6th February, between Lagan Brick management and SIPTU, which represents workers at the company’s manufacturing plant in Kingscourt, co Cavan. Both sides will consider a report by an LRC appointed independent assessor concerning the company’s trading position and the viability of continuing manufacturing at the Kingscourt facility.
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Stubbornly High Jobless Numbers 'a National Emergency'

01 February 2012

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions said today (1st Febuary) that there can be ‘no comfort’ taken from the small drop in Live Register numbers as this was almost certainly accounted for by emigration and declining labour force participation.
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Claims by Vita Cortex owner dismissed

01 February 2012

SIPTU has categorically dismissed a claim by Vita Cortex owner Jack Ronan that the company had not committed to redundancy terms of 2.9 weeks per year of service for former employees. Ronan made the claim outside his home in Tipperary during a picket of his stud farm by workers on Monday (30th January).
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Vita Cortex workers bring protest to Ronan’s home

30 January 2012

Vita Cortex owner, Jack Ronan, was brought face to face with his former employees today (Monday, 30th January) when they held a protest outside his 300 acre stud farm and home in co Tipperary. A group of 16 Vita Cortex workers protested outside the Orchardstown Stud Farm in Lisronagh, near Clonmel, carrying placards which read ‘SIPTU: Supports the Vita Cortex Workers’ and handing out leaflets explaining the background to their struggle to secure agreed redundancy payments.
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An open letter to Vita Cortex owner Jack Ronan

27 January 2012

With 32 Vita Cortex workers in the seventh week of a sit-in at the former foam manufacturing plant on the Kinsale Road in Cork, 96 FM Radio DJ PJ Coogan sent an open letter to the company’s owner, Jack Ronan, calling on him to “pay his debts” and honour his former employees agreed redundancy terms.
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Congress warns on Agency Bill 'Loopholes'

25 January 2012

Congress warned on the Wednesday (25th January) that ‘loopholes and flaws’ in the Agency Workers’ Bill could serve to undermine the purpose of the original Agency Workers Directive, along with existing equality legislation.
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SIPTU welcomes Personal Insolvency Bill but questions the veto given to banks

25 January 2012

SIPTU has welcomed the publication by the Government of the Personal Insolvency Bill but has questioned the extent to which a bank can effectively refuse to participate in the non-judicial resolution of debt problems. Speaking after its publication, SIPTU researcher Marie Sherlock, said that there are very many positive elements contained within the Bill.
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Vita Cortex workers take protest to co-owner’s home

25 January 2012

Vita Cortex workers brought the campaign to secure their agreed redundancy payments to the home of company shareholder Sean McHenry in Douglas, Cork, on Tuesday (24th January). Six of the 32 Vita Cortex workers, who are in the sixth week of their sit-in at the former foam manufacturing plant on Kinsale Road in Cork, distributed leaflets outside the McHenry home.
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HSE must publish a contingency plan to deal with staff cutbacks

25 January 2012

SIPTU has called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to immediately publish a contingency plan to deal with the effect on the public health service of the retirement of 3,560 staff by 29th February, 2012.
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LRC head says Vita Cortex owner should pay up

24 January 2012

The chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), Kieran Mulvey, has said it is up to the owner of Vita Cortex to pay agreed redundancy terms to workers who have lost their jobs. After 12 hours of discussions involving SIPTU and the management of Vita Cortex at the LRC on Friday (20th January) in Cork talks were adjourned without agreement.
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Protest at visit of Colombian Vice President

24 January 2012

SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, has called on trade union activists to attend a protest outside the Dáil against the visit of Colombian Vice President, Angelino Garzón, today (24th January) at 4.30 p.m.
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NUJ calls for Director of Corporate Enforcement investigation into Vita Cortex

23 January 2012

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Vice President Barry McCall has called for an investigation by the Director of Corporate Enforcement into the circumstances which allowed the majority shareholder of Vita Cortex to avoid his obligations to the redundant workers at the company.
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FLAC warns of danger in giving banks veto on personal debt resolution

23 January 2012

Followingthe announcement on Friday (20th January) that the government has sought to further delay the issue of the personal insolvency legislation, and amid rampant speculation on the shape of that legislation, legal rights organisation FLAC warned of the danger of handing banks a veto on which debts will qualify for resolution under the new law.
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SIPTU welcomes National Disabled Angling Facility deal

23 January 2012

SIPTU has welcomed an agreement between the union and the Department of Social Protection which has prevented the closure of the award-winning National Disabled Angling Facility in Aughrim, Co Wicklow.
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EU ‘Austerity’ Deal won’t work – Irish workers face a grim future

19 January 2012

The EU summit on Friday 9 December, during which 26 out of 27 member countries agreed on a new intergovernmental treaty including a “fiscal compact” to enforce budgetary discipline on states which breach the 3% deficit (of GDP) limit, will not provide the growth strategy that is necessary to help deeply indebted euro zone countries out of recession, writes SIPTU Head of Communications Frank Connolly.
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Austerity running out of credit

19 January 2012

Friday the 13th January, 2001, was indeed an ominous day for the ostrich head-in-the-sand “leaders” of the European Union, when the credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded its rating of French sovereign debt, as well as that of eight other Eurozone states, writes Manus O’Riordan.
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Vita Cortex talks to resume on Friday as support for workers grows

19 January 2012

Formal talks aimed at bringing a just resolution to the Vita Cortex dispute will resume at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) tomorrow (Friday, 20th January).
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Mary Robinson sends letter of support to Vita Cortex workers

18 January 2012

Former President, Mary Robinson, has sent a message of support to the Vita Cortex workers who have been occupying the foam manufacturing plant in Cork for five weeks following the owner’s refusal to pay agreed redundancy terms. In her letter of Tuesday (17th January), the former President said that she sympathised with the desire of the workers “to get a fair deal”.
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Lagan Brick workers and management accept LRC proposals

18 January 2012

Workers and management at Lagan Brick, Kingscourt, county Cavan, have accepted Labour Relations Commission (LRC) proposals aimed at bringing a resolution to the month long dispute. The proposals were presented following a nine hour meeting between SIPTU and Lagan Brick management at the LRC on Monday (16th January). They include the immediate appointment of an independent assessor to examine the company’s trading position and an assessment of the viability of continuing manufacturing at the Kingscourt facility.
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Vita Cortex talks to resume on Friday

18 January 2012

Talks aimed at bringing a just resolution to the Vita Cortex dispute will resume at the Labour Relations Commission on Friday (20th January).
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Lagan Brick workers to discuss LRC proposal

17 January 2012

Workers at Lagan Brick, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan will meet this afternoon (17th January) to discuss a proposal presented by the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) aimed at settling a dispute concerning redundancies at the brick manufacturer.
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Congress warns Troika on jobs and ‘unpayable bank debt’

16 January 2012

A Congress delegation has warned officials from the ‘bailout troika’ that there will be no economic recovery without investment and a “real jobs programme.”
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SIPTU calls on Government to prevent closure of National Disabled Angling facility in Aughrim

16 January 2012

On Friday (20th January), the National Disabled Angling Facility in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, will close its gates as a community facility. Twenty three individuals employed by Aughrim Tidy Towns Ltd. will lose their jobs.
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Cork shows support for Vita Cortex workers

15 January 2012

Over 400 people attended a demonstration in support of the Vita Cortex workers campaign to secure their agreed redundancy payments on Saturday (14th January) in Cork.
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Wicklow Community Employment Scheme Facing Closure

13 January 2012

An award winning Community Employment scheme in Aughrim, Co Wicklow is facing closure with the loss of 23 jobs and a severe curtailment of local tourism amenities. The National Disabled Angling Park FAS scheme is based on a 4 acre lake within an 8 acre riverside park with panoramic views overlooking the surrounding Wicklow hills.
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La Senza workers end sit-in

13 January 2012

The Mandate Trade Union has this evening (12th January) announced that the La Senza workers have decided to end the sit-in at the company’s Liffey Valley store.
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SIPTU President defends local authority workers

13 January 2012

SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, strongly defended local authority workers on RTE Radio’s News at One on Friday (13th January) following accusations they were showing a reluctance to implement changes to their work practices under the Croke Park Agreement.
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Congress calls for ‘urgent government engagement’ on financial sector

13 January 2012

Congress has called for an “urgent Government engagement” on the problems facing the financial sector and the development of a coherent employment strategy across all financial institutions.
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Wicklow Community Employment Scheme Facing Closure

13 January 2012

Vita Cortex campaign brought to the Dáil

12 January 2012

Over 300 people gathered outside Dáil Eireann today (12th January) to support the campaign by the Vita Cortex workers for their agreed redundancy payments.
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SIPTU says Ulster Bank job cuts ‘unacceptably high’

12 January 2012

SIPTU, which represents over 200 Ulster Bank employees in the Republic, has said that workers are shocked at the scale of redundancies being sought by the bank.
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Mandate discussions with KPMG over La Senza dispute are on-going

11 January 2012

The Mandate Trade Union has said that discussions with KPMG – over outstanding monies and redundancy payments owed to La Senza workers – are on-going.
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SIPTU warns about the danger of water privatisation

11 January 2012

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Michael Wall, told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht on Tuesday (10th January) that handing over water services to the private sector would be a 'fundamental mistake'.He also highlighted the threat to water services from attempts by a group of civil servants within the Department of Environment to force the utility into the hands of private companies.
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SIPTU attends LRC in Lagan Brick dispute

10 January 2012

SIPTU representatives attended a conciliation conference of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) today (10th January) to discuss the on-going dispute at Lagan Brick, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan.
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TEEU supports Vita Cortex workers

05 January 2012

The General Secretary of the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU), Eamon Devoy, has pledged full support to the 32 Vita Cortex workers occupying the company’s plant on the Kinsale Road in Cork. He was speaking after a TEEU delegation including the union’s President Frank Keoghan and its Southern Regional Secretary, Pat Guilfoyle, visited the plant this morning.
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Jack Ronan assets and intrests

05 January 2012

As well as the Vita Cortex group of companies among the directorships reported as formerly or currently held by Jack Ronan are:
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Vita Cortex owner’s business empire revealed

05 January 2012

Information has emerged indicating that the owner of Vita Cortex has considerably more assets than has been previously acknowledged. Newspaper reports today (5th January) indicate that Vita Cortex owner Jack Ronan has interests in over 20 other companies as well as a substantial property portfolio which includes a luxury penthouse apartment in Cork, a stud farm in Tipperary and two retail parks.
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Hundreds demonstrate in solidarity with Vita Cortex workers

03 January 2012

Vita Cortex workers, staging a sit-in at the company’s Cork plant, have said they were “deeply moved” and “had their spirits lifted” by the hundreds of people who demonstrated at the facility on 2nd January in support of the campaign to secure their just redundancy entitlements.
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Vita Cortex owner told to pay workers from his considerable assets

10 January 2012

The Vita Cortex workers struggle for justice is continuing to gather support as they prepare to travel to Dublin to take part in a lunchtime protest outside Dáil Eireann on Thursday (12th January) at 1.00 p.m.
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Support grows for Vita Cortex workers after Late Late Show appearance

09 January 2012

The nationwide outpouring of support for the Vita Cortex workers has continued to grow after they outlined their struggle for justice on RTE’s Late Late Show on Friday (6th January).
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More than a dozen Greek trade unionists face prison on 10th January

09 January 2012

If you're a trade unionist fighting to ensure that workers don't pay the price for the global financial crisis they didn't create, 2012 looks like it will be a challenging year.
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SIPTU to commence industrial action in Castlebar General Hospital

06 January 2012

SIPTU will serve notice of industrial action at Castlebar General Hospital, County Mayo on the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the coming days.
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SIPTU members at Vita Cortex describe employer’s inability to pay claim as ‘incredible’

05 January 2012

SIPTU members sitting in at the Vita Cortex foam manufacturing plant in Cork have described as ‘incredible’ a claim by the company owner, Jack Ronan, that he cannot release money to pay the redundancy payments due to the workforce.
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Vita Cortex protest outside Dáil on Thursday 12th January

04 January 2012

SIPTU Manufacturing Division is organising a protest rally outside Dáil Eireann on Thursday (12th January) at 1.00 p.m. in support of the Vita Cortex workers who have been staging a sit-in at the company’s plant in Cork for over three weeks as part of a campaign to secure their redundancy entitlements.
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Vita Cortex workers want owners to show ‘serious intent’ over finances

04 January 2012

Vita Cortex workers will avail of the States industrial relations machinery to try and secure their just redundancy entitlements if the company declares its willingness to come to the table with serious intent. The workers were responding to a call by the Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, for the workers and management at Vita Cortex to utilise the State’s industrial relations machinery to resolve the on-going dispute at the foam manufacturing plant in Cork.
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TEEU to make solidarity visit to Vita Cortex workers

03 January 2012

A delegation from the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) will make a solidarity visit to the Vita Cortex workers currently occupying the company’s premises on the Kinsale Road in Cork at 11 am on Thursday (5th January).
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SIPTU accepts deferral of LRC meeting concerning Lagan Brick dispute

27 January 2012

SIPTU members have accepted a request from the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) to defer a conciliation conference concerning the dispute at Lagan Brick, Kingscourt, co Cavan, from Monday, 30th January until Monday, 6th February.
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Lagan Brick workers march in Belfast on May Day

08 May 2012

Chomsky reiterates support for Vita Cortex workers

20 March 2012

Kingscourt shows Paddy’s Day support for Lagan Brick workers

20 March 2012

Rotterdam Unilever protest

27 February 2012

SIPTU joined with other European trade unions to protest against plans by multi-national company Unilever to slashworkers pension benefits in Rotterdam on the 16th February.
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Construction industry bosses attempt to slash wages will be resisted

10 February 2012

SIPTU will resist Construction Industry Federation (CIF) attempts to slash building workers’ wages by up to 40% and down to the level of the minimum wage. This morning (Friday, 10th February) representatives of the employers’ organisation and the Construction Industry Committee of Congress met at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) to discuss a list of CIF wage cutting demands. After what one participate described as a ‘robust’ exchange of views between the workers’ and employers’ representatives the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting between the two sides is scheduled for the 30th March.
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