Mandate Winter 2010

MANDATE NEWS Issue 7, Winter 2010

A Nightmare Before Christmas

Universal Social Charge

Tax on lower pay

Child Benefit Cut Minimum Wage Cut

www.mandate.ie | email: mandate@montaguecomms.ie 10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 1

13/12/2010 12:15

Contents Straight Talking with John Douglas Organising Government Hammers Home Budget 2011 South African union prepares for battle with Walmart Over 100,000 people march for a better, fairer way

03

04 05 06

Campaigns Hard-hitting web videos launched to protect the poorest 08 European citizens say enough in Jobs not Cuts protest Thousands gather to Claim Our Future Make sure your vote counts Don’t be a Fashion Victim this Christmas Making services sight loss friendly Training Mandate Shop Stewards Training Programme 2011 Great uptake on Skills for Work Training Programme Industrial Relations Laura Ashley workers go on strike Boots agree to new deal for staff Donegal dealt another blow Tesco workers form European Works Council Labour Court directs Tesco into negotiations Innovation wins out at Superquinn Union engaging with new Arnotts’ management and Board to secure store’s future Union News Activist Profile – John O’Donnell

MANDATE NEWS credits: Editor: John Douglas, General Secretary, Mandate Designed by: Language Printed by: DC Kavanagh | Ebrook

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 2

09 10 11 12 13

Workers of the World Incredible India Government proposes automatic deportation in new Immigration Bill Strong support for Mothers & Daughters fundraiser Mandate Gets Active

22 24 25 25

Road Map to Recovery The jobs crisis has to be combated 4 Steps 2 Recovery campaign underway Social Justice Ireland says a fairer future is possible Too much too soon, worries ESRI

26 27 28 29

The Wall Quiz Caption Competition Crossword/Sudoku Jokes

30 30 31 31

14 15

16 17 17 18 18 19 20

21

Get Mandate News online!

Log on to www.mandate.ie to view and download the online version of this newsletter.

2

13/12/2010 12:15

Straight Talking with John Douglas

How much more are you prepared to take?

This is the question every ordinary citizen is going to ask themselves in the wake of the recent budget. The Fianna Fáil/Green Budget 2011 was the most savage attack on workers, families and those on welfare in the State’s history. By riding roughshod over the minimum wage, this Government is giving a green light to every employer – both large and small – in Ireland to launch an attack on workers’ wages and conditions of employment. To reduce basic social welfare payments by 4% to those unfortunate enough to have lost their jobs is nothing more than kicking the most vulnerable in society when they are down.

In the dying moments of the present Dáil this Fianna Fáil/ Green alliance and its pay masters in the IMF have forced through a budget which will condemn thousands of lower paid workers and those on welfare to exist on the margins of society. Children not yet born will be saddled with enormous debt and hiding within the body of the budget is the assumption that 50,000 of our brothers and sisters will depart Ireland each year to seek work abroad.

However, there is a fairer and better way. There are real alternatives which can fix our economy while caring for those on lower incomes and welfare. It involves a redistribution of wealth through a taxation system which taxes those who can afford to pay, those with property, those with investments, those on higher incomes, those with other assets and an alternative which puts the financial system to work for the benefit of all the people of Ireland not just the elite.

3

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 3

Things will not change unless you – the citizens – have your say. The most powerful weapon you have is your vote in the upcoming General Election.

Every stay-at-home voter is a vote for the politicians that have wrecked our economy and our society and attacked you, your family and your children. So if there is only one protest that you make during 2011 make sure it is CASTING YOUR VOTE. Mandate Trade Union will be conducting a political information campaign in the run up to the next General Election, the objective of which will be to ensure that all Mandate members and their families make informed decisions when they are casting their votes. The point of which is to ensure that all of our votes are cast in favour of candidates that have our class interests at heart.

John Douglas Mandate General Secretary.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:15

Organising Government hammers home Budget 2011 It seems hard to remember a time when economic gloom wasn’t hanging over the nation. Over the last 27 months, we have been bombarded with such a series of international and domestic financial catastrophes that people have had to become immune to the daily announcements of impending national disaster.

This, along with the wholesale leaking to the media of the proposed measures over the last two weeks, might explain the apparent ‘acceptance’ of the general public of the most brutal and damaging Budget this country has ever been subjected to. Below is a summary of some of the key measures that will soon come into force.

• Value of tax bands and credits reduced by 10% – meaning more lower paid people come into the tax net and more middle-income earners will be paying the top rate of tax.

• No change to corporation tax.

• €10 per month reduction in Child Benefit for first and second child and €20 reduction for third child.

• €8 per week cut for all other welfare payments apart from State Pension.

• Introduction of new Universal Social Charge.

• Third level student charges to increase from €1,500 per year to €2,000.

“This is a retrograde step that will actually damage the economy. Cutting the wages of the lowest-paid workers will only degrade working conditions and lead to a decrease in productivity, damage consumer spending, and will place those with the lowest incomes in an impossible situation. This is all the more pointless when we know that it is the lowerwage earners who spend proportionately more in the local economy than higher paid workers."

“It is clear that this Government’s days are numbered and that they only enjoy minimal electoral support. Despite having no mandate left they seem determined to press ahead with making savage cuts to the minimum wage and to welfare which will devastate the lives of the people on the margins of our society. The people of this country need to show that they will not tolerate such undemocratic action and insist that there is a General Election at the earliest possible date so that we can put in place a new Government that will look to address our problems through creating jobs and growing the economy,” John Douglas concluded.

In addition to these measures the Government is going to cut the National Minimum Wage by €1 per hour from €8.65 to €7.65.

The combined effect of the reduction in the minimum wage (by €1 per hour), a reduction in tax credits (of 10%), the new universal social charge (USC) and a cut to child benefit payments means that families on the lower end of the pay scale will experience large reductions in their disposable income. Not surprisingly it is a move which has brought a swift and very tough response from Mandate General Secretary, John Douglas.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 4

4

13/12/2010 12:15

South African union prepares for battle with Walmart Longtime members of Mandate will know the proud history that the union has in terms of our commitment to the people of South Africa. This was best evidenced by the lockout of workers from Dunnes Stores Henry Street in the mid-1980s for their refusal to handle South African oranges.

The dispute made international headlines and led Bishop Desmond Tutu to issue an invite to the workers to visit him in South Africa.

South Africa has now emerged from the shadow of apartheid and the trade union movement was a critical force in bringing about this new dawn. Mandate’s sister union in South Africa is the Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (SACCAWU). It organises and represents workers in the retail sector and is a major force both industrially and politically.

The eyes of the business world are focused on South Africa right now following the announcement by, the world’s biggest retailer, Walmart that it intends to acquire a chain of stores based in South Africa called Massmart.

It is difficult to overstate the size and power of Walmart. Its annual revenues last year of US$406bn dwarfed the earnings of all other companies in the retail sector. To put this figure in context, the GDP of South Africa in the same year was US$276bn – or a full US$130bn less than Walmart’s sales.

In fact, the US$4.6bn that is mooted as the

price that Walmart is willing to pay for Massmart is about 1% of Walmart’s total revenues for last year. If Walmart were a country, it would have an economy bigger than 147 other countries around the globe.

Early on SACCAWU realised that to secure Walmart’s pledge to protect and enhance workers’ terms and conditions, they would have to internationalise the struggle.

Through UNI Global Union, SACCAWU reached out to the international labour community. In response, the 1.3 million strong United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) from North America immediately dispatched someone to work with SACCAWU to put together a plan.

UFCW’s Deputy Organising Director for Global Strategies, Michael Bride, visited SACCAWU in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Bride, a native of Ireland who previously worked for the Communication Workers Union and IBOA, the Finance Union, stated: “You could see the commitment of the workers to the struggle that they see before them with the proposed entry of Walmart to South Africa. With the leadership of those in SACCAWU, I am confident that they will emerge victorious”.

Speaking to two Shop Stewards’ Councils, Michael Bride invited the union to join the global struggle against Walmart and those present warmly endorsed the idea.

SACCAWU Head of Research and Communications, Mike Abrahams

maintained that Walmartisation – a term synonymous with low-pay, casualisation and high staff turnover – would not be tolerated in South Africa. Abrahams stated: “The debate that’s raging in South Africa right now is about what kind of economic development do we want and, in the opinion of SACCAWU, an economy based on pushing down labour costs so that workers struggle to earn enough to exist is not the way for our country to grow more prosperous. Foreign direct investment should be welcomed – but only when that investment brings quality jobs and an improvement in the quality of life for workers; we will not stand by and allow the opposite to happen”, he continued.

The struggle that the workers face will not be limited to a private industrial struggle.

South African workers have many allies and in SACCAWU they have a vehicle that can make their voices heard. But this will not be easy.

What is true is that Walmart will utilise its immense power and influence to paint a positive message for the people of South Africa as it tries to enter the country.

However, if the company really believes what it says, then it should enter into a binding contractual agreement with SACCAWU which would give peace of mind to the workers and improve their conditions. After all, if there’s one company on the planet which can afford to do so, it is this one!

Pictures from the shop stewards’ meetings held to organise South African workers in the struggle against Walmart

5

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 5

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:16

Over 100,000 people march for a better, fairer way Despite snow, ice, thunder and hail, ordinary workers came to voice their opposition to the failed Government policies that have torn the nation apart over the last few years. Lie after lie, broken promise upon broken promise, the economic catastrophe that this Government has wrought upon the people of Ireland drove huge numbers onto the streets. The trade union movement – having witnessed a complete failure of leadership from the Government – called for a show of strength from ordinary citizens on Saturday, 27 November last, to make the Government and political elite understand that Irish people would not accept a strategy that made them the scapegoats for the disastrous decisions of the past decade. And they were not disappointed with over 100,000 people taking part in the demonstration.

a mask when he robbed people and congratulated the 100,000 people that had joined the march. “Does anybody in this country or in Dáil Éireann think that we can as a people afford to pay 6.7 per cent on money that we did not ask for in the first place and that is being forced upon us to bail out the banking system in Europe which is in hock to this country for €509 billion?” Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole asked why the country was paying billions to bail out the banks and the Government had declared war on the poor. He said Irish people were not subjects, but citizens, and wanted their republic back.

From before midday crowds flooded up the quays from either direction and assembled at Wood Quay. People from all walks of life gathered together to demonstrate against proposals to cut the minimum wage, to cut social welfare, the broadening of the tax net, water charges and a host of other unfair measures that will target the lower paid in society as opposed to those who can bear the weight of ‘adjustments in the living standards’.

All along the quays from the Dublin City Council offices to O’Connell Bridge people marched in protest at the Government’s proposed Four-Year Plan. The brightly coloured banners matched the spirits of the marchers who cheerfully chanted and exchanged friendly greetings with friends and strangers alike. National and international press swarmed around trying to capture the moment to place on the front pages of newspapers around the world.

Mandate member and striking Laura Ashley worker, Berry Fleming, addressed the gathered crowd on what it was like to be on strike against a powerful multinational. She described her experience and explained that her employer and many others – and now the Government – have used the excuse of the economic crisis to drive down workers’ wages and their terms and conditions of employment. Berry argued for an alternative approach – one focused on investment and job creation.

The marchers arrived at the GPO within the hour and began to fill O’Connell Street till all the photographers on the roof of Clerys could see was a sea of protestors. Assembled around the constructed stage, marchers cheered and joked with the announcer, Fintan O’Toole, as he asked for patience till the rest of the marchers reached the historic street.

When the rally finally began, ICTU President, Jack O'Connor, told protestors the country had been brought "to its knees" by the Government and bankers. "Several generations of Irish men and women" will have to foot the bill, Mr. O'Connor said. Congress general secretary David Begg, said that Dick Turpin at least wore MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 6

Along with speeches from union and civil society leaders, musicians Christy Moore and Frances Black also performed.

“If we don’t invest in jobs, then the alternative is clear – hundreds of thousands of Irish people will be forced to leave the country once again. We must campaign to make sure this does not happen and we must make sure that we get a Government that is focused on growing the economy and creating jobs.”

While the demonstration was a huge success, it’s vitally important now that the campaign for change doesn’t stop there.

It’s crucial, as our own Berry Fleming said, that we in the trade union movement ensure that we get a Government that will focus on investment and jobs, not cuts, cuts and more cuts!

6

13/12/2010 12:16

7

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 7

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:16

Campaigns Hard-hitting web videos launched to protect the poorest Representatives from Mandate attended the successful launch of two hard-hitting videos commissioned by the Poor Can’t Pay Coalition, of which Mandate is a founding member.

Those present at the packed house at Filmbase in Temple Bar were first to see the videos which highlighted just how hard life has become for those on the lowest incomes in our society.

The launch comes amidst the Government’s savage attacks on the minimum wage and welfare rates which will drive hundreds of thousands of individuals, families and children deeper into poverty.

Mandate General Secretary, John Douglas said: “With an election due to take place in the near future, every TD and Senator needs to hear loud and clear that there is widespread and vocal support for the view that the poor can’t pay. I urge all Mandate members

to log onto www.poorcantpay.ie and watch the videos and then take action by emailing your local TD to express your support for the campaign. It only takes a couple of minutes and can be done easily on the Poor Can’t Pay website.”

Focus Ireland Director of Advocacy, Mike Allen who also is a member of the Poor Can’t Pay coalition said:

“The purpose of these videos is to remind people – many of whom are experiencing their own worries and deprivations during the recession – that the poorest in our society still require our protection. Please tell your family and friends about our campaign and email the links or post them on your Facebook page.

A small action on your part may help make a big difference to our campaign and ultimately help protect those on low incomes in such troubling times.”

From L to R: Director of the National Women’s Council, Susan McKay pictured with Noel Nutley, Age Action, St Vincent de Paul Society’s John Mark Cafferty.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 8

8

13/12/2010 12:16

European citizens say enough in Jobs not Cuts protest More than 1,000 people took to the streets to take part in the Jobs not Cuts march from Anglo Irish Bank on Stephen’s Green to Leinster House. The protest aimed to highlight Government inaction on the jobs crisis.

ICTU President, Jack O’Connor, told the gathered crowds that the Government had "deliberately and cynically" allowed unemployment to rise in order to drive down wages. He stated that the Government’s fiscal plan was "a route to selfdestruction" and called for progressive tax measures rather than cuts.

The protest formed the Irish contribution to a major European wide mobilisation against austerity measures spearheaded by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). The marchers were supported by many in the community and voluntary sector, progressive political parties and a majority of Dublin City Councillors. More than 20 other groups took part in the protest to signal their opposition to Government measures in a variety of areas, including healthcare and children’s rights.

“We have had three deflationary budgets to date. Despite being promised repeatedly that we have turned the corner or that the worst is over, the only measurable impact of this strategy has been to suck life from the economy and drive up unemployment”, Mr O’Connor continued.

“People have lost jobs and have seen their hours cut because Government cuts have taken money out of the economy leading to a collapse in spending. Close to 70% of our economy comes from domestic demand but we hear there is nothing available for a stimulus, while endless billions have been poured into banks.”

“It’s time to tear up this failed strategy. It’s time to focus on jobs, on people and how we can get life back into the economy. All across Europe we are being held up as an example of how not to tackle a recession, how not to deal with a banking crisis, how not to create and protect jobs”, he said.

Mandate General Secretary, John Douglas, said low paid workers were hit worst by the Government’s ‘fixation’ with deflation.

“The lowest paid workers have seen their wages fall by almost six percent this year. They are at the sharp end of this Government’s obsession with the deficit and cuts. They see no sign of a burden that is being shared.

9

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 9

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:16

Thousands gather to Claim Our Future A new progressive civil society movement had its first large gathering recently in Dublin and Mandate members were at the heart of it. The event called Claiming Our Future called for equality, environmental sustainability and accountability to be core values of any new government.

A maximum income, a reformed tax system and a minimum income threshold emerged as policy priorities at Ireland’s first ‘citizens’ forum’ on Saturday, 30th October in Dublin’s RDS. More than 1,100 participants from all over the country called for a stimulus package to maximise job creation in the social and green economy and expressed overwhelming support for a radical new emphasis on economic security.

“The event brought together people from every county in Ireland and from a vast range of backgrounds and experience. It shows how many people want the political system to wake up to demands for sustainable economic and social policies based on values of equality, accountability and solidarity”, he stated.

The event was massively oversubscribed with over 2,000 seeking to register for the 1,100 available places. Hundreds more have participated in local events and

Mandate National Coordinator of

debates at www.claimingourfuture.ie and

Organising, Campaigns and Recruitment,

its associated social networking sites.

Brian Forbes, said the event was a huge success and demonstrated a massive appetite for an alternative approach to economic and social policy in Ireland:

discussing and agreeing the values and priorities. Innovative software enabled the 1,100 participants to follow the debate across the whole event and to identify, in real time, the emerging themes and final agreement. Hundreds more participated on line through social media and www. claimingourfuture.ie, where the event was streamed live.

ICTU Assistant General Secretary Sally Anne Kinahan welcomed the endorsement of policies to stimulate the economy and create jobs: “We have to tackle the deficit but policy must also take account of the need for jobs and sustainable economic activity. Three austerity budgets have already taken €13 billion out of the economy and the Government is talking about more than doubling that in its FourYear Plan. But the economy isn’t reacting and many now believe the adjustment is too fast and too deep. It’s time to prioritise

Uniquely in Ireland, the event used new

tackling unemployment, particularly

software technology, which allowed

youth unemployment which now stands

participants to have an equal input into

at 30%”, she said.

From L to R: Harry O’Brien, Linda Tanham and Dave Moran at the RDS, Brian Forbes and Ken Reilly, Mandate National Executive member at Claiming Our Future, ICTU General Secretary, David Begg, shares a light moment with Mandate General Secretary, John Douglas before the Claiming Our Future event got underway.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 10

10

13/12/2010 12:16

Make sure your vote counts One person, one vote – that’s how it works but only if you are registered to vote.

Irish people will soon get the opportunity to judge the actions of the present Government and decide on the future direction of the country. But you can only have your say if your name is included on the Electoral Register.

Considering the huge challenges that face the nation, it has never been more important to ensure that the people that matter (that means you, your family and friends!) get out onto streets and vote in massive numbers and the first step in making this happen is to ensure that you are on the Electoral Register.

The Register is a list of all the voters eligible to vote in all the constituencies throughout the country and is refreshed each year. It’s actually really easy and quick to check if you’re registered.

If your details don’t appear on the register and aren’t included at another address, you must complete an application form (RFA2), which is available for download on www. checktheregister.ie or alternatively from all local authorities, post offices and public libraries.

If you are on the register but have moved address from one Dáil constituency, or local electoral area, to another you must complete an application form (RFA3), which is also available for download at www.checktheregister.ie or at the above venues.

Completed forms must be returned directly to your city or county council at least 15 days before polling day. You can also contact the Franchise Section of your local council with any questions you might have.

So that’s it. A little bit of effort that will make your voice heard in deciding your own future, that of your family and friends as well as the country as a whole.

To check online, simply go to www.checktheregister.ie Click on the City or County Council you are living in to see if you are listed on the Electoral Register.

Enter your surname, first name, house number and townland/street.

If you are registered, a page will pop up with your voting details; where your local polling station is, your elector number and what type of elections you are entitled to vote in.

The next time you’ll have to think about it is when you receive your polling card in the post before the next election.

If you aren’t registered, there could be a number of reasons each with different solutions.

11

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 11

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:16

Don’t be a Fashion Victim this Christmas says the Clean Clothes Campaign MANDATE Trade Union is urging all its members, their families and friends, to join the newly launched Irish Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) this Christmas and participate in improving the lives of millions of garment workers around the world.

In 2010, Mandate, in conjunction with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), Trócaire, Comhlamh and Re-dress, established an Irish branch of the international CCC. The CCC is the world’s largest alliance of labour unions and NGOs dedicated to improving working conditions and supporting the empowerment of workers in the global garment and sportswear industries.

A packed crowd, including Mandate General Secretary, John Douglas, gathered in central Dublin recently to launch the campaign. Guest speaker, Marcella Kraay, of the International Clean Clothes Campaign based in Amsterdam welcomed the Irish branch as the 15th national member organisation in Europe.

Clean Clothes Campaign Ireland is working together to: 1. Raise public awareness by educating and mobilising consumers.

Marcella Kraay explained why it’s important that MANDATE members join the Irish CCC this Christmas and change the way the fashion industry works for the better.

2. Pressure companies to take responsibility for workers' rights in the entirety of their supply chains.

“It is the stark reality that poverty wages, lack of rights and poor working conditions are still the norm for millions of garment workers across the world. They are deprived of their internationally recognised human rights on a daily basis. By joining the Irish CCC, you can have a positive impact on the live of millions of garment workers across the world. The way the fashion industry is managed can be changed to ensure that garment workers in supplier countries are not deprived of a living wage, of their dignity and of their human rights,” Marcella Kraay said.

4. Campaign for governments to legislate on corporate responsibility and make a solid commitment towards implementing sustainable procurement practices.

3. Support workers in their struggles for decent working conditions, including speaker tours and urgent appeals.

The final word on the importance of the Clean Clothes Campaign should go to the late International Textile Garments Leather Workers Federation General Secretary, Neil Kearney, from Donegal:

“The most common problem among garment workers in the global south is malnutrition. Let us be clear: No one should be paid so little that they can’t afford to feed themselves.”

If you would like to join please e-mail contact@ cleanclothescampaignireland.org Visit www.cleanclothescampaignireland.org and follow the campaign on www.facebook.com/cleanclothesireland.

Mandate official, Dave Moran, taking part in a workshop at the launch of the Clean Clothes Campaign MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 12

12

13/12/2010 12:16

Making services sight loss friendly These include:

There are 15,000 people in Ireland who are blind or vision impaired and nearly 60% of these are over 65. It is expected that the number of people affected by blindness or vision impairment will grow enormously over the next 20 years as the population ages, leading to significantly increased demand for more accessible services.

Making services and premises suitable for people with vision impairments not only benefits them but all customers and service users.

Better colour contrast and lighting, attention to potential hazards and awareness training for staff improves the safety and usability of services for all people.

The Equal Status Act, 2000 makes it illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of disability. Service providers for the general public must, by law, make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) can provide a range of specialised supports (generally for a small fee) to help service providers and businesses meet the needs of people who are blind or vision impaired.

13

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 13

Awareness training Awareness training can be provided to organisations to bring a greater understanding of the issues around vision loss and how to develop services that are more accessible.

Accessible technologies People who are blind or vision impaired may not be able to access information or services due to inaccessible websites or poor quality displays and touch screens.

The Centre for Inclusive Technology (CFIT) provides information, education and assistance in designing accessible websites. Find out more at www.cfit.ie.

Accessibility audit An access audit of a premises would highlight aspects that make it difficult for a person with sight loss to find their way around independently. Low cost, simple adaptations can make premises more accessible and safer. These include: - Marking glass doors and providing a handrail on staircases.

- Effective use of colour and tactile markings to highlight steps, edges and obstacles.

documents which can be converted into Braille and audio include: information leaflets, annual reports, customer charters, banking guidelines, code of ethics, equality and human resource policies.

Clear Print Advisory Service Clear Print is a design approach for written information which makes the print easier to read for everyone including people with low vision. Organisations can get assistance on providing Clear Print in their printed information (through NCBI) and can be awarded the ‘Clear Print Mark’ if they reach the required standard.

Audio Description Audio description is the use of a narrative track that assists people who are blind or vision impaired when watching a television programme, a movie, or a visual arts performance. If you have produced a DVD or movie about your service, audio description can be added to it making the DVD accessible to people with sight loss.

NCBI, Whitworth Road, Drumcondra, D9.

Locall: 1850 33 43 53 Email: info@ncbi.ie Web: www.ncbi.ie

- Large, clear, well positioned signs.

- Effective use of contrasting colours to highlight handrails, doorframes, door handles and edges of steps.

- Making information accessible - Braille Transcription & Audio Recording Print documents can be converted into Braille, or audio formats. Examples of

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:16

Training Mandate Shop Stewards Training Programme 2011 The Mandate 2011 Training Programme – dates below – contains courses which are specially designed to help our shop stewards in their role as the Mandate Representative in their workplace.

The Introductory Union Representative course is for new shop stewards and is the first course in Mandate’s Trade Union studies.

The Advanced Union Representative course is a three-day course.

It is for shop stewards who have completed the Introductory Union Representative course and who have been a shop steward for more than one year.

The Health and Safety Representative course is for elected health and safety union representatives and is delivered over five days.

The Equality course is a one-day course which is designed to raise member’s awareness as to issues regarding Equality and Integration in the workplace.

As you can see the programme also contains a number of other courses designed for specific workplaces. If you are interested in attending any of these courses, please contact your Mandate Official or the Mandate Organising and Training Centre at 01-8369699.

Course Title

Dates

Duration of Course

Course Location

Union Representative Introductory

January 10, 11, 12

3 days

OTC* Dublin

Boots – Creating a Work Life Balance

January 17

1 day

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Advanced

January 24, 25, 26

3 days – Fetac

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Introductory Tesco Specific *TBC

February 7, 8, 9

3 days

OTC Dublin

Health and Safety Elected Representatives

February 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

5 days

Athlone

Tesco Forum Training TBC

March 8

1 day

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Introductory

March 21, 22, 23

3 days

Galway

Union Representative Introductory

March 28, 29, 30

3 days

Cork

Union Representative Introductory

April 4, 5, 6

3 days

Limerick

Marks and Spencer Forum Training TBC

April 11

1 day

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Advanced Superquinn Specific TBC

May 9, 10, 11

3 days – Fetac

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Introductory Boots Specific TBC

May 16, 17, 18

3 days

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Introductory

May 23, 24, 25

3 days

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Introductory

June 13, 14, 15

3 days

Waterford

Union Representative Introductory Marks and Spencer Specific TBC

June 27, 28, 29

3 days

OTC Dublin

Superquinn Forum Training TBC

July 14

1 day

OTC Dublin

Equality and Integration

July 18

1 day

OTC Dublin

Health and Safety Elected Representatives

August 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

5 days

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Advanced

September 5, 6, 7

3 days – Fetac

Cork

Union Representative Advanced Tesco Specific TBC

September 12, 13, 14

3 days – Fetac

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Advanced

September 26, 27, 28

3 days – Fetac

Athlone

Union Representative Introductory

October 3, 4, 5

3 days

OTC Dublin

Union Representative Advanced

October 10, 11, 12

3 days – Fetac

Limerick

Union Representative Advanced

November 14, 15, 16

3 days – Fetac

OTC Dublin

*OTC = Mandate Organising and Training Centre/*TBC = To be confirmed Venue dates and times may vary.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 14

14

13/12/2010 12:16

Great uptake on Skills for Work Training Programme In this year’s summer issue of the Mandate News, an article promoting the VEC/Mandate Skills for Work training programme was featured. The Skills for Work programme offered courses on Communications, Personal Development, Mathematics and Communications through Computers which run until December 2010.

Mandate members were encouraged to avail of these free courses which they were able to access in their own local areas in their own time. By August over 400 Mandate members contacted Mandate’s Training Centre and applied to attend for training. In September, 45 classes were formed and members attended training in areas from Kerry to Donegal and Cork to Dundalk and many other locations in between.

Members have been reporting back to Mandate that they are delighted to have taken up the challenge of returning to training. They have learned new skills and updated old ones.

They have built up new friendships and are networking with other Mandate members in their neighbourhoods. They have gained confidence with each class and are already asking for a place on future courses, if available.

The main reason for the success of this training programme has been the generous support given by the VEC, the Skills for Work coordinators and the tutors who have been so willing to help and guide our members each week.

Mandate Members doing it for themselves

Mandate Union Learning Representatives receive their FETAC awards from the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, with special responsibility for Lifelong Learning, Educational Disadvantage and School Transport Mr. Sean Haughey, TD

Mandate members attending a Skills for Work Communications through Computers, FETAC Level 3 course in Clondalkin, Dublin.

Mandate members attending a Skills for Work Communications through Computers, FETAC Level 3 course in Lucan, Dublin.

Mandate members attending a Skills for Work Communications through Computers, FETAC Level 3 course in Tallaght, Dublin.

Mandate wishes to express our thanks to the VEC and their staff for all their assistance and enthusiasm without which our members would not have had this wonderful training opportunity. Congratulations and best wishes to our members on your achievements.

Mandate members attending a Skills for Work Communications through Computers, FETAC Level 3 course in Bray, Dublin.

15

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 15

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:16

Industrial Relations Laura Ashley workers go on strike Workers employed in Laura Ashley’s Irish flagship store located on Dublin’s Grafton Street have taken to the streets to protest at the unfair actions of their highly profitable employer.

After months of speculation about the possibility of Laura Ashley shutting up shop and subletting the premium retail space to the Disney Company, the store’s 22 workers were informed on 24th September that their roles were at risk due to the company’s intention to close its doors within less than a month explained Mandate Trade Union Industrial Officer, Dave Moran.

The union and its members were very disappointed at being kept in the dark for so long on the company’s plans.

“Clearly the staff were shocked and surprised by the very short notice given to them in relation to the closure of the store. In addition, they were very upset to realise that the company was only willing to offer statutory redundancy payments and that all employees who wished to remain in employment on the same terms and conditions at one of Laura Ashley’s six remaining retail units would be obliged to once more undergo an interview”, he continued.

Laura Ashley strikers, Maureen Dunne and Rita Varsanyi on picket duty on Dublin’s Grafton Street

Laura Ashley management has repeatedly rebuffed calls from both Mandate and the Labour Relations Commission for engagement under the dispute resolution mechanisms of the Irish State. Despite this, Dave Moran said the union would still be open to negotiating with the company to try and work out a solution that best serves all parties to the dispute.

Mandate has pointed out that the company’s actions come on the back of bumper pre-tax profits of £10.5million for the 26 weeks to end July, 2010 with total turnover growing by 5.7% to £135.1million.

“The company has not argued an inability to pay better redundancy but that it is company policy to pay the legal minimum.”

The company’s unilateral and ungenerous actions have been the primary cause of the staff’s anger and disappointment. Some of the staff at the multi-national home decoration and fashion retailer have upwards of 10 years service on the Grafton Street premises. Not surprisingly, the store’s workers when balloted on the company’s proposals at a general meeting held on October 6th unanimously rejected the offer of statutory redundancy and overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 16

16

13/12/2010 12:16

Boots agree to new deal for staff

permits Mandate to carry out union activity among its members.

It sets out the rights of Boots workers to union representation and all the benefits that follow.

It also sets out in detail the industrial relations procedures to be followed in the event of disputes arising with union representation guaranteed at all steps.

The agreement is supplemented by the proposal Creating a Work Life Balance which aims to enable staff at Boots to make work fit around their lives as opposed to other way around. The proposals, the result of a Labour Court recommendation relating initially to one store only, aim to balance company demands with the needs of staff for certainty.

For those who have followed the difficulties between management and workers at Boots Retail Ireland over recent times, it would have appeared that there was no love lost between either side.

This makes the recent overwhelming vote in favour of new restructuring proposals by workers, negotiated between Mandate Trade Union and Boots management, all the more welcome.

The proposals come in the form of two documents; the New National Procedural Agreement and Creating a Work Life Balance.

Relations between Mandate and Boots have been turned around to such an extent over the past 11 months that some might say the only recognisable element of the relationship are the names on the two doors.

After strike action was narrowly avoided in October 2009, both parties came together and hammered out an agreement under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission.

Since then Mandate and Boots management have worked together, through tough but honest negotiations, to put together a proposal that will revolutionise the relationship between the Boots workers and management in Ireland.

In the New National Procedural Agreement, the company recognises Mandate Trade Union as having sole negotiating rights on all matters concerning Mandate members who number 900 of a total workforce of 1700 and 17

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 17

The initiatives include a formal recognition of job sharing and parental leave standards which aim to give workers more control over when they work. But the most exciting parts of the initiatives are schemes like term time working and career breaks. Under the term time working scheme, employees can opt to work only during school term dates, having the traditional summer/Easter holiday periods off, but be paid their salary for 52 weeks on a pro rata basis. The career break scheme allows employees to take up to three years off while still being guaranteed employment on their return. The reasons for the break can be travel, study or just time off to deal with a life event.

The proposals will be implemented on a store by store basis and not with a one size fits all attitude. The company has also given undertakings to consult with staff on any changes.

Donegal dealt another blow 21 Mandate members from Ballyshannon experienced their worst employment nightmare when their employer BWG Foods Ltd. announced the closure of their workplace from 4th October, 2010.

and they know no other type of work. As Ballyshannon has recently been declared as one of Donegal’s employment black spots, they now are facing into a very bleak future.

On foot of the announcement, Mandate immediately sought a meeting with the company to fully assess the nature and reasons for the closure. At that meeting it became clear that the Ballyshannon outlet was trading well and had actually increased its year on year business but for reasons of cost effectiveness the company was seeking to realign this business into their main Dublin depot.

Despite Mandate’s representations to try and maintain this business in Ballyshannon the company stuck doggedly to their plans to restructure.

Mandate Industrial Officer, Ciarán Campbell stated: “While our members were justifiably angry at their employer’s closure strategy it was agreed that there was little or no alternative but to further engage with the company on a number of issues that would obviously impact on the staff i.e. redundancy and goodwill/wind down payments and the state of the company pensions.

“After protracted negotiations Mandate successfully secured a commitment from BWG Foods Ltd. to pay the workers four weeks pay per year of service. The company also agreed to review the most tax efficient option for its staff. All those availing of the redundancy will receive pay in lieu of statutory notice.

Mandate also negotiated that staff taking redundancy will receive an orderly closure payment based on length of service.

“Outplacement services which are to commence at the earliest opportunity, will be provided to any person taking redundancy. A further commitment was made that the roles transferring to the Dublin depot are to be advertised in the first instance internally at Ballyshannon”, Ciarán Campbell concluded.

Many of these members had amassed considerable levels of service having entered their employment at the age of 15 or 16 –

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

Tesco workers form European Works Council Workers from Tesco stores all over Europe, including many Mandate members, have come together to form a representative body that will keep Tesco staff, across all European member states, up to date with the company’s plans for the future.

After months of hard negotiation, employee representatives from each of the countries involved managed to secure agreement with the company on setting up a Europe wide consultation body and how the Tesco European Works Council (EWC) would operate.

Trade union members and Tesco employees from Ireland, the UK, the Czech Republic, France, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland have dedicated their time and efforts to making this process a reality.

The inaugural meeting of the Tesco EWC took place in October and included the election of EWC employee representatives and training for those elected. Each participating member state is entitled to two representatives.

The elected Irish representatives are Don Donnelly of Tesco, MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 18

Newbridge and Owen Roberts of Tesco, Killarney. In what must be seen as a significant achievement by the Irish representatives, Don Donnelly has been elected Chair of the Council, which the Irishman will hold for a term of four years.

Mandate would like to express its hearty congratulations to both Irish representatives.

EWCs are an initiative set out under European law, which attempt to bring together employee representatives from the different European countries in which multinationals have operations. During EWC meetings, which are held once a year, these representatives are informed and consulted by central management on transnational issues of concern to the company’s employees.

The meetings represent an important opportunity for local staff representatives to establish direct communications with central company management and build up links with Tesco workers from other countries.

Workers in more than 820 of the most powerful companies across Europe have established EWCs. It applies to companies with more then 1000 employees and more then 150 workers in at least two member states. The Councils have become an important indicator of how many of these companies inform and consult their employees and a measure of compliance with European standards and practices.

Labour Court directs Tesco into negotiations

The Labour Court has directed Tesco to enter into discussions with Mandate Trade Union and SIPTU over an eight week period.

The discussions will centre on pay related issues and the company’s agenda. If no agreement can be reached within that timeframe, the parties are to revert back to the Court for a further hearing and a written recommendation.

At the Labour Court hearing, Mandate and SIPTU made both written and oral submissions informing the Court that no agenda presently tabled would find favour in any discussions.

18

13/12/2010 12:17

Innovation wins out at Superquinn Despite the incredibly difficult trading conditions many retailers now find themselves in, some companies refuse to compromise on their principles and go down the path of cost rationalisation through staff reduction and choose instead to work with their staff to build a better future for all parties concerned.

The Irish owned Superquinn has certainly shown its willingness to roll up its sleeves and come up with innovative solutions to past and present difficulties, with a continuing set of agreements having been negotiated between the company and the unions that work to protect job security for the employees and return the company to profitability.

Mandate Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Light stated:

“Once the relevant information is put before the employees, which very much depends on the willingness of the employer to engage honestly, then it is the employees who come to a decision.

They are the ones that understand the workings of the business best of all. They are to the forefront of operations.”

Building on previous agreements a new cost saving proposal, The Programme for Sustainability and Growth, which has been designed to reduce costs in line with revenue decline, has been put to employees in order to help Superquinn make the cost savings it needs in the current year. In what can be seen as a genuine case of tough financial circumstances, the company has been both open and inclusive in terms of its dealings with its employee’s representatives.

its obligations for the year. But does this mean there will be a hole in employee’s pension contributions in years to come?

This is where it gets inventive. Any employee in employment with the company 24 months after normal pension contributions resume will be entitled to buy back their pensionable service for this period. The company will match the amount any employee repays. Obviously, any worker who is entitled to avail of their pension entitlements during this period will not be affected.

Mr. Light said “This is what can be achieved when progressive employers engage with their workforce and seek solutions that will benefit everyone.“

“Despite the continuation of the previously negotiated pay freeze, Mandate is constantly looking for ways to advance its members interests. In this regard, we have negotiated a deal where 30% of profits over a set level will be returned to the workers once the company returns to profitability. We have also achieved an extension of the increased colleague discount for another 12 months.“ “Once again Superquinn has shown how some companies realise that a key element of their continuing success is the fair treatment of their workers, in good times and in bad”, he concluded.

Mandate Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Light

A major plank of the new proposal negotiated under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission is a suspension of pension accruals for a period of 12 months. So, what does this mean?

Well, for a 12 month period neither company nor worker will make pension contributions. After the 12 months, pension contributions will resume as normal. So employees will have more money in their take home pay packages and the company will be relieved of 19

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 19

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

Union engaging with new Arnotts’ management and Board to secure store’s future Mandate Trade Union has welcomed the appointment of the new management team and Board at Arnotts retail store, following the European Union’s approval for the takeover of Arnotts by Anglo Irish Bank and Ulster Bank.

Mandate Assistant General Secretary, Linda Tanham explained that since the takeover, Mandate has been engaging on an ongoing basis with the new management and Board of the company regarding the future of Arnotts as a retail business.

“Obviously we’re eager to secure the jobs and terms and conditions of the staff who have contributed so much to the company over the years. In this regard we have been working with the new Board and management team since their appointment in the early autumn and we will continue to do so over the period ahead”, Ms. Tanham said.

Mandate Assistant General Secretary, Linda Tanham

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 20

20

13/12/2010 12:17

Union News Activist Profile – John O’Donnell 1. Division

Southern 2.

Briefly describe your background? Do you come from a Trade Union background?

I’m 21 years old and have been working in Marks & Spencer since June 2007. My great-aunt, who lived in the US, was the first woman in her area to get other women whom she worked unionised.

3.

Why and when did you become involved in the union?

The main reason I got involved in the union was because I was bullied in secondary school. After that experience, I swore to myself that I would never let anybody go through what I had and that I would stand up for everyone who needed me. About two years ago the opportunity arose to join a union and I jumped at it. I wouldn’t think twice about doing it all over again.

4.

What difference has being a part of Mandate made to you as a person and a worker?

It has made me a lot more confident as a person and in work. It really helps knowing that I have this large group of people behind me, to support me every step of the way.

It’s a great feeling.

5.

What are the specific issues facing young workers in today’s Ireland?

I think personally that the biggest issue young workers face is not

21

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 21

being treated with the respect they deserve. That applies not just to managers but to a small number of older staff too. Not being giving a chance to show their true potential.

6.

How do you feel Mandate activists can best aid young workers in the retail sector?

Simply by taking the time, we can really make a big difference to young workers’ experience of the workplace. Finding out what concerns them and trying to figure out ways, with the workers, how these issues can be resolved. That applies not just to young workers but across the board.

allows me to get a broad picture of what’s happening within the movement.

8.

Do you see a difference in today’s Mandate activists and the activists of the past?

I see a major difference, especially at this year’s conference. A lot more activists are getting more involved because of our current economic climate. There seems to be a lot more passion in all of the activists.

Everyone has realised, especially now, we truly do have to stand up and take action. Now more than ever, we are the last line of defence.

9.

What do you see as the key challenges for workers in the next few years?

Making sure that all companies stick to all agreements is really important.

And also trying to prevent any changes that will seriously affect us.

10. What advice would you give to potential Mandate activists for the future?

John O’Donnell, Mandate activist in Cork

7.

What does your role within the Mandate Youth Network entail?

Being involved in the Youth Network means that I am not just involved at a local level but am in constant contact with fellow Mandate members all over the country. This

It is a great feeling knowing that you can make a difference and help people. Know that you are not alone when you become an activist, you just become part of a bigger fraternity than you could ever imagine. It’s a tough job most of the time and thankless, you have to be willing to put your own time in and not just in work. But that being said at the end of it all it is one of the most beneficial things you will ever do. It helps you become a stronger person.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

Workers of the World Incredible India Have you ever seen a child starving to death in a train station while passengers and staff calmly walk by checking their mobile phones to see if they have any messages, seemingly oblivious to the imminent death of a four year old child? I have.

It was in a train station in New Delhi, the booming capital of world’s most populated democracy, India. The child looked remarkably like an image I remember from a Live Aid video from Ethiopia in the mid 1980s. It was really hard to believe what was happening right in front of my eyes. I kept waiting for some sort of intervention to take place, but it never happened.

That was several weeks ago and I don’t know whether that child is alive or whether she has become one of the millions who die every year in India from starvation. Before I arrived, I was aware that the country was rife with poverty. I tried to prepare myself in advance for awful sights, but some things are just impossible to prepare for.

The Indian tourism board likes to promote the country as, Incredible India, and rightly so. Almost every traveller you speak to says that this is one of the only places in the world where you’ll truly get a culture shock. And it will hit you like a freight train. You’ll see some incredible sights like the Taj Mahal, the jungles of Kerala or the magnificent ancient city of Hampi. You’ll meet some really wonderful Indian people, particularly travelling on the train network which is a remarkable piece of public infrastructure, particularly if you’re an Irishman and used to Iarnrod Eireann!

It’s also incredible that a country so big manages to retain so much of its culture from centuries past – with “sacred” cows strolling around city streets and devout Hindus worshipping one of their 31 million gods at tens of thousands of ancient temples scattered throughout the country. However, every positive experience I had was largely overshadowed by the obvious human suffering that is clearly showcased MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 22

throughout the country, and it is this that will stay with me the longest.

In a short few weeks, I saw beggars with missing fingers, hands, limbs, eyes. In some cases the injuries looked like they were deliberately inflicted to induce compassion. One boy I saw had a leg twisted almost completely backwards, which looked like the result of repeated smashes from a blunt object. Others looked like their disability was a birth defect, the probable result of a malnourished mother during pregnancy – such is extremely prevalent in India. Whatever the cause, it’s heartbreaking to see a child without the use of his legs crawling onto a train and dragging himself along the aisles with his hands, cleaning as he goes in the hope that passengers will give him a few rupees.

In order to illustrate the grand scale of the social problems India is facing, let me give you a few statistics about this “incredible” country: • India is the second most populated country in the world with a population of 1.18 billion people; • There are 830 MILLION Indians living on less than 20 rupees per day (the equivalent of €0.30); • India has one third of the global poor living there. In fact, India has more people living in poverty than 26 of the poorest African countries combined; • India has the highest infant and maternal mortality in the world; • Over two million children die every year in India before they reach the age of five, that’s half the population of Ireland.

These statistics would probably make you think there was a massive famine, a war, a natural disaster or some humanitarian

David Gibney who, until recently helped manage the union’s communications with Montague Communications, is on a year-long tour of the world and wrote this article based on his experiences in India earlier this year 22

13/12/2010 12:17

crisis in India. There isn’t. In fact, India has the second highest economic growth rate in the world. The country has recently spent nine billion dollars on a two week sports extravaganza event, the Commonwealth Games, aimed at showcasing the country as a major economic power and as a significant rival to their superpower neighbour, China. However, to an outsider travelling through India, it would seem that the ruling classes of this great nation have chosen to feed their collective international ego rather than attempt to alleviate some of the pain and hunger of their own people.

You may think I’m being a little melodramatic, but when you read that the Government has sworn on affidavit that there’s 55 million tonnes of food grain in Godowns (storage facilities), but it is willing to distribute only 2.5 tonnes, you have to question the motivations and actions of those ruling the country. Booker Prize winning Indian author and social justice advocate, Arundhati Roy, has claimed that millions of tonnes of food grain is either eaten by rats or burnt in bulk because it is cheaper to burn food than to distribute to the poor.

India is on the up economically, but only if you look at it through certain eyes. It wouldn’t be so easy a claim to make if the country had to take responsibility for its poor and deprived. The Indian Government, it would seem, has chosen to create two Indias – an India for the rich and an India for the poor. The latter are the silent and forgotten millions you witness in the train stations or walking through tourist districts, literally begging for their lives. This is while the middle and upper classes continue to thrive. According to CapGemini, India has 127,000 US dollar millionaires whose combined wealth is estimated at $477 billion. This includes 14 billionaires. I was surprised to read that one of the richest “Indian” nationals, construction magnate, Pallonji Mistry, who is reportedly worth $5.8 billion, is not included in this list as he has just recently become an Irish citizen.

really believe that the US is genuinely concerned about human rights abuses of the people of Iran while it ignores the plight of hundreds of millions of starving and abused Indian nationals?

The notion that India is the largest democracy in the world wears a bit thin when most Indians will tell you, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, about the endemic and accepted level of corruption present during every election and in day to day politics.

Despite all this, there are bright spots. The state of Kerala in southern India is generally a stronghold for the Communist Party of India. Through local governance efforts the child mortality rate has been reduced to only one fifth of the rest of the country. The life expectancy there is higher than all other states and their literacy rates reach 94% as opposed to the Indian average of 68%. Maybe the other political parties running central government should take some lessons from this small state, or even better, step aside and let this local government do the same for the country as it’s done for the state.

I’m reminded of the old saying that a society is ultimately judged by how it treats its weakest and most vulnerable members. Incredible is one way to put it but I’ll let you make your own opinion on Indian society.

A volunteer preparing food for the poor in a soup kitchen in Mysore, India

So what is the international community’s reaction to this less than obvious humanitarian disaster? While travelling in India I read in a newspaper that the United States government is placing sanctions on Iran for human rights abuses. While Iran may well be a valid target of international sanctions, such definite action is so different to the utter silence on the Indian Government’s appalling record on providing for its own people.

Indeed far from sanctions, Barack Obama has just completed a visit to the country with an aim to build closer ties. Can we 23

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 23

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

Government proposes automatic deportation in new Immigration Bill Huge changes are afoot in the way that Ireland deals with immigration and it is feared that new measures, particularly automatic deportation with no right to appeal, will make life even more difficult for those trying to legally live and work in the State.

Over the last 15 years, the Government has put in place necessary measures to regulate who can come to Ireland, for how long and under what conditions. The current system is set out in a collection of different pieces of legislation and has evolved over the years as the State has tried to keep abreast of a rapidly evolving situation.

Campaigners opposing the summary deportation provisions in the new Immigration Bill seeking support from TDs outside the Dáil

Since 2005, the Government has been trying to bring all the separate regulations into one piece of legislation but their attempts, a Bill in 2005 and one in 2008, have run into difficulties and raised serious questions about what it is exactly the Government is trying to achieve in the area of immigration.

Another area of concern is the system set out for dealing with the victims of human trafficking. The IRP Bill 2010 only permits the authorities to grant temporary residence permits to victims who are necessary to a subsequent Garda investigation into the offence.

The latest instalment the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2010 (IRP Bill 2010) is no less controversial with measures that will arguably make the system even less fair on the people it affects.

No avenue is provided for victims of trafficking to remain in Ireland on humanitarian grounds, even in cases where they are too traumatised to return to their country of origin. Surely, victims of such a terrible crime deserve the breathing space to recover from their experiences? To make matters worse, the Bill provides no process whereby victims can remain in Ireland to take a civil action against the traffickers.

One measure that has caused the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) particular concern is the introduction of summary deportation. Under this provision, if immigration officers satisfy themselves that a person is “unlawfully” present in the State, the deportation process can immediately be set in place. What this means is that if a mistake is made, there is no way to fix it.

This is a fundamental change from the present system where deportation can only occur after a person is served with a deportation order and given 15 days to respond to the order.

This could lead to the wrongful deportation of lawfully resident migrants and Irish citizens where, for example, an incapacity or mental illness prevents them from proving their entitlement to be in Ireland. The new Bill also fails to provide the Minister, and therefore his officers, with the flexibility to deal with situations that don’t fall into the set categories.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 24

Another area that the Bill fails to address is the introduction of a system, common practice in other EU Member States, that if a person is legally resident in the country for more than five years they can apply for permanent residence. Instead, a person who has been granted long-term residence status, which will be valid for five years only, will have to apply for the renewal of his or her permit and will have that permit renewed “on conditions”.

Instead of introducing stability into the system for those who comply with the laws of the land, this measure punishes those who play by the rules by always keeping their presence in this country conditional. In addition to this, those who do apply for long term residency are often made wait up to 18 months for a decision to be taken by the authorities.

24

13/12/2010 12:17

Strong support for Mothers & Daughters fundraiser Mandate members turned out in numbers to support the Mothers & Daughters Lunch Fundraiser for victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation held in Dun Laoghaire.

Supporters came from all parts of Irish society from business to politics, the arts, fashion and entertainment. Mandate was represented by President Joan Gaffney and former President Mary Larkin.

Organised by the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) the event was a celebration which brought mothers and daughters together. It raised awareness of the experiences of immigrant women in Ireland who are the victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation. It also raised desperately needed funds to combat the issue of sex trafficking and exploitation.

The event highlighted ICI research that drew attention to the over 100 cases of women and girls who are victims of trafficking who had presented to 10 different service providers in Ireland over a period of less than two years. It also revealed that over 1,000 women are potentially exploited in the sex industry every week.

The overwhelming majority of these women are migrants who are being exploited by an Irish sex industry conservatively estimated to be worth more than €180 million a year.

Mandate Gets Active on Social Networking Websites Mandate has launched its online presence on some of the most popular social networking websites. Why don’t you log on to our Facebook, Twitter or Flickr accounts for regular updates and information? You can find these by going to the Mandate website www.mandate.ie and scrolling to the bottom of the homepage.

Keep in touch with Mandate’s ezine Mandate now has an ezine with information on the union and its campaigns.

Over the coming months Mandate intends sending out regular updates to members and other interested parties. You can sign up to the ezine through Mandate Trade Union’s website homepage, www.mandate.ie and scroll down to the bottom. Stay informed by signing up and tell your colleagues and friends to sign up too.

Former Mandate President, Mary Larkin, and current union President, Joan Gaffney, at the Mothers & Daughters fundraiser

25

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 25

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

Road Map to Recovery The jobs crisis has to be combated TASC, the independent think-tank dedicated to combating Ireland’s high level of economic inequality, has stated that it is possible to reconcile solving the fiscal crisis with addressing the jobs crisis.

In a recent proposal, TASC argues that while there are still difficult times ahead, the goals of recovery, jobs and equality are not in conflict. In fact, these goals can be complementary parts of a recovery strategy for Ireland based on targeted investment and gradual tax increases.

The proposals explain that the dramatic fall in property prices has left a huge amount of private debt that has added to the savings frenzy in the economy and slowed the pace of economic recovery. Three budgets of savage cuts have simply served to deflate the economy further.

TASC says that Ireland is now suffering from the ‘paradox of thrift’ as individuals, businesses, banks and Government all try to save, demand has plummeted further and the economy has stagnated. The proposed Four-Year Plan and a fourth cutting budget risks making the economic crisis last longer than necessary.

As opposed to the Four-Year Plan proposal of pouring these funds into the black hole of the bank bailout, TASC proposes to use funds from the National Pension Reserve Fund to finance a €3bn Economic Recovery Fund that would be invested in small to medium sized businesses to ensure that the present rate of job losses is reversed. It would also be used to up-skill and retrain those in the workforce who have been laid off.

Ireland is one of the few advanced economies not to have a tax on residential properties despite the fact that it is well known that such a tax is growth friendly and stable. The introduction of such a tax instead of the second home levy and stamp duty would yield nearly €900m in 2011.

TASC clearly states that the €75,000 ceiling on employee’s PRSI is regressive, arbitrary and unjustified in economic terms. Removing it would ensure that those able to pay would pay and would generate an extra €120m a year for the State.

The proposals are designed to have minimum negative impact on economic growth with the overall effect estimated to be growth-friendly, while simultaneously narrowing the gap in the public finances. These are just some of the options that are available to the Government if they chose a different path to cuts, cuts and more cuts.

TASC’s proposals cover four main areas: • Restoring economic growth and returning people to employment; • Identifying new sources of revenue to allow Ireland to meet its commitments to the European Commission; • Outlining a multi-year plan for returning the public finances to a sustainable long-term path; • Identifying specific reforms to promote transparency in the Budget making process.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 26

26

13/12/2010 12:17

4 Steps 2 Recovery campaign underway services and infrastructure, it is also grossly unfair as low and average income earners are subsidising high earners through the system of tax breaks that disproportionally benefit the most well off”, he said.

The Government’s Four-Year Plan should not be seen as an opportunity to cut wages, services and social welfare but instead as a golden opportunity to radically overhaul Ireland’s unfair tax system – according to the Community Platform which is an alliance of 29 organisations working with the poorest in Irish society.

In a dynamic new campaign, 4 Steps 2 Recovery, launched by Barnardos’ Chief Executive, Fergus Finlay, last September, the group in anticipation of the publication of the Four-Year Plan and the Budget, laid out a proactive, evidence-based set of alternative options to the Government’s present course of slash and burn.

“The Government has set out an ever-increasing number of billions in adjustments (mostly spending cuts).

Cutting vital public services, taxing low paid workers, cutting social welfare and capital investment are being presented as the only options to reduce the budget deficit. The Community Platform rejects this notion and presents real alternatives in the form of tax reform that will both address the budget deficit and stimulate economic recovery”, said the campaign organisers.

“Not only is the current tax system failing to generate sufficient revenue to provide and sustain high quality 27

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 27

4 Steps 2 Recovery focuses on Ireland’s upside-down tax system as the key to achieving the fiscal stabilisation that the country so badly needs. The campaign clearly sets out that those with the most earning potential are allowed, while remaining completely within the limits of the law, to duck and dodge their tax obligations by a bewildering system of tax breaks and reliefs.

Specifically, the campaign calls on Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD, to: 1. Reduce tax breaks for the wealthy to EU levels; 2. Introduce a wealth tax for high earners with assets worth more than €1million; 3. End tax exile loopholes by making citizenship the basis for taxation for high earners; 4. Apply PRSI and income levies to all income, regardless of source.

The campaign makes the point that low paid workers spend almost all of their income – because they have to – thus stimulate the economy. High income earners on the other hand don’t have to spend all their money, instead choosing to save much of it. Protecting those who are more likely to consume must be a priority during an economic crisis.

Any cut to the incomes of low earners would lead to an immediate reduction in spending which in turn reduces tax revenue and economic growth. Cutting high incomes, however, has little impact on economic activity.

The proposals set out in 4 Steps 2 Recovery are exactly the kind of well thought out and fair measures it will take to bring about the much desired turnaround in the country’s economic fortunes while building a fair and adequate tax system.

MANDATE NEWS / Autumn 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

Social Justice Ireland says a fairer future is possible A fairer future is possible and the Government can take some key steps towards it stated Social Justice Ireland in its recently published alternative to the Budget and the Four-Year Plan. It set out a number of options available to the Government to ensure that those most able to bear the burden of the country’s economic woes do so and that the most vulnerable in society are protected.

The key suggestions are to: • Standardise the rate for the tax-break for pension contributions; • Make tax credits re-fundable; • Introduce a Part-Time Job Opportunities Programme that would produce real part-time jobs for 100,000 unemployed people on a voluntary basis; • Introduce an income-contingent loan facility which would enable all third-level students borrow money to pay fees and cover their living costs; • Increase funding for primary level education and adult literacy programmes; • Provide substantial support for developing an integrated health-care model through supporting primary care teams, older people and children and family programmes; • Increase all social welfare rates; • Introduce a levy on corporate sector profits.

Led by Fr. Sean Healy and Sr. Brigid Reynolds, the values-based organisation maintains that taken together these proposals provide an integrated, coherent approach to building a fairer future that is both achievable and desirable. The proposals are fiscally responsible, preserve the living standards of Ireland‘s poorest and most vulnerable people and they also seek to develop greater fairness in the tax system and in Ireland‘s response to its present series of crises.

“We agree everyone should make a contribution insofar as they can. But we do not accept that some people should be driven into poverty because of the contribution that is demanded of them.

To do this would be to solve one problem by creating a deeper and more longlasting one. We reject any attempt to solve Ireland‘s problems by increasing inequality or by forcing the most vulnerable members of the population into a situation where they do not have the resources to live life with dignity”, the authors said.

Social Justice Ireland’s alternative clearly sets out that in making choices for the future, the Government should be guided by the principle of protecting the needs of the vulnerable. 13.9% of Ireland‘s population is at risk of poverty with incomes below €11,719 for a single person or €27,188 for a household of four.

39% of all the households at risk of poverty today are headed by a person with a job. A further 45%, headed by a person outside the labour force, are totally dependent on social welfare. In the current difficult economic climate Social Justice Ireland believes that the Government should pay particular attention to this group. Those surviving on low incomes continue to struggle and unlike many other groups in society have no room to absorb income cuts.

“In times of crisis it is often the case that strategic thinking and planning are set-aside. This approach has been very visible in Ireland since the inception of the current crises. As a society we are lacking a coherent set of guiding values and assumptions to shape the policies and actions of the decade to come”, the policy document argued.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 28

28

13/12/2010 12:17

Too much too soon, worries ESRI The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), the State’s leading economic think tank, in a recent unexpected move differed with the Department of Finance on the key issue of the date by which the budget deficit has to be reduced to 3%.

This date is of crucial importance as it will determine how much pain the ordinary worker has to bear to keep the country’s economic affairs in order. The Institute set out its concern at the Government’s stated intention to reduce the budget deficit to 3% by 2014 which it believes could tip the economy into a spiral of low growth and high unemployment.

The Institute has suggested making the tough calls over a longer period, as it now believes the savings required could be double the amount previously thought. In a recent report, the ESRI warned that trying to meet the 3% target by the 2014 deadline could mean the Government taking so much money out of the economy that it damages economic growth.

Professor Alan Barrett of the ESRI said a growth rate of more than 3% per year would be needed to address unemployment.

Prof Barrett continued that in the December 2009 budget, the Government estimated an adjustment of €7.5bn would be required to meet the target. But since then the higher bank bailout costs have pushed that figure to as much as €15bn. It says cuts of that scale would reduce growth to around 2.25%, which is not high enough to reduce unemployment. To avoid this, the Institute suggests pushing the 3% deadline out to 2016.

ESRI’s contention was implicitly accepted in the Government’s Four-Year Plan with the date for the 3% target set for 2015.

Labour Finance Spokesperson, Joan Burton TD, stated that the ESRI’s report underlines the scale of the fiscal and economic challenges facing the country. She added:

“Rather worryingly, the ESRI expects wages and economic growth to be lower, and unemployment and emigration to be higher next year than they had expected only three months ago. Putting the entire focus on spending cuts and tax hikes will be ultimately self-defeating. We need a package of confidence building measures to get the economy moving again”.

Despite earlier noises from the European Commission that it would reject such a call for the 2014 deadline to be extended, the

29

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 29

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

I brough t my dog to the park to today b play Frisbee ut he at it. I th was useless ink I ne flatter d ed a og.

The Wall Quiz

Caption Competition

1. On what website can you check to see if you are registered to vote?

Win a €50 shopping voucher for best caption.

2. What is the name of the organisation that organised the Mothers & Daughters Fundraiser Lunch?

This is a picture of President Mary McAleese opening the Mandate Official Training Centre. What is your caption for this picture?

3. What three popular social networking sites can you now access Mandate on?

4. What was the campaign name of the major meeting held recently at the RDS to debate alternative ways to tackle our economic difficulties?

5. What is the name of the Irish chairman of the new established Tesco European Works Council?

6. On what date does the first of the Mandate Shop Stewards Training Programmes 2011 begin?

7. In what year did the Government first try and bring in a new Immigration, Residents and Protection Bill?

All correct entries will enter into a draw to win a €50 shopping voucher.

CAPTION:......................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................

Please include: Name, Division, Contact details Send all completed entries to mandate@montaguecomms.ie Final date for entry is 31st January, 2011.

There collis was a ma ion on jor ca junct the spag r h injure ion today. etti 12 d, 4 p asta w ay.

Two peanuts w alk into a bar, one was a sa lted.

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 30

A bus station is where a bus stops. A tr ain station is wher e a train stops. On my de sk, I have a work station.

g I’m goin w o r r o Tom to a letter t e it r w to abou e News . t a d n a M tination procras 30

13/12/2010 12:17

he

For answers check out the next issue of our magazine or go to www.mandate.ie/crossword.pdf

ss

New scientific ev idence has proven that birthdays are g ood for you... the more you have the longer you live.

ter I dream of a bet ickens world...where ch ad can cross the ro their without having ned motives questio Crossword

12. Team (4)

Down

7. Sugar (9)

14. Escaping fluid (4)

2. Exclamation of surprise (3)

11. Pertaining to Siam (7)

Across

15. Conflict (6)

3. Monetary unit of Israel (6)

13. Child’s toy (6)

1. Build (9)

17. Sift (5)

4. Flower (4)

16. Festive occasion (4)

8. Residence (5)

18. Commerce (5)

5. Jailbird (7)

19. Find the sum of (3)

9. Tendon (5)

20. Ministers (9)

6. Deliberate destruction of property (9)

10. Cloth for removing dust (6)

Sudoku Rules Solving a sudoku puzzle can be rather tricky, but the rules of the game are quite simple.

A sudoku puzzle is a grid of nine by nine squares or cells, that has been subdivided into nine subgrids or “regions” of three by three cells.

re

The objective of sudoku is to enter a digit from 1 through 9 in each cell, in such a way that:

n ve

• Each horizontal row contains each digit exactly once • Each vertical column contains each digit exactly once • Each subgrid or region contains each digit exactly once This explains the name of the game; in Japanese, sudoku means something like “numbers singly”. Solving a sudoku puzzle does not require knowledge of mathematics; simple logic suffices.

In each sudoku puzzle, several digits have already been entered (the “givens”); these may not be changed. The puzzler’s job is to fill the remainder of the grid with digits –respecting, of course, the three constraints mentioned earlier.

31

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 31

MANDATE NEWS / Winter 2010

13/12/2010 12:17

Mandate is the third largest trade union in the Republic of Ireland with a growing and increasingly active membership base across the Irish retail and bar trade.

Keep up to date with developments: www.mandate.ie

Mandate Head Office

Mandate Organising

O’Lehane House

and Training Centre

9 Cavendish Row

Distillery House

Dublin 1

Distillery Road

Tel: 01 874 6321

Dublin 3

Fax: 01 872 9581

Tel: 01 836 9699

Email: mandate@mandate.ie

Fax: 01 884 4114 Email: mandateotc@mandate.ie

Regional Offices Cork:

Limerick:

1–2 Emmet Place

Killoran House

Cork

Catherine St.

Tel: 021 427 0101

Limerick

Fax: 021 427 2188

Tel: 061 310 010

Email: cork@mandate.ie

Fax: 061 314 648 Email: limerick@mandate.ie

Galway: Mary St.

Waterford:

Galway

36 Michael St.

Tel: 091 562 750

Waterford

Fax: 091 562 559

Tel: 051 874 631

Email: galway@mandate.ie

Fax: 051 870 830 Email: waterford@mandate.ie

10472_Mandate_Dec_AW.indd 32

13/12/2010 12:17