Outsourcing agreement in waste sector
17 August 2010
The SIPTU general union has negotiated a deal to ensure that the “Croke Park” national agreement provisions on outsourcing are applied to the waste sector in Dublin. The union had threatened strike action against Dun Laoghaire council because it had intended to outsource waste collection services to the private company Panda without any consultation. The “Croke Park” agreement makes clear that public sector employers can only outsource after full consultation with the trade unions. There will be some outsourcing but union members have also agreed a new redundancy and compensation package.
Read more at > SIPTU (EN)
Union secures meeting over waste management in Dublin
4 August 2010
Dun Laoghaire council in Dublin has agreed to meet with the SIPTU union and the other three councils in the Dublin area to resolve a dispute over waste privatisation. SIPTU has threatened strike action over the council’s unilateral proposal to outsource its waste collection. The union argues that this contravenes the recently negotiated “Croke Park” national agreement that set out clear procedures for negotiations over privatisation and restructuring in local government.
Read more at > SIPTU (EN)
And > earlier developments
Threats of cutbacks in health sector angers union
4 August 2010
The IMPACT public services union is concerned about proposals to cut jobs and services across the health sector. Fixed-term workers could be the target of planned cutbacks but the union warns that health sector employers should review their plans and ensure that they don’t infringe the “Croke Park” national agreement that ruled out compulsory redundancies in the public services.
Read more at > IMPACT (EN)
And > similar developments
Industrial action threatened over waste privatisation
21 July 2010
The SIPTU trade union agreed to talks at the Labour Relations Commission over a dispute over privatisation but says its members working for Dun Laoghaire council, just to the South East of Dublin, may still take industrial action. The union is angry that the council decided unilaterally to outsource the waste service to a company called Panda. This is not just counter to earlier agreements on outsourcing in the public sector but also to the commitment in the recent national Croke Park agreement to maintain direct labour.
Read more at > SIPTU (EN)
And further information > here
Union to consult with branches over further action
5 July 2010
The CPSU civil service has suspended in industrial action while it consults with branches during July, with the possibility of balloting over action again in September. A majority within the union voted to reject the “Croke Park” agreement – the national agreement that has since been supported by the public service committee in the ICTU confederation. The CPSU executive committee had recommended rejection on the basis that the deal didn’t do enough to protect low paid workers.
Read more at > CPSU (EN)
Majority of public services unions vote to accept deal with government
21 June 2010
The public services unions in the ICTU confederation have voted to accept the so-called Croke Park deal. The agreement commits the government not to cut public service pay again, and to begin the process of reversing recent pay cuts as savings flow from the substantial reforms set out in the deal. It also contains a government commitment to avoid compulsory redundancies, plus important safeguards on pensions and outsourcing. Public service pay has been cut by an average of 14% over the last 16 months through the so-called ‘pension levy’ and reductions in pay scales introduced in the last budget.
Read more at > Impact (EN)
Union rejects public service agreement
1 June 2010
Members of the CPSU civil service have voted 67% to 33% to reject the “Croke Park” agreement. There was a high 74% turnout for the vote. The agreement was drawn up to try to resolve the conflict between government and unions over pay and job cuts in the public services. The deal involves maintaining the 5%-7% pay cuts this year with proposals for making efficiency savings that would allow for pay increases over the next three years. It also includes a range of other measures related to redeployment and outsourcing.
Read more at > CPSU (EN)
Union decides to recommend acceptance of public service agreement
13 May 2010
Following a key court ruling and further clarification from the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the executive of the IMPACT public service union has decided that it will recommend that it members accept the public service agreement proposed by the government. The court ruled that important parts of an existing agreement covering performance management, outsourcing guarantees, premium pay rates and other issues would continue to be valid. The LRC also confirmed that unions would be fully consulted over the implementation of redeployment and restructuring under the public service agreement. The SIPTU general union had already indicated support for the agreement and is currently consulting members while the CPSU civil service union had recommended that its members vote to reject the agreement.
Read more at > IMPACT (EN)
And at > SIPTU (EN)
Unions divided over public service agreement
17 April 2010
Public sector unions are divided over their response to the draft public service agreement that was drawn up to end industrial action over pay, pensions and jobs. The core of the agreement was the idea that public sector pay cuts would gradually be reversed if efficiency savings were made. The CPSU and Impact public sector unions argue that the agreement does not deliver real guarantees in terms of pay and pensions for their members and so they are recommending that their members vote against the deal in forthcoming ballots. The SIPTU general union has called for some clarification of the agreement but argues for acceptance. It will also be balloting its public service membership.
Read more at > Impact (EN)
And at > CPSU (EN)
And at > SIPTU (EN)
Unions examine government proposal on pay and jobs
1 April 2010
After several weeks of industrial action, public service unions have been presented with a proposal by the government to settle the dispute over pay cuts. A key element of the agreement is that there will be no further public sector pay cuts and the cuts that have been implemented will start to be reversed if specific public sector efficiency savings are achieved. The priority will be to restore pay levels for workers on less than €35,000 a year. The deal would see the freeze on recruitment continue but redeployment of staff in response to specific shortages. Unions will consider the agreement and put it to a vote of members in April.
Read more at > IMPACT (EN)
And at > SIPTU (EN)
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