CommunityNewsletter

February2011

LCDP Campaign

LaunchedActivists

from Local Community D

evelopment Progra

mmes (LCDP) form

ed a

national committee

and launched the “

Unity forCommun

ity” campaign at a

meeting on 1st Febr

uary in Liberty Ha

ll, Dublin.

There arecurrently

54 LCDPs around the

country working wi

th marginalised

people and groups

within themost disa

dvantaged commu

nities. The pro-

grammefocuses o

n those who are fu

rthest from access to

education, training

and employment, a

nd thoseat highes

t risk of social excl

usion. LCDPs were

formed by the mer

ger of theLocal Dev

elopmentSocial Inc

lusion Programme

(LDSIP) and the Co

mmunityDevelopm

ent Programme (C

DPs) andare based

in

both urban and rur

al areas.CCoonnttiinnuueedd

oonn ppaaggee 22..

2

Continued from page 1.

The formation of the LCDP SIPTU commit-tee gives workers a much stronger nationalvoice and the ability to co-ordinate unionactivity across the country. The committeeis comprised of union activists and is supported by Eddie Mullins (SIPTU SectoralOrganiser for the Community Sector) andthe Strategic Organising Department.

With the ongoing changes and challengesfacing LCDP workers the need for a wellorganised group has never been greater,particularity with the uncertainty surrounding Government cuts and how they will impact on the Community Sector.

ILDN Proposals Much of the discussion on the day wasfocused on ILDN (Irish Local DevelopmentNetwork) proposals to re-align pay scales.The proposals, which have yet to be formally made to SIPTU, have been circulating over the past few weeks.

Stability and certainty in relation to wages was broadly welcomed. However the committee was clear that changes to paycannot be done without the agreement ofworkers.

A sub-committee was elected to engagewith the ILDN and will report back at thenext committee meeting. Union memberswill be kept up to date with developmentsvia their shop steward and newsletter.

Collective BargainingKey to the issue of pay is collective bargaining. While workers in the public andprivate sector have the ability to negotiatetheir pay and conditions directly with theiremployers, much of the community sectorhave their pay determined by GovernmentDepartments. Workers are effectivelydenied the basic right of negotiating theirpay by the “shadow employer”.

Workers must establish the principle that ifour pay and conditions are being changed,we have a seat at the negotiating table andany proposals are voted on by union members.

We need to build a strong union for LCDP workers so that we canfight to protect pay and conditions.This is why the “Unity forCommunity” Campaign has beenlaunched by the StrategicOrganising Department. If you work to tackle poverty and socialexclusion by giving a voice to thevoiceless, your issues should not go unheard. Workers in LCDP companies should have the rightto negotiate their pay and conditions with those who makethe big decisions.

Over the coming months, SIPTUorganisers will be arranging meetings with local programmes to discuss the ILDN proposals andto make sure that you have a voice within your union.

For more information, you can contact a local organiser.

West: Noreen Parkernoreenparker@siptu.ie 087 4127591

South: Trevor Quinntquinn@siptu.ie087 2906803

East: Shonagh Byrnesbyrne@siptu.ie087 7454581

North: Darragh O’Connordoconnor@siptu.ie 087 2501730Midlands: Paul Hansardphansard@siptu.ie087 7266022

Your Right YourFight Campaign CE Workers securevictory for OneParent Familiesand People withDisabilities

SIPTU Community Employment(CE) activists, in conjunction withOPEN, INOU and Mental HealthIreland, secured a major victory forone parent families and people withdisabilities. This victory by the YourRight, Your Fight Campaign meansthat lone parents and people withdisabilities will be able to continueto access CE Schemes and to workand train to improve their lives andthe lives of their families.

The ‘Your Right Your Fight’ cam-paign was launched in response tothe McCarthy report and commentsmade by a Department of Financespokesperson (Irish Independent,12th May 2010) which indicatedthat 10,000 CE workers would nolonger be entitled to any portion of their One Parent Family orDisabilities welfare allowance.These cuts would have made itfinancially impossible for one parent families or people with adisability to access CommunityEmployment.

Essentially. these proposals wouldhave denied One Parent Familiesand People with Disabilities a vitalroute to education, training andwork. For many, particularly in ruraland areas of disadvantage, CE isthe only option available for peopleto access the labour market.Furthermore, many community

Unity for Community

Photo: CE Workers an TD’s outside theDaíl after meeting the Social Protection Committee

Community Newsletter

3

Defending Ireland’sCommunitiesDefending Ireland’s Communities is a campaign group comprising of Trade Unionactivists and officials (SIPTU, IMPACT,UNITE), Employers Groups (CSEF) andCommunity Organisations.

It aims to find common ground between its members and campaign on agreed

issues. Previously working under the banner of “Communities Against Cuts”,Defending Ireland’s Communities was initially established to challengeGovernment cut backs to the Community and Voluntary Sector. It has co-ordinated a range of actions including lobbying politicians, seminars, protests,press launches and publicity events. At all times, the campaign has strived tobe activist led and creative in its actions.

Currently the group is focused on influencing government policy on threemain strands; funding for the sector, the right of collective bargaining forworkers and the implementation of outstanding Labour Court recommendations.

The group is open to union activists and community & voluntary organisa-tions. If your organisation would like to become involved in DefendingIreland’s Communities, please contact Darragh O’Connor at 01-858 6365 or doconnor@siptu.ie.

A Spectacle of Hope and DefianceOn a clear Friday night in December, community and youth organisations,trade unions, cultural groups, students and campaigning organisations cametogether to participate in a Radical Spectacle through the streets of Dublin.

The Government attacks against community organisations and ordinary people have been relentless over the past three years with funding to groupsslashed. The heart is literally being ripped out of communities by policies thatcontinue to fail ordinary people. The Spectacle was an act of creative resistance, a renewal of hope and a clear statement of defiance.

The Scales of Justice – Photo by Chris Maguire

Assemble CITY HALL , Castle St . Dublin 2

FRIDAY 10 TH DECEMBER 2010 @ 7pm

STOP TEARING THE HEART OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES

A broad range of communities, community and youth

organisations, trade unions, cultural groups, students and

campaigning organisations from Dublin and beyond are coming

together to participate in a Radical Spectacle

JOIN US - and wear something red

of

A SPECTACLEDe�anceand Hope

services and programmes depend onCE workers who are in receipt of a wel-fare payment; services such as commu-nity childcare where 25% of workersare CE would simply collapse.

The campaign which has been coordinat-ed and supported by CE workers, metwith over 35 TDs, Senators andCouncillors from all political parties.These meetings all involved local CEworkers from each constituency whowere able to explain how CE has benefit-ted them and their families and how cutsto welfare allowances would negativelyimpact on them and the community.

A delegation from the campaign metwith Minister Eamon O Cuiv on 17thNovember in the Daíl to explain thedevastating impact that cuts to welfareentitlements would have on CE workersand on the Community Sector. At themeeting Minister O’Cuiv stated that heis not considering proposals to cut wel-fare payments for CE workers who arelone parents or disabled. This state-ment was welcomed by the delegationon behalf of CE workers.

The campaign committee also had theopportunity to make a presentation tothe Joint Oireachtas Social ProtectionCommittee on 24th November 2010.The Daíl Committee was advised ofMinister O Cuiv’s statements andCommittee members gave widespreadsupport and congratulations to thecampaign, in particular to all the CEworkers involved.

This is a major victory for one parentfamilies and people with disabilitieswho will be able to continue to accessCE Schemes and to work and train toimprove their lives and the lives of theirfamilies.

The campaign has been a great successdue to the hard work, support and dedi-cation of the CE workers involved in thecampaign and, on behalf of SIPTU, wewould like to thank all the workersinvolved.

A video of the campaign is available at:www.youtube.com/user/SIPTUCommunity

Continued from page 4.

Community Newsletter

Community Newsletter

P r i n t e d b y T r a d e U n i o n L a b o u r .

www.siptu.ie

4

Unlike any protest or demonstrationthat Dublin has seen before, everyoneattending the Spectacle had a role toplay. Street dancers led the wayaround the city streets followed bysingers, stilt-walkers, a 20 foot skeleton banker and a giant scales ofjustice. The symbol of the event wasthe heart; the heart of our communi-ties, the heart that give us strength,the heart that bleeds if cut.

Drummers sounded the heartbeat ofcommunities at the Central Bankwhere hundreds of people hung heartshaped posters on the railings.

A full video of the event is availableat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iegPq0aj_jI

Stay ConnectedCheck for news and event updatesat www.siptu.ie/community

FACEBOOKJoin with workers and communities by searching for”Defending IrelandsCommunities” on FACEBOOK.

YouTubeVideo updates can be seen athttp://www.youtube.com/user/SIPTUCommunity

MembershipInformation andSupport CentreAs part of the new structures in SIPTUestablished a specialist centre to workwith the five new Divisions and theLegal Rights Unit in the handling ofindividual member queries and grievances.

SIPTU’s new Membership Informationand Support Centre (MISC) is staffedby Information Assistants andOrganisers/Advocates who will specialise in providing information,advice and representation for SIPTUmembers on individual rights issues.

As well as providing information andadvice, MISC Organiser/Advocatesrepresent SIPTU members on individ-ual rights claims at hearings involvingthe Rights Commissioner, EmploymentAppeals Tribunal (EAT), the LabourCourt, the Equality Tribunal and therelevant Industrial and EmploymentTribunals in Northern Ireland. Theyalso represent SIPTU members inother bodies dealing with individualmembers issues.

Industrial organisers help workerssolve collective issues (i.e. issues thataffect a number of people in the work-place). Below are the contact detailsfor the industrial organisers assignedto the community division and thecounties they cover.

Eddie Mullins (Sector Organiser): Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford emullins@siptu.ie 01 879 4312

Diane Jackson: Clare, Galway, Mayo, Offaly,Roscommon djackson@siptu.ie 01 858 8271

Joan Donegan: Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath,Monaghan, Wicklowjwisdom@siptu.ie 01 8586358

Michael Kiely:Carlow, Laois, Limerick, Tipperarymkiely@siptu.ie 061 317289

Pat Flannery: Longford, Westmeath pflannery@siptu.ie 094 9021382

Anthony McCormack: Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo amccormack@siptu.ie 071 9161841

Continued from page 3.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION & SUPPORT CENTRE (MISC)

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

Members call your Membership Information & Support Centre for all your enquiries or concerns:

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION & SUPPORT CENTRE (MISC)

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

www.siptu.ie