Latest news with #Siptu
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Minimum pay for childcare workers to rise to €15 an hour
Childcare workers will earn a minimum of €15 an hour under proposals jointly agreed by employers and unions. The Joint Labour Committee, which is made up of childcare providers and unions representing childcare staff, have agreed the minimum hourly raise rate from €13.65 to €15 an hour, an increase of 10 per cent. Some 35,000 people work in the childcare sector in Ireland. The new pay agreement will be underpinned by an extra €45 million provided to the sector by the Government. The proposals will now go to those childcare staff that are unionised, but Siptu has recommended approval. READ MORE Siptu's head of strategic organising Darragh O'Connor said it was a 'really big step in the journey for recognition, respect and decent pay for early years professionals'. [ 'The Government has gone very quiet': childcare providers protest for support after election promises Opens in new window ] However, he added that staffing remains a 'huge issue' with the sector and can only be relieved by continued Government investment. Childcare Service Ireland, the Ibec group that represents childcare providers, said it will help ringfence funding for wages to reach early years educators. 'There are several pressing issues facing providers, and we look forward to working with the Minister to address these challenges. Our goal is to ensure the continued sustainability of a high-quality early childhood education and care sector,' a spokesperson said. 'Any further increases in wages must be fully supported by Government funding, as the ongoing fee freeze and the incoming fee caps significantly limit providers' ability to absorb additional costs.' Minister for Children Norma Foley said the 10 per cent increase in minimum pay represents a 'significant step' towards fair pay for educators in the sector. [ Childcare crisis driving employees out of workforce Opens in new window ] She said her department pledge to put another €45 million into the sector helped get the deal over the line. 'If these proposals are implemented through updated Employment Regulation Orders, they will bring much-needed improvements in pay for these dedicated professionals, enhancing the quality of care and education provided to children across Ireland,' she said. 'I am hopeful that these proposals will soon come into effect, marking a positive change for our dedicated and skilled staff in the early learning and childcare sector and the services that employ them.'
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Strike action at BNM Recycling called off after talks breakthrough
Strike action planned for Thursday morning at Bord na Móna Recycling has been called off after agreement was reached between union representatives and management. BNM Recycling, Ireland's last publicly owned domestic waste collection service, is to be sold to Munster waste management company KWD. Siptu representatives rejected a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) proposal aimed at solving the dispute as the union sought a Registered Employment Agreement which would protect members' terms and conditions. A strike was due to begin in Dublin and across the Midlands at 4am on Thursday morning. However, union representatives met management of Bord na Móna Recycling in Portlaoise on Wednesday afternoon and an improved offer was reached with management. "A significantly improved offer for workers who will be impacted by any sale of the company was secured," said Siptu divisional organiser, Adrian Kane. "This offer was discussed by the Siptu Bord na Móna Recycling shop stewards who unanimously agreed to propose acceptance of the offer to their members. 'The new offer will now be balloted on by Siptu members employed in Bord na Móna Recycling. While we have made major progress concerning the industrial relations matters related to the proposed sale of the company, many concerns remain about the proposal to privatise this state asset and the wider direction of domestic waste services in Ireland.' The strike action would have seen pickets placed on nine Bord na Móna Recycling depots across midland counties and Dublin. BNM Recycling operates services in Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Offaly, Meath, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow. KWD operates waste and recycling services in Kerry, Cork, and Limerick. In April, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) cleared the proposed sale to KWD subject to KWD divesting a certain number of domestic and 'commercial & industrial' customers to another waste collection provider.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Last-minute talks underway to avert strikes at bin company which serves 135,000
Siptu officials are meeting managers at Bord na Móna Recycling in Portlaoise at the request of the company to discuss the upcoming sale of the company to KWD Recycling. Its members are due to mount pickets for a one-day stoppage that begins at 4am tomorrow. Siptu divisional organiser, Adrian Kane, said pickets will be placed on nine Bord na Móna Recycling depots across midland counties and Dublin. He said the union is seeking an urgent meeting with Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Darragh O'Brien, to discuss the dispute. 'We have made clear in talks with the company that our members oppose the sale of this state asset as a move which will cost customers, workers and the environment,' he said. He claimed the company and the private entity seeking to purchase it have refused to agree a Registered Employment Agreement to protect the workers' terms and conditions. 'This dispute is an issue of national importance as its outcome is crucial to the future of the domestic waste collection sector in Ireland,' he said. 'We can have a sector which works for customers, workers and the environment or one which is purely concerned with generating profit.' He said the future of domestic waste collection services is of major political importance and the Government has a crucial role to play. Mr Kane said Siptu is leading calls for a more rational, cost effective and environmentally progressive reorganisation of domestic waste collection services. He said talks yesterday ended without agreement, but the company sought a meeting again this afternoon. A Bord na Móna Recycling spokesperson previously said it had received confirmation of notice of industrial action by the union after it rejected proposals presented by the Workplace Relations Commission. He said this was extremely disappointing as agreed industrial relations procedures should mean the next stage in the dispute is a referral to the Labour Court. The spokesperson said the company would endeavour to keep any disruption to waste collection services to a minimum. He said alternative collections will be scheduled for those impacted by the industrial action. The commercial semi-state company provides wheelie bin and waste-collection services to domestic and business customers in Leinster and Munster. It has customers in Carlow, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Meath, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. The Irish Independent has asked Bord na Móna Recycling for a statement on today's talks.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Threats of violence could trigger suspension of bus services in Limerick, union warns
Siptu organiser Andrew Quigley said he received numerous reports of increased levels of anti-social behaviour on Bus Éireann's route 303 service in recent days. The incidents include young people throwing stones at bus windows and workers being subjected to verbal abuse and threats of violence. Mr Quigley claimed some incidents are not being reported due to delayed responses from gardaí as a result of high levels of demand on their resources. 'Our members are raising serious concerns about their safety and well-being while operating this route,' he said. He called on Bus Éireann to hold meetings with all stakeholders, including trade unions, the local authority and gardaí, to work on eliminating the threat to passengers and workers. Siptu has written to the company to request an urgent meeting to discuss the incidents. Mr Quigley said there was serious damage to buses and endangerment of workers in recent days. 'If action is not taken to deal with what is a long term and recurring issue on this route then our members will be forced to suspend services,' he said. 'This is something they do not wish to do as they fully understand the detrimental impact which it has on the local community.' Siptu sector organiser John Murphy said the solution to a crisis of anti-social behaviour on the public transport network is the creation of a standalone transport policing service. The union has called for the introduction of this service as part of a Respect Transport Workers campaign. Mr Murphy said the Government has included this objective in its Programme for Government. 'Our members stand ready to work with all stakeholders to make the creation of such as service a reality in as short a time frame as possible,' he said. 'However, prior to this goal being achieved services must continue to operate in all communities. We believe the engagement with stakeholders to immediately bring greater safety for workers can be done in tandem with the work necessary to establish the foundations of the new transport policing service.'
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Talks bid to avert waste collection strikes at BNM Recycling
Siptu representatives will meet with the management of Bord na Móna Recycling in Portlaoise on Wednesday afternoon in a bid to avert strike action due to take place on Thursday. The strike comes as BNM Recycling, Ireland's last publicly owned domestic waste collection service, is to be sold to Munster waste management company KWD. Siptu representatives rejected a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) proposal aimed at solving the dispute as the union sought a Registered Employment Agreement which would protect members' terms and conditions. The strike action is due to commence at 4am on Thursday morning and will see pickets placed on nine Bord na Móna Recycling depots across midland counties and Dublin. Strikes are then planned to escalate in the following weeks. The strike will see pickets placed on nine Bord na Móna Recycling depots across the Midlands and Dublin. On Tuesday, talks ended without agreement but will reconvene on Wednesday afternoon. "This dispute is an issue of national importance as its outcome is crucial to the future of the domestic waste collection sector in Ireland. Our engagement with the company is focused on the industrial relations issues concerning Bord na Móna Recycling. However, the future of domestic waste collection services is of major political importance and the Government has a crucial role to play," said Siptu divisional organiser, Adrian Kane. BNM Recycling operates services in Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Offaly, Meath, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow. KWD operates waste and recycling services in Kerry, Cork, and Limerick. In April, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) cleared the proposed sale to KWD subject to KWD divesting a certain number of domestic and 'commercial & industrial' customers to another waste collection provider.
