CE workers Win Massive Victory!

national | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Monday July 16, 2012 16:13

by Paul Gavan - SIPTU

pgavan at siptu dot ie

Vital Funding restored after SIPTU campaign

SIPTU members have welcomed the decision of the Department of Social Protection to partially restore material and training funding to Community Employment (CE) schemes.

The decision followed an intensive lobbying campaign by trade unions on behalf of CE workers and will ensure schemes across the country can continue to deliver vital services to local communities.

At a meeting on Friday, 13th July, officials at the Department of Social Protection confirmed to a union delegation that the total materials and training budget for 2012 will be €20.5 million, an increase of €9.5 million over the allocation announced in the budget in December 2011.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Darragh O’Connor, said; “The decision to nearly double the CE materials and training budget from what was initially allocated will ensure that no CE scheme will close in 2012. CE schemes employ over 22,000 people and deliver a range of crucial services including childcare, elder care, disability care, drug rehabilitation and environmental work, so it was crucial that the Government decided to re-think this budget cut.”

He added; “The decision of the Department of Social Protection to review its allocation follows an intensive seven month trade union led ‘Save Our Schemes’ campaign. SIPTU members and activists brought their message about the importance of CE schemes to politicians across the country with delegation visits, mass meetings and open days. There was also a key engagement with Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, at an early stage of the campaign.”

CE Supervisor and SIPTU activist, Seamie Briscoe, said; “Over 50 Government and opposition TDs heard first hand from workers the impact of cuts and the likely closure of schemes if action wasn’t taken. This decision is recognition of the crucial role that Community Employment plays, not only in the provision of vital services, but also in helping people get back to work. It also shows why community sector workers need to get organised to defend jobs and services.”

SIPTU Community Sector Organiser, Eddie Mullins, welcomed a further commitment by the Department of Social Protection to a wider review of CE and Community Childcare schemes.

“If the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, is to meet her stated aim of a Scandinavian model of childcare the potential role of Community Employment has to be fully realised,” he said.

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Comments (1 of 1)

the path to further unemployment - free labour abuse of ce scheme

by ce work to nowhere

Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:54

It may be a victory for the CE supervisors,and blind ce workers,who dont realise yet they are pawns to free labour,think of every job a ce worker has,that could have been a PAID job advertised.These FAS and JOBBRIDGE schemes suck paid jobs out of the community nullifying any chance of a paid job being shown on a website or in a newspaper - if a company turns around and decided to sign up with FAS and JOBBRIDGE as opposed to hire paid workers,it means job displacement.

Ive been part of the scheme in the past,did my time there and references and all that,but at the end of it there was no job prospects,people who see you did 2 years or a year on a scheme see you as someone who displaced a job and didnt give a monkeys either,and they can see you as a dole layabout,so be careful before putting that on your CV.It doesnt guarantee jobs,it displaces a job you could have applied for.Dont give these job scam schemes the air they breathe which is your free labour,so dont sign up to them,let them die a death..

Joan burton turns around and hands out free labour workers to big cashed up recession proof profit driven companies setting up.I call that stupid.Its not job creation.Its job displacement.Bottom line.

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CE workers Win Massive Victory!

Comments (1 of 1)