Vote 'YES' to accept proposed TUI/Department of Education and Skills agreement - a message from TUI's President and General Secretary

By piofficer, Tuesday, 17th May 2016 | 0 comments

The following text appears on the cover of the TUI News ballot special, which is being posted out to all workplaces today. Click here to download full TUI News ballot special. 

 

Keep our campaign moving - vote 'YES'

 

Dear Colleagues,

TUI has campaigned strongly for nearly a year to have our issues, which were neglected by the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA), addressed. We did this alone and, having achieved meaningful negotiations, we now have a proposed agreement with the Department of Education and Skills (DES). The benefits set out in this agreement can be secured if you vote ‘YES’ and will be in addition to pay restoration measures in the LRA.

TUI also campaigned against the draconian FEMPI 2015 bill. Despite our best efforts, it is now law and will have significant adverse effect for us from the 1st July next - which is when the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) ends - if we are not in the follow-on LRA. Also, it has been confirmed by Government that benefits such as the Ward and Cush reports will fall if we are not in the LRA.

The Executive is recommending a ‘YES’ vote in both ballots. The proposed agreement provides tangible concessions with additional stepping stones for further progress on workload, terms and conditions, bureaucracy and professional autonomy. All of our sectors are covered.

Separately, ICTU has acknowledged TUI`s leading role in highlighting the injustice of pay inequality and has committed to prioritising this issue for resolution within the LRA. The recent decision to restore the value of their allowance to Firefighters, within the LRA, is a very important precedent that we can exploit.

The workload additionality, under the CPA, HRA and continued in the LRA can be best addressed with the other public sector unions - representing over 300,000 public servants who have had to give an additional 2 hours per week. Those unions and the ICTU have called for a review of the LRA to accelerate pay restoration.

The Executive is also calling for a ‘YES’ in the ballot for industrial action because, in the event that we do not accept the proposed agreement, then, in law, we need a mandate to withdraw from productivity provided since the Croke Park Agreement.        


Gerry Quinn, President, TUI                    John MacGabhann, General Secretary, TUI

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