Nipsa reports june 2013 issuu

NIPSA Reports

NIPSA Reports June 2013 11/07/2013 08:14 Page 1

JUNE 2013 Tel: 028 90661831 www.nipsa.org.uk

NEWSPAPER OF NORTHERN IRELAND’S LEADING PUBLIC SERVICE TRADE UNION

Union at the forefront of AntiG8 protest Show your Pride on parade, NIPSA members are told

NIPSA banner in front of the AntiG8 rally stage in Belfast – see more pictures on page 3

THE 23rd annual Belfast Pride Festival takes place from June 28 to July 6 and includes a week-long programme of events, ranging from lectures, exhibitions and performing arts.

The theme this year is ‘Bright Colours and Bold Statements for Equality’ and information on events can be found on the Belfast Pride Festival website at www.belfastpride.com.

The festival culminates on Pride Day – Saturday, July 6 – with the Pride Parade through Belfast city centre followed by a Party In The Square (PITS).

The assembly point for the parade is Custom House Square, which will be opened from 10am and the parade itself starts at 12 noon.

The Belfast Pride community stalls – ‘The Pride Village’ – will be set out in an area adjacent to the Obel building from 11am to 4pm.

General Secretary Brian Campfield told NIPSA Reports: “In line with NIPSA’s objective of promoting equal opportunities for all members and developing positive policies to promote equality of opportunity, the union is supporting the festival and Pride Day. “NIPSA banners will be carried on the parade and we will have a stall at The Pride Village. On behalf of the General Council, we wish to encourage branches and members to take part in the week’s activities and particularly the Pride Parade on Saturday, July 6.”

PSNI forensic specialists vow to continue on-call payments fight NIPSA members working as crime scene investigators for the PSNI have vowed to continue their industrial action until they secure equitable on-call payments for work done during evenings and at weekends.

The C6 Scientific Support specialists began their action – which involves a refusal to work on-call rotas – on June 7.

NIPSA Assistant Secretary Ryan McKinney told NIPSA Reports: “Support remains absolutely solid after a huge majority voted in favour of taking industrial action.

“Despite attempts by Management Side to dissuade

members from participating, it has had the opposite effect with more staff joining NIPSA in the last couple of weeks.”

NIPSA has called for scientific staff employed by the PSNI to be treated equally as their counterparts in the Forensic Science Agency.

The union points out that both sets of workers provide similar services but those within the PSNI are paid less.

NIPSA, which represents about 120 of the 140 forensic staff, said PSNI employees who attend crime scenes should receive similar allowances as their Forensic Science NI colleagues.

Mr McKinney said: “Staff are determined to hold out

Equal pay protest at Stormont NIPSA members working at the NI Policing Board and the Department of Justice took their equal pay grievances to the steps of Parliament Buildings, Stormont, on June 24.

the full terms of the equal pay settlement that their colleagues working in a NICS department benefited from.

"NIPSA has been campaigning on this issue since 2009 when the settlement was reached. It relates to female The staff have been denied employees who for decades sufthe full benefit of an equal pay fered from unequal pay but agreement negotiated in the these staff – now employees of Northern Ireland Civil Service by the NI Policing Board and the NIPSA in 2009.

Department of Justice – have The agreement settled equal not had the full terms of settlepay claims lodged at industrial ment applied. tribunal by NIPSA on behalf of “That means these low-paid thousands of low-paid female workers continue to be paid less civil servants. than their colleagues working in This group of staff were, bea NICS department who did fore devolution, Northern Ireland benefit from the settlement. civil servants, seconded to “We are now left with the areas under the control of the ridiculous situation that many of former Northern Ireland Office. these disadvantaged staff are NIPSA Assistant General Sec- working alongside others in the retary Kieran Bannon said: “Our same grade who have been members working in areas prepaid in full.” viously under the control of the At a recent Assembly debate NIO were Northern Ireland civil on June 4, a Private Member’s servants, yet have been denied motion was put forward by Ian

NEWS INDEX

SAVE THE NIHE CAMPAIGN VOW

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McCrea MLA calling on the Justice Minister to address the equal pay concerns of these civil servants as a priority.

Mr Bannon said: “Four of the main political parties supported the motion in the June 4 debate, with MLAs talking of commitments to equality of treatment, fairness, natural justice and addressing moral obligations to reflect a positive resolution.

“NIPSA has for the past three years called on the Northern Ireland Executive to address this unfairness.

“NIPSA has also presented evidence to the Finance and Personnel and Justice Committees of the Assembly. These committees support the call for positive resolution and so too do most political parties and MLAs.” He added: “Given this high level of support, surely it is time to right what everyone has recognised and acknowledge is an injustice?”

NIPSA DEMO OVER PRIVATE USE OF HOSPITAL WARD Page

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until their aims and objectives are achieved with a significant increase to the on-call rate and the introduction of a scene and emergency attendance allowance.

“They are committed professionals who carry out hugely significant roles in the collection of forensic evidence and mapping of crime scenes.”

He added: “They want to get back to full duties as soon as possible.

“However, they have been very clear that at this stage after many years of raising these issues, they are not going to accept some ifs, buts and maybes from the Management Side.”

NJC PAY DECISION

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DARD CONFERENCE – REPORTS AND PICTURES Pages

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OPINION

We should be proud of our stand over G8 Summit WHAT was the G8 Summit in Fermanagh all about, you may ask. All the hype for a few days and then they are gone. In global terms it wouldn’t have mattered whether the summit took place in Timbuktu so we can be forgiven for a little bit of cynicism about the lasting benefits of the event to the people of Northern Ireland.

But if nothing else it provided an opportunity, for all those in Northern Ireland who believe in a fairer world, to highlight the inequality and injustice that exists across the planet. It would have been remiss of us not to have done so.

The policies being pursued by the G8 leaders, indeed the economic system they extol, has led to an attack on NIPSA members and their families.

Firstly, the attack on public service pensions affects all NIPSA members and their families. They have less disposable income due to enforced employee contributions and they will be worse off in retirement.

The pay of NIPSA members has been capped and frozen this last number of years and this has led to a reduction in purchasing power, less disposable income and many members and their families struggling to meet ends meet.

In many areas the jobs of NIPSA members are under threat whether through spending cutbacks or privatisation.

Members are having to assume additional duties due to unfilled vacancies and the stress and pressure increases.

Thousands of low and middle income NIPSA members and their families rely on social security benefit to supplement their meagre wages but this provision is under attack through the Welfare Reform Bill.

Anyone unfortunate enough to suffer forced redundancy, like the staff at FG Wilson, Pattons and a host of other private sector companies, even if they have worked hard for the last 10, 20 or 30 years, all of a sudden are placed in the “skiver”/“shirker” category as they are confined to the unemployment rubbish heap.

The communities that NIPSA members deliver important services to are seeing their health, education and other facilities undermined and closed or handed to the private sector

for profit. But these are also services that NIPSA members and their families rely on. We are all part of the same community.

So what has this to do with the G8? The G8 leaders represent the richest countries in the world and they have the power to change the direction of economic policy which is currently focused on austerity, propping up the failed banks and financial institutions with public money. In essence much of the financial difficulties faced by NIPSA members and their families arise from decisions that are taken by our leaders, including David Cameron and George Osborne.

It isn’t an economic or financial imperative that public service pensions are cut, that pay if effectively frozen or reduced in real terms, that important public provision is cut, that unemployed workers have their benefits cuts or that public and private sector workers are having their tax credits and housing benefits reduced.

These attacks on the living standards of low and middle income families are the result of choices that the world’s leaders make, whether in their own countries or because of decisions they take about international trade and taxation policy.

Unfortunately, the Camerons and Osbornes of this world are more interested in pursuing policies that benefit the large multinational corporations and international finance and while they talk about cracking down on tax evasion and avoidance, we know they are unlikely to take any effective action.

If they do, it will not be to secure the resources to fund public services, invest in jobs or lift people out of low pay. It will be to reduce the rate of tax, especially for high earners and the already well off, in order to buy votes.

Protecting or improving public services doesn’t feature on their agenda. Neither does the State’s responsibility for looking after the less fortunate in our society. In their view that should be primarily a matter for charitable bodies.

So the reason NIPSA was in the forefront of the alternative G8 events was that we recognised the connection between the decisions of the G8 leaders and the well-being of our

members, their families and the communities in which they live as well as the connection between their decisions as well as the hunger and extremes of poverty which stalk most of the developing world.

In the days after the G8 protest events NIPSA was also on the streets protesting against the decision of the Department of Social Development to privatise support grade functions, lobbying at Stormont for our members in the PSNI and DoJ who have been treated disgracefully by being denied their proper equal pay entitlement, again at Stormont supporting the Women’s Movement Empty Purse campaign and standing shoulder to shoulder with colleagues in the PCS union in their campaign to defend their terms and conditions of employment.

Supporting PCS is not just about showing solidarity with UK civil servants. We know that detrimental changes to terms and conditions of employment of public servants in Great Britain are often the precursor to similar attacks on our own terms and conditions of employment so we have a direct interest in colleagues in Britain being able to successfully defend themselves.

The demand of the trade union movement, whether it be in Northern Ireland or elsewhere, should be for an economy that serves the needs of the people, where the large corporations cannot use their massive resources to influence and shape government economic policy to their benefit with the interests of ordinary workers and citizens subjugated to the requirement to make profit.

We know that Capitalism has an unquenchable thirst, one that can only be slaked by ever-increasing profit and the human and social needs of the population are secondary to this.

So we should be proud of the decision of our union, NIPSA, to use the G8 Summit to highlight all that is wrong with our society and to articulate an alternative narrative that has the well-being and happiness of the great majority at its core.

Brian Campfield, General Secretary

NIPSA’s campaign vow to keep housing public

THE ‘Keep Housing Public’ banner was at the forefront of NIPSA contingents at both the recent May Day parade and AntiG8 march and rally – a recognition that the issue of the continued provision of social housing cannot be allowed to go by the wayside.

The Housing Executive has a proud history of the provision and allocation of social housing. It has not stood still during that time but has changed, restructured and developed over 41 years of serving the community. Sometimes these changes have been positive developments but at other times, these changes have not been supported by NIPSA. In a recent paper – The Double Transition: the Economic and Political Transition of Peace – leading academic Dr Conor McCabe claimed the move against the NIHE was a culmination of a policy begun under the premiership of Margaret Thatcher.

He writes: “It marked a fundamental shift in government policy, from that of a provider of housing to a facilitator of private market initiatives This was part of a profound change in public policy, one which ‘advocated the extension of markets, an expanded role for the private sector in the provision of public services and the withdrawal of welfare services.’

According to Dr McCabe the NIHE was instructed in June 1979 by then junior Northern Ireland Minister Philip Goodhart, to make its 190,000 dwellings available for sale at up to 50% under market valuation.

Between 1979 and 2003 more than 100,000 properties were sold by the NIHE at a time when disinvestment in new housing stock was under way.

As a result, the overall social housing sector declined by 17.3% between 1987 and 1998 and the NIHE was forced to find alternative sources of funding, usually from the private

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sector. The 1992 decision to allow housing associations to borrow from private financial institutions was another significant development.

Dr McCabe continues: “This gave private finance access to both sides of housing provision – private households via the mortgage market, and public housing via loans to the NIHE and housing associations. Regardless of provision, private finance got paid.

“The increasing privatisation of housing was a boon for the construction, real estate and legal services sectors of the economy, and it is here that the increased calls for greater privatisation – subsidised with public grants, tax breaks and write-offs – are at their most loudest.”

He adds: “As with the corporation tax campaign, it is not the consequences for Northern Ireland which matter, only the increased handling fees for those who administer the paperwork of a dogmatically speculative business.”

NIPSA stage demo over private-use of hospital ward

NIPSA members have staged a protest against 'private' use of Ward 4 in South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen, as well as a theatre at the hospital, which has been leased out to private healthcare company 3Fivetwo.

The union has also raised concerns that 3Fivetwo are also getting direct patient referrals from local GPs. NIPSA Assistant Secretary Kevin McCabe, who has overall responsibility for health, said the local branch of union felt strongly that a protest should be carried out against 3Fivetwo.

He told NIPSA Reports: “From our point of view privatisation is being slipped into the NHS. We want to know what the Trust is paying to facilitate the private sector making profits in terms of overheads and rent.

“Here is an organisation being facilitated at the public’s expense.”

Out of 300 beds at the South West Acute Hospital, 24 are located on the 3Fivetwo-run Ward 4. Ward 4 is not staffed by Western Trust personnel nor does the Trust have any input into its running.

Geraldine McKay, Assistant Director of Surgery and Anaesthetics for the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) explained that 98% of those treated by 3Fivetwo Healthcare on Ward 4 are, in fact, NHS patients.

She said: “This particular waiting list initiative uses some of this future-proofed accommodation to complement the extensive range of services already provided from the South West Acute Hospital.

As part of its campaign of opposition to the abolition of the Housing Executive and the provision of social housing outside of the public sector NIPSA is commissioning research to look at other models of delivery across Ireland, Europe and G8 countries.

It is anticipated that this research – and other related materials – will be launched in September as part of the union’s ongoing and re-energised campaign to save the NIHE. The campaign continues to build a broad base including drawing support from resident/community groups. Trades Councils, women’s groups, the wider trade union movement and political representatives at all levels.

Become active in the NIPSA campaign and keep up to date by logging on to www.nipsa.org.uk

“To date, there has been 38 inpatient and 400 outpatient attendances by Western Trust patients who have received treatment provided by 3Fivetwo Healthcare on Ward 4 at the South West Acute Hospital.

“Overall, 98% of the patients who are treated by 3Fivetwo Healthcare on Ward 4 are NHS patients who are receiving treatment through waiting list initiatives. These patients would be from the Western Trust and other Health and Social Care Trust areas.”

Responding to these figures, Mr McCabe still queried why a private health company was in operation at the hospital in the first place.

“Is that a manipulation of the service? Why is it [the work] not being done by the NHS staff?”

He added: “There is more to be done just around transparency. What forced their hand to get a third-party, private company in? We will be raising these issues to get some answers.”

AntiG8 demo was a carnival

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THOUSANDS of trade unionists gathered outside Belfast City Hall in a carnival atmosphere to protest against the G8 Summit being held in Northern Ireland.

The mass of trade unionists were joined by peace activists and environmentalists demanding a fairer world, free of poverty, human rights abuses and environmental destruction.

The rally was organised by the Belfast and District Trades Council

and Northern Ireland Committee of Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

NIPSA General Secretary Brian Campfield spoke at the event along with others who railed against the expected cost of hosting the summit in NI at £60m – mainly for supplying security personnel.

One billion people are living in "extreme poverty" around the world, due to Western capitalism and the austerity policies of the G8 leaders, the rally heard.

Pictures: Kevin Cooper – Photoline

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NIPSA Reports June 2013 11/07/2013 08:15 Page 4

Fisheries Division and Rivers Agency to be re-sited NEWS

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ON top of her decision to site the DARD HQ at Ballykelly, Minister Michelle O’Neill made another major announcement at the last Balmoral Show – that the Fisheries Division would relocate to County Down and the Rivers Agency HQ would move to Loughry College, Cookstown.

Both the Fisheries Division and the Rivers Agency were originally scheduled to relocate to the Ballykelly HQ. Commenting on the announcement, NIPSA Official Noel Griffin said: “Throughout our negotiations with the Department over Ballykelly, Trade Union Side continually argued that it may not be feasible – or indeed sensible – for all existing business areas to transfer to the new DARD HQ. “Indeed we gave Fisheries as one such example. Trade Union Side therefore welcome the Minister’s announcement including her assurance of full consultation”.

To date no specific location in County Down has been identified for the Fisheries Division.

There will no doubt be much specula-

tion with various business leaders and politicians pressing for these public sector jobs to go to their towns and constituencies.

Mr Griffin added: “Our members within Rivers Agency will welcome the fact they will not relocate to Ballykelly.

However, it remains a major relocation that will not be without its difficulties.

“As with the proposed Ballykelly move, Trade Union Side will continue to protect the interests of members concerned. On that we also acknowledge the Agency’s statement that engagement with Trade Union Side is essential.”

NIPSA was advised ‘in confidence’ before the Minister made her announcement. During those discussions, Trade Union Side received an assurance that memos to staff would be issued to coincide with the announcement.

The absence of same was a concern expressed by Trade Union Side in relation to previous announcements which staff became aware of through radio and TV news.

They go on to declare:“the Israeli Occupation of Palestinian land is a sin against God and humanity because it deprives the Palestinians of their basic human rights, bestowed

by God.” Palestinians know very well that the origins of modern Zionism lay in the controversial Basle Conference of 1897, where Theodore Herzl said: “We are here today to lay the foundation stone of the house which is to shelter the Jewish nation.”

They know about the broken promise of Arab independence made by Britain to ensure Arab support during World War 1 and the Sykes/Picot Agreement made in secret between Great Britain, France and Russia which instead carved the region into spheres of influence and condemned Palestine to International Administration.

And they can quote from the Balfour Declaration of 1917, actually a letter to Lord Rothschild, in which Britain “viewed with favour the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.”

Despite this, they are patient when asked about the Jewish experience of the Holocaust and their subsequent expulsion of the Palestinian people in the Nakba in 1948.

In Kairos Palestine, they explain: “It was an injustice when we were driven out. The West sought to make amends for what Jews had endured in the countries of Europe, but it made amends on our account and in our land. They tried to correct an injustice and the result was a new injustice.”

That injustice is not just a “sin”, it is also illegal in International Law, where Israel stands condemned in numerous UN resolutions and has been found in breach of Geneva Conventions in respect of its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.

But because of the consistent use by the US of their veto in the UN Security Council, justice for Palestine remains elusive.

As a consequence and in recognition that it is only through external influence that Israel may be brought to book, Kairos Palestine supports the call by Palestinian civil organisations, NGOs and religious institutions for “individuals, companies and states to engage in divestment and in an economic and commercial boycott of everything produced by the occupation.”

UNISON accepts 1% on NJC pay after consultation

THE outcome of a UNISON branch consultation on NJC pay was announced on June 14 with members voting reluctantly to accept the 1% on all spinal column points.

Early indications are that UNITE and GMB members will also vote to accept the offer.

NIPSA Deputy General Secretary Alison Millar said: “Members in local government, education, libraries, Housing Executive and further education have seen their pay reduced by more than 16% in the last four years.

“This 1% will make little impact on the many hard working families who are genuinely struggling to pay their household bills and feed and clothe themselves and their families.”

She added: “If we are to break members out of this spiral of no – or very limited – pay increases, then we must build our members to fight for a decent pay increase to ensure NJC workers are no longer the lowest paid public sector workers.”

NIPSA is to press for the 1% to be implemented as soon as possible across all sectors.

Kairos Palestine: ‘When one part of the Body suffers, we all suffer’

A DELEGATION of senior church figures from the Holy land visited Ireland recently on a tour organised and supported by Sadaka – the Ireland Palestine Alliance, Trócaire and Christian Aid, writes Michael Robinson.

The clerics – His Excellency, Archbishop Theodosios Atallah Hanna (Greek Orthodox), the Rev Canon Dr Naim Stifan Ateek (Anglican) and the Rev Fr Dr Peter Madros (Roman Catholic), visited Belfast City Hall to address a specially invited audience of trade unionists, Palestine support groups, church people and faith groups.

Their purpose was to promote ‘Kairos Palestine’ a document produced by the Christian Institutions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2009.

‘Kairos’ is an ancient Greek word meaning, “the right or opportune moment” and the document is based on a similar document produced in South Africa in 1985 by the Christian Churches outlining their resistance to Apartheid.

After being welcomed to the City Hall by Councillor Claire Hanna (apparently no relation to His Excellency, the Archbishop), the clergy spoke of the current situation in Palestine, confirming that little had improved since they last visited Ireland in 2010.

As they had stated in the Kairos document, religious liberty remained severely restricted, with freedom of access to the holy places denied under the pretext of security. Israeli settlements continued to “ravage” the land with Israeli control of natural resources, including water and agricultural land, “constituting an obstacle to any political solution.”

In Apartheid South Africa some Christians sought to give a theological legitimacy to the infringement of human rights by relying on a fundamentalist interpretation of certain passages in the Bible.

The same is true of Christian Zionism today.

In Kairos Palestine, Christians from the Holy Land declare that: “…any use of the Bible to legitimise or support political options and positions that are based upon injustice, imposed by one person on another, or by one people on another, transform religion into human ideology and strip the Word of God of its holiness, its universality and truth.”

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NIPSA’s Michael Robinson (pictured top) with His Excellency, Archbishop

Theodosios Atallah Hanna and the Rev Fr Dr Peter Madros at Belfast City Hall.

Deputy General Secretary Alison Millar with NIPSA’s Tony McMullan listening intently to the delegation’s address to trade unionists.

Pictured (left) NIPSA’s Paddy Mackel and chair of Belfast and District Trades Council takes part in the debate.

This action, they understand, “to integrate the logic of peaceful resistance” the object of which “is not revenge, but rather to put an end to the existing evil, liberating both the perpetrators and the victims of injustice.”

In his closing remarks, Father Madros said

many people visit the Holy Land simply “to see the ancient stones”, but they should also visit “the people of the stones” who would surely welcome them. It was certainly a great privilege to be in their presence in Belfast.

Employment yes, but with dignity!

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NEWS

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Pictured (l-r): Matthew McDermott (Rainbow Project), Jenna Forsythe (vice-chair LGBT), Daíre Toner (chairperson LGBT Group) and Kris Bailie

NIPSA’s annual Dignity at Work event this year coincided with Northern Ireland Anti-homophobic Week (May 1420) and the International Day of Action against Homophobic and Transphobic (IDAHOT) on May 17.

He added: “As Chairperson of the LGB&T Group I want to engage with all LGB&T members, parents of LGB&T, branch representatives, etc to ensure the interests of LGB&T people are properly addressed in the workplace and within the wider society.”

Mr Toner called on everyone to make sure The joint event held at Belfast’s Wellington the group’s vision for a better and fairer Park Hotel on May 14 was organised by the world for all is realised.

NIPSA Equal Opportunities Committee and In his introduction to the first session, the newly-formed NIPSA LGB&T Group.

Matthew McDermott, Equality Officer with the More than 100 representatives from across Rainbow Project, said: “It is important that NIPSA’s membership base attended the employers take steps to foster safe and welevent. coming environments for their lesbian, gay The morning session focused on sexual and bisexual (LGB) staff, customers, suppliorientation awareness and LGB experiences ers and service users. in the workplace.

“The ability of almost every public sector In his opening remarks NIPSA LGB&T organisation to produce the best service or Group Chairperson Dáire Toner called on all product is dependent on the knowledge, members to show their support for IDAHOT skills and contributions of their entire workby wearing purple ribbons, or something pur- force. ple into work.

“The very best employers create a workHe said it was important for all of us to place culture where all staff can be themstand up against injustice, discrimination and selves which includes taking steps to ensure prejudice and to defend the human rights that LGB employees can be themselves and and dignity of LGB&T people within the be open about who they are, with colworkplace and in society. leagues, clients and service users.”

Mr Toner quoted Martin Luther King who He added: “In doing so, LGB staff form said he hoped his grandchildren would be be better relationships, enjoy going to work and judged “not on the colour of their skin but the demonstrate improved productivity.” content of their character” adding he likewise The session explored how trade union rephoped that one day all LGB&T people would resentatives can consider issues around be judged on the content of their character sexual orientation with their employers, their and not their sexual orientation or gender colleagues and service users/customers. identity.

The session also considered the legal

framework that governs issues of sexual orientation and employment and looked at how participants can better manage workplace situations relating to sexual orientation.

Mr McDermott also referred to the key findings of research that looked into the workplace experiences of LGB people.

The full research report, ‘Through our Eyes: Experiences of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People in the Workplace, McDermott 2011’, can be accessed at www.rainbow-project.org.

The session overall sought to have participants challenge their own assumptions and consider how this relates to their workplace culture.

Opening the afternoon session on sickness absence and the reasonable adjustment duty, Alanagh Rea, who chairs the NIPSA’s Equal Opportunities Committee, told participants that the committee had been “delighted” to focus on supporting the LGB&T Group as well as dealing with issues surrounding disability at work.

Equality Officer Ciaran Trainor, from the Equality Commission, also spoke at the event.

He said: “Managing absence should be a process that seeks to achieve a fair balance between the needs of employers and those of their employees.

“However, employers also need to be aware that applying their normal standards consistently to all their employees may work to the detriment of two particular groups of

workers – namely, women in relation to sickness absences that occurred during and are related to their pregnancies, and disabled people in relation to sickness absences that are related to their disabilities.

“Consequently, procedures for managing absence should make special arrangements for dealing with these two groups which may occasionally appear to give them more favourable treatment compared to others, but which in fact really levels the playing field for them. Such special arrangements are likely to be lawful.

“In the case of disabled employees, the need for employers to do this derives from one of the most significant duties imposed by equality law; the Disability Discrimination Act’s ‘duty to make reasonable adjustments’.

In relation to sickness absences, the primary purpose of this duty is to oblige employers to take reasonable steps to help and enable disabled employees to remain in or return to work.

“This may mean making reasonable adjustments to workplace policies, practices and procedures and to the physical features of premises.”

The event was deemed a tremendous success and feedback from delegates was extremely positive.

As one put it: “It was a very informative and useful event – well delivered by very informative and learned presenters. Thank you for this excellent and well-organised event.”

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President on fighting the cuts Page 6 NIPSA Reports

DARD CONFERENCE 2013

NEWS

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IN his address, NIPSA President Padraig Mulholland admitted he was a “poor substitute” for DARD Permanent Secretary Noel Lavery but said that he still looked forward to speaking to conference.

sion contributions.

Mr Mulholland told delegates that it was important for branch activists to lobby their MLAs and MPs against the cuts and to engage with local communities and explain to members of the public the knock-on impact they will have.

He spoke on a number of imHe also called on NIPSA portant issues, in particular members campaign against cuts within health, education these proposals and to gear up and the Housing Executive as for a possible General Strike well as the increases in penwith other unions.

Ballykelly ‘site risk’ highlighted IN proposing Emergency Motion 1, Trevor Smyth (Branch 27) drew conference’s attention to a recent newspaper article that suggested that the site of the new DARD HQ at Ballykelly was contaminated and posed a serious health and safety risk.

Backing for alternative working patterns praised COLIN Archibald, moving Motion 8 on behalf of Branch 304, welcomed the Permanent Secretary’s commitment to developing alternative working patterns.

Motion 8 called on the incoming ADC to ensure

that the personal circumstances of individual members are taken into account when determining whether requests for alternative working patterns can be approved.

The motion also called for ‘hot-desking’, remote working and home working to be considered.

He told delegates that, in his opinion, the site was not “fit for purpose”.

The motion called on the incoming Departmental Committee to demand that the DARD Minister retracts her decision to relocate

Protect jobs and rights

KIERAN McCartan, moving Motion 9 on behalf of ADC, spoke of the need for the incoming Departmental Committee to engage with DARD Management Side over resource requirements for the new Rural Development Programme.

Mr McCartan said members’ rights must be fully protected and no posts lost within DARD due to its implementation.

The motion was carried without dissent.

DARD/Rivers Agency Headquarters to Ballykelly.

Emergency Motion 1 also called for the addressing of health and safety concerns which, he added, would result in a significant increase in accommodation costs on the site.

Noel Griffin, speaking on behalf of the ADC, urged conference to remit the motion as these health and safety concerns were to be discussed at the next meeting of the ad hoc Relocation Committee.

This was accepted by the branch.

Flexible working motion is carried GERRY McGirr, proposing Motion 10 on behalf of Branch 301, called on the incoming ADC to negotiate with DARD management for the provision of the greatest possible flexibility in working arrangements for staff.

He told delegates this should include flexible

working hours, alternative working arrangements, ‘hot-desking’ and home working.

The motion also called on the ADC to challenge management over the blocking of staff requests for alternative working patterns based on business need without providing strong evidence.

The motion was carried.

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We must defend union facility time

DERMOT McCaughey, in moving Motion 11 on behalf of the ADC, stated that facility time had been negotiated, agreed, earned and won over many years by trade unionists and that it is an entitlement and not a concession.

He told delegates: “We should appreciate and value the facility time we have – and use it well.”

Mr McCaughey urged conference to defend facility time and not let management “try to take it away from us”.

The motion was carried without dissent.

Praise for TUS constructive engagement

Across-the-board pay increases are called for

KIERAN McCartan, speaking on Motion 14 on behalf of ADC, outlined to delegates the constructive approach taken by DARD TUS in working with DARD management to ensure that the fine im-

GERRY McGirr (Branch 301), in proposing Motion 12, acknowledged the significant efforts made by NIPSA in pursuit of a fair pay structure during the recent pay and grading review.

Motion 12 called on the incoming ADC to ask NIPSA to focus on across-the-board pay increases in future pay talks.

The motion was carried.

He referred in particular to waterproof leggings which he told delegates seemed to be of poor quality.

ADC speaker Julie Don-

Car comp motion backed

The motion called on the

incoming ADC to engage with the department with a view to obtaining compensation for those members who have had their cars damaged as a result.

The Departmental Committee fully backed the motion which was passed without dissent.

posed by the EU over LPIS is reduced.

The motion, which called on the incoming Departmental Committee to continue to press DARD management to ensure that there is no further slippage with the programme, was carried

Ineffective leggings MICHAEL Rehill (Branch 301), in proposing Motion 15, expressed concern at the poor quality of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) being provided for field staff.

MOTION 13, on behalf of Branch 304, focused on how a number of DARD staff on official business often use their own vehicles on unpaved and rough roads leading to significant damage being caused.

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nell advised conference that the leggings were uncomfortable and sweaty to wear during the summer and were hard to dry.

The waterproof layer also became ineffective after a number of uses, which she added may be due to regular cleansing with disinfectant.

The motion was carried without dissent.

Cap Reform call

PAULINE O’Neill, moving Motion 16 on behalf of the ADC, spoke of the need for DARD management to ensure that all correct policies and procedures are put in place for the new Cap Reform

scheme set to start next year in order to prevent the possibility of any further disallowances imposed by the EU. The motion was carried.

NIPSA Reports June 2013 11/07/2013 08:15 Page 8

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www.nipsa.org.uk

Union members in protest over Soft Services outsourcing IN A hard-hitting statement NIPSA strongly condemned the largest Northern Ireland Civil Service Department, the Department for Social Development, in insisting that it intends to outsource its soft services option to the private sector.

NIPSA Assistant Secretary, Tony McMullan who has responsibility for DSD members said: “It is simply appalling and concerning that DSD has decided to privatise the lowest graded staff within their Department.

"These staff have been extremely hard working and have made a valuable contribution to the work of the Department for many years. Only last year staff were thanked and praised for their contribution to the success of the Social Security Agency since its creation.

"What price loyalty now when the Department, without any adverse comment or criticism of this group of staff’s work have decided to throw them on the scrap heap by privatising their function.”

Mr McMullan went on to say: “This is not merely an ideological view of the union to oppose privatisation but the practical realities are that public service workers provide a top class service.”

"Within the last year a group of other privatisations have not proved successful for DSD and the wider Northern Ireland Civil Service.

"For example the Medical Support Services was privatised a few years ago and, re-

cently it was reported to the Northern Ireland Assembly that ATOS, the multi-national French owned company, who now run the service have refused to allow their staff to assist Social Security claimants, many of whom have disabilities, from exiting Royston House in downtown Belfast if there was an emergency.

"In answer to a question by Roy Beggs, MLA the Department confirmed that over £35,000 of tax payers money had been paid to provide a taxi service to take claimants to other centres in Northern Ireland.

NIPSA members hold demo outside DSD HQ

"When DSD staff provided the service no such taxi requirements were necessary.

Mr McMullan said: “This is one example of the difficulties created by ATOS” In addition the organisation that is responsible for cleaning and catering within the Northern Ireland Civil Service and who were awarded the contract less than one year ago, SERCO, have recently given notice that they are withdrawing from their contract because they are not making enough profit.

This has led to the sudden closure of canteen facilities throughout the Northern Ire-

NORTHERN IRELAND PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE

land Civil Service, including in nine DSD buildings.

Mr McMullan contrasted this with the Government’s contention that citizens should eat healthily in the workplace but now civil servants were being denied proper catering facilities because a multi-national company was simply not making enough profit.

Mr McMullan forecast that this was a privatisation too far and called, even at this late stage, for DSD to withdraw their obsession with privatisation and to allow the employees to remain members of the DSD family.

TRADE UNION AND LABOUR RELATIONS (NI) ORDER 1995:

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

As required by the Trade Unions and Labour Relations (NI) Order 1995 the following is a summary of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance financial affairs for the year ended 31 December 2012. Full details of the 2012 accounts have already been provided to branches. Any member requiring a further copy of the 2012 accounts should contact the Finance Section in Harkin House.

our audit work, for this report, or for the opinion’s we have formed. The General Council are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on NIPSA’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Summary of Salary and Benefits Provided to the General Secretary, President and Members of the General Council

The General Council is responsible for preparing the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) issued by the Accounting Standards Board and published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

Total subscription income from members for 2012 was £4,363,314 other income totalled £1,964,230 thus total income for the year was £6,327,544. Total expenditure including transfers came to £4,110,808

The following salary and benefits were provided:Name

Mr Brian Campfield

Position

General Secretary

Details

Amount PA

*Pension Contributions

£23,819.83

Basic salary

Employers National Insurance Contributions

£60,610.25

£6,098.76

*This figure for Pension contribution is based on a funding rate determined by a qualified actuary on the basis of triennial calculations using the projected unit method. The most recent calculation was at 31 December 2009. In accordance with an agreement with GMB, SIPTU and UNITE the trade unions for Headquarters staff, the pension scheme for NIPSA employees provides benefits comparable to those of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS). The funding rate is 40.8% (for all employees, including the General Secretary). As in the case of the NICS, employers and employees (including the General Secretary) are required to pay a contribution of 1.5% towards the cost of Widows or Widowers pensions thus the net funding rate payable by NIPSA is 39.3%.

The President and all members of the General Council are reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of NIPSA business. No other payments are made by virtue of their membership of the General Council.

Independent auditors report to the members of NIPSA for the year ended 31st December 2012

We have audited the financial statements of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) for the year ended 31st December 2012 which comprises the Income and Expenditure Account, the Statement of Recognised Gains and Losses, the Balance Sheet and the relevant notes. This report is made solely to NIPSA members, as a body. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the NIPSA members those matters we are required to state to NIPSA in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than NIPSA and the NIPSA members as a body, for

Respective responsibilities Council and auditor

of

General

Our responsibility, as independent auditors, is to audit the financial statements in accordance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards require us to comply with the Audit Practices Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards for Auditors.

We report to you our opinion as to whether the financial statements give a true and fair view, in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

In addition we report to you if, in our opinion, proper accounting records have not been kept and if we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

We read the Report of the General Council and consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatement.

Basis of opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) issued by the Auditing Practice Board. An audit involves obtaining evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements sufficient to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or error. This includes an assessment of: whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the Union’s circumstances and have been consistently applied and adequately disclosed; the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by the Council; and the overall presentation of the financial statements.

We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which we considered necessary in order to provide us with sufficient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, whether

caused by fraud or other irregularity or error. In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall adequacy of the presentation of information in the financial statements.

Opinion

In our opinion the financial statements: • give a true and fair view of the state of the NIPSA’s affairs at 31st December 2012 and of its operating surplus of income and expenditure for the year then ended; • have been properly prepared in accordance with the United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Mr Seamus Dawson (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of SLMD Limited Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors

Date: 12th April 2013

SLMD Limited Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors T/a Bridge, Chartered Accountants Suite 7, Ormeau House 91-97 Ormeau Road Belfast, BT7 1SH

Statutory Statement to Members

A member who is concerned that some irregularity may be occurring, or has occurred, in the conduct of the financial affairs of the union may take steps with a view to investigating further, obtaining clarification and, if necessary, securing regularisation of that conduct.

The member may raise any such concern with such one or more of the following as it seems appropriate to raise it with: the officials of the union, the trustees of the property of the union, the auditor or auditors of the union, the Certification Officer for Northern Ireland (who is an independent officer appointed by the Department for Employment and Learning) and the police.

Where a member believes that the financial affairs of the union have been or are being conducted in breach of the law or in breach of rules of the union and contemplates bringing civil proceedings against the union or responsible officials or trustees, he should consider obtaining independent legal advice.