Mayday in Belfast with the IWU

Great turnout for IWU contingent on the Belfast mayday parade. Congratulations to all who helped and thanks to all who participated

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Whistle blowing

IWU president Patricia Campbell participated in the launch of a branch of Patients First in Belfast on Monday 16th April. thedetail.tv carried the following report of the launch.

Blowing the whistle on health service secrecy

By Niall McCracken

A HEALTH service whistleblower’s group has set up in Northern Ireland at a time when concerns about safety in our health and social care system are rarely out of the news.

In recent months there has been extensive coverage on the role of whistleblowers within Northern Ireland’s health trusts following the leaking of documents to The Irish News which exposed allegations of years of abuse at two former children’s hospitals.

Dr. Kim Holt, one of the best-known health service whisteblowers in England, attended the launch of the NI branch of Patients First on Monday night and said the need for protection of people who flag concerns about patient safety has never been greater.

She was the consultant paediatrician who “blew the whistle” on the inadequacies of the department which failed “Baby P”. In an interview with The Detail she set out the ways health service management stifle whistleblowers and of the huge culture shift needed to establish transparency over safety.

Click to read more

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Annual Conference

The annual conference of the Independent Workers Union took place on Saturday 31 March 2012 in the Quay Co-Op – 18 Cove Street, Cork City. The event began at 9:30 a.m. and ended at 5:00 p.m. As normal, a number of motions were discussed, a national executive council was elected and the union’s financial position was reviewed.

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Derry Branch leads protest against welfare cuts

Derry anti-cuts protest highlights cuts to welfare

Costumed faith healers joined by members of the public outside the DHSS offices at Timber Quay, Strand Road on Friday 16 March to protest against the drastic cuts to welfare that is affecting Derry citizens. Organised by Independent Workers Union, the street theatre expose how people are being forced off the Employment Support Allowance that they have been entitled to.

At the behest of the Con-Dem government a private firm of so called health professionals have been overriding the assessments and expertise of local doctors and removing people from their welfare benefits in a fast track system. Vulnerable people are thus being stripped of entitlements, subjected to a nerve-wracking process and are finding themselves unsupported and at further risk of poverty.

As Hugh Brady, local welfare rights advisor stated, “Anybody who has to go through this process and suffers trauma at the hand of these so called health care professionals, should contact a local advice centre and appeal the decision to disallow their benefit. Seven out of 10 people are being cut in their first assessment, yet over 60% of these decisions have been overturned at tribunal, showing both the failure of the system and also the importance of getting support and appealing your case.”

The Independent Workers Union is highlighting the injustice facing thousands across the north and is calling on people affected, on relatives, on other trade unionists and community and welfare rights activists to come out and voice your opposition to it in this, the first of several such actions.

For further details, contact:Darren O’ Reilly @ 07742555195 or Gareth @ 02837515229 or Brian@ 07540724667

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New chairperson elected for Dublin Branch

Above: Current Dublin branch chairperson Mark Kavanagh (centre) with ex-chairpersons Ray O’Reilly (left) and Damian Keogh (right).

Mark Kavangah has been elected as chair of the Dublin branch of the Independent Workers Union. Mark replaces the very successful Damian Keogh who has filled the position for the past number of years and who skillfully managed the branch through the transition period following the retirement of the iconic Ray O’Reilly

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Looking for Justice

IWU president Patricia Campbell is interviewed by the Detail news group about to her struggle for justice in relation to her ongoing dispute with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

To read, click on :

Looking for Justice

 

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Union members picket Sodexo

 

A group of young activists including members of the IWU picketed the Irish offices of Sodexo on Monday 7th November in solidarity with IWW comrades on strike in London.

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