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THE GOVERNMENT HAS been asked to consider its guidance around staggered work times going forward and maintaining the current PUP rates for workers in unopened sectors ahead of the reopening plan to be announced next week.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) wrote a letter outlining a number of concerns it has for workers and workplaces ahead of agreements on further sectors reopening.
In a letter to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Transport Minister, the organisation said concerns have been raised in relation to travelling to and from work, especially around social distancing challenges on rush-hour public transport.
The ICTU asked the government to consider its guidance relating to staggered work arrangements being put in place “particularly in the early phase of this return” to workplaces.
It said workers in sectors that haven’t yet reopened due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions should be able to stay on the full Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) “as the prevailing circumstances continue to be outside of their control”.
People can no longer apply for the PUP and payments are set to be reduced from next month. It is expected to be abolished by February 2022.
The current rates range from €203 to €350 per week.
The organisation asked the government to consider introducing ongoing advice to employers to operate a working from home blended model on a voluntary basis in the months ahead.
“This we believe would assist those workers who will need to readjust their care
arrangements etc, it will also reduce the pressure on public transport facilities and furthermore will contribute positively to the compliance with social distancing and ventilation measures,” the letter said.
It said the use of social distancing measures, PPE and ventilation should be “considered and enhanced where necessary”.
The letter was sent by Patricia King, the ICTU’s general secretary to the Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Minister for Communications and Transport Eamon Ryan.
The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has promised “a comprehensive roadmap” for how restrictions will be lifted over the coming months and the beginning of “a new era in the management of Covid-19″.
This plan will be finalised and signed off at a Cabinet meeting next week.
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I hope this includes teachers in English Language Schools until students are allowed back into this country. My son was laid off in April because of this.
@Una Dwyer: can’t be nice, but why can’t be work in another sector until that market picks up again? If there are jobs out there, we can’t expect the tax payer to subsidise people’s career choices
@Cíarán Whyte: we’re not subsidising their career choice. Their industry was shut down by COVID. Nobody could have anticipated that a few years back. Any other job outside what they are qualified for likely won’t pay very well and be totally different to what they are qualified for.
@Una Dwyer: Spain is looking for English teachers to live there.
@Aidan O’ Neill: We didn’t expect economic slumps, either. People need to make up their minds as to whether or not we are socialists. If the man was laid off, he will probably have enough to avail of job seeker’s.
@Contrary Mary: Great solution. Government fails its citizens, it’s the citizens who have to leave. Go boil your head.
@Cíarán Whyte: You’re already subsidising the career choice of the one who put the knife into the sector by suspending student visas before she went out on maternity leave, which if you recall she wasn’t entitled to as a TD. Her buddies did a quick fix bit of legislation so she wouldn’t have to resign her seat. Is that fair on the taxpayer?
@Contrary Mary: The Government shut down this guy’s job. He wasn’t “laid off”. There’s a huge difference.
@Cíarán Whyte: if your job was forced to close would you want to be told by an uneducated person get a different job until it opens up again.
@Cíarán Whyte: your uninformed opinion means nothing.
@Contrary Mary: so we can export our problems to cover up the Government’s mistakes great idea
Isn’t there a clause that you must be seeking work to avail of the PUP payment? Have they seen jobs.ie lately??
@The Divils Avocado: People avail of PUP whose jobs were forced closed or disrupted due to government regulations during the pandemic. They were happy in their job. Buck is not on them to look for different work due to government regs.
@The Divils Avocado: I personally know many professional musicians with degrees who have worked and paid taxes and contributed to Irish nightlife, weddings, and culture. They CANNOT WAIT to be allowed back to work and are understandably not particularly interested in working outside this field. It is a pity that musicians and those in the entertainment sector have been encouraged to work, retrain and reskill outside of the arts when such a large part of the tourism Ireland shtick is ‘come to ireland where the streets are swimming in cultural attractions, arts and music’. They have played by the rules and many have suffered as their skills/education/training were treated as ‘less than’ or not worthy as they were in the arts . They just need a bit more time to be allowed to do their jobs.
@Cathy Elliott: 100%
What about the thousands of kids who were doing a couple of hours a week – or had already left their jobs – that have been getting full whack payment even though the sectors/shops – have been open for months? No one should have gotten more than they had declared to Revenue the Month before Covid hit. Could not have been rocket science to check. I know loads kids having fab foreign hols on taxpayers money. Disgraceful. I hope someone will look at getting this money back and yes – giving it to those genuine workers who could not claim PUP.
Well that’s a no brainer. How can they stop people’s money if they haven’t been allowed back to work. That’s just barbaric
@Anna Carr: Because there are other payments available, but may require seeking employment and/or retraining?
Leave me on the PUP cause the Govt. closed my sector, why should I be forced to take a (temporary) job in another sector that I’m not happy in? Am I understanding this correctly? Get the finger out, sweep the roads if you have to, earn your keep, contribute! Mother of God!
Whats an unopened.sector?
@John Johnson: a sector which is forced to stay closed e.g. the English Language School who have no students because they are not allowed into the country.
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