Irish Biennial Conference

This Conference is concerned by the lack of meeting dates, activity reports, branch representation and information from Divisional Council to Branches.

Conference therefore instructs the Irish Committee to investigate the activities of the Irish Divisional Council on its formation and report their findings to all Irish Branches.

Conference firmly believes if the Irish Divisional Council functioned as per Rule10. This would enable the Association to build more activity in non-active branches, capitalise on recruitment through up-coming campaigns and proactively encourage members to take seats on Divisional Council.

Trade union members from other transport unions in Ireland see the TSSA taking a stand against ruthless employers and would willingly join our ranks if we had an organised recruitment drive, co-ordinated and planned by Divisional Council.

Matter be referred to the Irish Divisional Council Secretary giving details of the motion and asking that the terms of the motion be circulated and a meeting of the Divisional Council be held for consideration of the motion. The findings of the Divisional Council to be reported back to the Irish Committee.

This Conference is deeply concerned that the DRD NI has this year reduced the public spending on public transport. The reduction in POS has caused 75 voluntary redundancies this year in Translink.

Conference is aghast to hear that POS will be reduced again next year causing further anguish to our members, either through voluntary redundancies or compulsory redundancies. Conference therefore instructs the Irish Committee to immediately engage with the Northern Ireland Assembly Minister for Regional Development, to discuss ways to alleviate the stress put on our membership.

Conference also instructs the Irish Committee to request the Executive Committee to open discussions with central government to improve the financial package to Northern Ireland for public transport. Conference believes the only way to save our members from further hardship and stress in the future, is through dialogue with the government. To improve the subsistence already afforded to the public transport in Northern Ireland.

Translink is the last remaining truly integrated public transport system in the UK. It is our duty to protect this vital asset.

The Branch submitting the motion be asked to provide evidence of stress related issues before taking the matter forward.

This Conference instructs the Irish Committee to pursue with the CIE Group of Companies, the payment of the 3.5% pay award, as contained in the current Social Partnership Agreement 'Towards 2016' which is now overdue.

Should the CIE Group of Companies fail to pay the 3.5% pay claim, the Irish Committee are instructed to invoke the clause in the agreement which makes reference to "inability to pay". This matter must be pursued as per the signed agreement.

The terms of the motion be raised with the CIE Group of Companies.

The Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 as amended by the Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009, makes provision for the dissolution of the Dublin Transport Office (DTO), the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA), and the transfer of the Office of the Taxi Regulator to the NTA, thus protecting the staff employment and conditions.

The Public Transport Regulations Bill makes no reference to employment guarantees to the employers of the CIE Group of Companies, whose responsibilities in relation to areas such as, ticketing, fares, scheduling and transport planning, will be overtaken by the NTA.

This Conference instructs the Irish Committee to take action to safeguard the employment and conditions of service to all members who may be effected by the passing of the Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009 into law.

Every endeavour to be made to safeguard the employment and conditions of service of all members

Conference condemns the disproportionate cut in funding over the last year to Ireland Aid, the development agency of the Dept. of Foreign Affairs. The consequences of this will mean that projects which received their funding from Ireland Aid, and effect some of the poorest people on the planet, will either be cutback or discontinued altogether.

We therefore request the Irish Committee to call on the government to reinstate funding to Ireland Aid to a level which will have the least detrimental effects on it's work with developing countries. We also ask that the ICTU Solidarity Committee be kept informed of our efforts in this regard.

Letter be sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs setting out the terms of the motion and the ICTU be kept informed of our efforts in this regard.

That this Conference expresses its grave concern at the effects the setting up of the National Transport Authority will have on our members jobs throughout the CIE Companies.

We therefore request the Irish Committee to take whatever action is appropriate to protect our members' jobs, conditions and pay, following the implementation of this legislation.

Every endeavour to be made to safeguard the employment and conditions of service of all members

Conference deplores the setting up of the National Assets Management Agency, which we believe will rob the Irish people of 54Bn to bail out greedy and corrupt bankers, builders and developers, The consequences of which are likely to effect the living standards of at least two generations of workers and their families.

We call instead for the setting up of a State Bank which would be debt free and funded adequately, so as to allow those who require credit for businesses, mortgages etc to borrow again and help create jobs.

This motion was rejected by the Irish Committee