APRIL 2018 Campaign Update
The Better Work Better Lives campaign continues its work at a steady pace. Constituency meetings with activists are continuing and arrangements are being made for further political meetings with MLA’s
- In the last few weeks campaign activists have met with Paula Bradshaw, Alliance MLA and Martin O’Muilleor, Sinn Fein MLA from South Belfast, with Roy Beggs, UUP from East Antrim, with Stephen Farry, Alliance in North Down, with Colin McGrath, SDLP from South Down, and with Chris Lyttle, Alliance from East Belfast. These meetings continue to be a useful platform whereby activists can seek the politicians support for a forum for social dialogue whereby the trade union movement can seek to influence the policy agenda in the interests of workers
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- The private sector unions in Northern Ireland have met and are proposing to hold a seminar on an Industrial strategy for Northern Ireland involving a range of key stakeholders this year, which is one of 14 key policy proposals of the Better Work Better Lives campaign.
- A large number of NIC-ICTU affiliates at short notice supported the rally organised at Queens by UCU members who have concluded their first wave of strike action. Maintaining decent defined benefit pensions schemes is key to maintain decent work.
- Over 90 Union Learning Reps and activists attending this year’s Union learn Conference.
The theme of the conference was Better Skills, Better Work Better Lives.
The conference heard first hand from some union activists who have participated in the Union Learn project and in particular the impact it has had on their lives and work. As part of the Better Work Better Lives campaign policy paper we have identified skills as one of the critical policy areas that needs to be addressed. Delegates to the conference from a wide range of unions fully endorsed the objectives of the trade union campaign.
Dwyer Henderson, NIPSA
Union Learning Representative of the Year 2018
Mark McClean, NIPSA
Essential Skills Trade Union Learner of the Year 2018
Laura Boyles, FSU
Open University Trade Union Learner of the Year 2018
