Opatsi

17/02/2022

17/12/2021

https://www.facebook.com/668320873308063/posts/2306233926183408/?d=n

12 Days Of Activism 🎄✨

Who is Barry Murphy?

Barry is the Deputy General Secretary of OPATSI (the plasterers’ union), a former President of the Cork Council of Trade Unions and the spokesperson on housing for ONE Cork.

Barry also recently featured on Episode 3 of The Making Of An Activist Podcast - check it out here: https://bit.ly/3EwBbUj

15/11/2021

An interesting article by Rory Hearne in the Examiner.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-40744002.html

Young people are reluctant to enter a sector with boom-bust bouts of unemployment and bogus self-employment, but a State agency would counter this, ...

26/10/2021

The Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Damien English TD, has formally approved a recommendation from the Labour Court for new minimum pay rates to workers in the construction sector.

Minister Damien English TD, has formally approved a recommendation from the Labour Court for new minimum pay rates to workers in the construction sector.

06/09/2021

Following on from the easing of restrictions regarding the pandemic. Our office in Dublin will re-open on Monday evenings from 7pm to 9pm by appointment only.
Please contact us on 019079200 to make an appointment.

15/07/2021

The link below is to the work placement experience programme. This programme further shows the lengths government will go to provide employers with no cost workers.
Employers wanting to avail of this programme have to satisfy a small set of criteria, this is what the web site says
“Employers who host a WPEP participant will provide a placement for 6 months with the participant attending for work experience for 30 hours a week.

There is no cost to the host/employer; the participant will be paid by the Department of Social Protection during their work placement. The WPEP payment will be €306 per week. No top-up payments to the participant are permitted.

The Oireachtas are facilitating slave Labour.

Workers in the construction sector who’s employment is governed by Sectoral Employment Orders, have their terms of employment protected by law. If you are aware of anyone being offered this type of slave Labour employment under the above scheme, please make them aware of their entitlements or contact our union.

The Work Placement Experience Programme allows employers to host a jobseeker on a work experience placement and to help the jobseeker to build new skills and gain valuable work experience. The programme is targeted at jobseekers who are on certain social welfare payments for 6 months(156 days) and w...

20/06/2021

Supreme Court overturns High Court finding on building sector’s pay and conditions Court upholds decision Minister for Business acted outside his powers in making SEO for electricians The judge said the Labour Court report in relation to the electricians SEO failed to properly set out a proper sum...

09/05/2021

From tomorrow, the country will again open to more activities. Here are some of the changes happening from tomorrow, MAY 10TH

•Travel | You can travel between counties in Ireland

•Visitors to your garden | Maximum of 3 households or 6 people from any number of households

•Retail | Click and collect, in-store by appointment only, and outdoor retail can reopen

•Personal services (hairdressers, barbers, beauticians) | Can reopen for customers with appointments only

•Stationary mobile homes and caravans | You can travel to your stationary mobile home or caravan if you are the owner

•Galleries, museums, libraries and other cultural attractions | Can reopen

•Public transport Public transport will run at 50 percent capacity

•Property viewings | By appointment only with licensed Property Service Providers

•Funerals | Maximum 50 mourners at service. No other events to take place

•Weddings | Maximum 50 guests at service. Maximum 6 guests at indoor reception or 15 outdoors

•Outdoor gatherings | Maximum 15 people

•Outdoor training | Maximum 15 people

01/05/2021

Happy Labour Day to all our members.

To ALL apprentices, there is a union for you and it’s Opatsi. Log on to www.opatsi.ie and get in touch today.

Welcome to the Operative Plasterers & Allied Trades Society of Ireland (OPATSI). Call us on today on 01 7994519.

30/04/2021

The Court of Appeal have just issued a judgement in the Gemma O’Doherty &Ors v Ireland & Ors in regards to their claim for costs, link attached.

They asked the court not to apply the normal rule that being, the costs follow the event. Have a nice long weekend Gemma.

28/04/2021

The continued ignoring by builders in seeking qualified tradespersons will impact further on building insurance.

The only thing necessary to gain access to a building site today in Ireland is a one day safe pass

An interesting article by Mick Clifford.

Fire engineers are being refused professional indemnity cover

31/03/2021

Bogus self employment (BSE) as explained to the PAC by Martin McMahon.
Martin’s expertise in the area of BSE is second to none. Well done Martin.

Martin McMahon, a former courier, tells PAC that the big problem for workers is the way in which employment is interpreted by the State agencies

19/02/2021

The UK Supreme Court in a decision published today have declared that Uber drivers are not self employed and are entitled to a number of employment rights as set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996.

This decision again throws light on the problems that bogus self employment causes in an economy.

This is a link to the decision.
https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2019-0029-judgment.pdf

The drivers who defeated Uber after a six year legal battle over employment rights have said they are “overjoyed” at their victory.

30/01/2021

It is with great sadness that we inform members of the passing of our dear Brother Jimmy Clarke. Jimmy was a wonderful man and staunch union member. He served on the National Executive Council for a number of years. He will be sadly missed.

26/01/2021

The government has today agreed that the current public health restrictions will remain in place until 5 March 2021. While there has have been a decrease in the numbers of cases in recent days, the overall numbers and, significantly, the numbers in hospital and ICU with COVID-19 are at their highest since the start of the pandemic. For this reason, the continued effort to get the virus under control by limiting congregation, mobility and social contacts as much as possible is essential.

The government say that it is essential that level 5 restrictions continue to hold firm in order to reduce the cases and protect the vulnerable, protect our health care services (including maintaining non-COVID healthcare) and reopen schools at the earliest opportunity.

25/01/2021

A Statement from OPATSI on the lifting of restrictions in the construction sector.

Having consulted with members, and considering the advice from NPHET on the current infections and number of deaths, OPATSI believe now is not the time to lift the current restrictions in the Construction sector. While construction companies say they are doing everything to operate safely, the mass movement of over a further 100,000 workers across the country we feel, would be simply irresponsible and reckless.

The premature lifting of restrictions we believe will lead , as happened in December, to a further surge in cases which in turn will lead to further deaths.

With almost 700 people having already lost their lives in January, our Hospitals and Health workers are under extreme pressure to maintain a level of care for patients. OPATSI believe that any lifting of restrictions at this time, will inevitably and unnecessarily lead to further implications on the HSE and our healthcare workers who are exposed to the virus on a daily basis.

We understand that workers are suffering and in some cases some more than others, with the loss of loved ones. However our members believe that the proper approach is to remain as we are until such time that the virus is well and truly under containment as advised by NPHET.

Martin Múrphy President
Billy Wall General Secretary.

END.

13/01/2021

The provision of housing should not be left to the private sector.

This is the result of the continued ignorance by government, that only builders can build houses. The monopoly of the private sector in the construction of homes only leads to higher prices as it satisfies the greedy.

Until the government allow for proper competition in the provision of homes, this greed will continue.

A municipal housing authority is now necessary, where crafts people are directly employed by the state in the provision of housing. This will create competition for the private sector and most importantly, will provide decent homes at affordable prices where decent terms and conditions prevail in the construction sector.

71 apartments at €33m puts an average price on the apartments at €465k per apartment.

One of the country's best-known house builders, Glenveagh, has put an estimated price tag of €33.4m on 71 apartments it is planning to sell to Dublin City Council for social housing.

06/01/2021

Construction will close from 6pm on Friday 8th of January, with limited exceptions including:

1. Essential health and related projects including those relevant to preventing, limiting, minimising or slowing the spread of COVID-19

2. Social housing projects, including voids, designated as essential sites by Local Authorities based on set criteria

3. Housing adaptation grants where the homeowner is agreeable to adaptions being undertaken in their home

4. Repair maintenance and construction of critical transport and utility infrastructure

5. Education facilities sites designated as essential by Department of Education

6. Supply and delivery of essential or emergency maintenance and repair services to businesses and places of residence (including electrical, gas, plumbing, glazing and roofing services) on an emergency call-out basis

7. Certain large construction projects in the exporting / FDI sector based on set criteria