| VOTE YES TO THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL AGENDA !
USE YOUR VOTE IN THE EUROPEAN WORKS COUNCIL ELECTION !
Dear Colleagues,
Although it is happening very quickly, the coming election for the European
Works Council Special Negotiating Body is an important opportunity for all
employees to express a view on the European social agenda. As I lived on the
continent for many years and worked for Digital in Germany, I believe strongly
that Ireland should participate actively in this movement for social progress.
Strong Works Councils at European, national and local level are an important
part of that agenda. That is why I am standing as a candidate in this election
and asking for your support.
The main aspect of the European social agenda which I wish to address are the
working conditions throughout Europe. A single currency will mean increased
standardisation and my view is that this should also apply to pay and
conditions. In this respect, Ireland, and Digital, have some catching
up to do.
We need:
*regular pay increases, with equal pay for socalled clericals and
professionals in accordance with European equality legislation
*the 35 hour week and six weeks holiday for all (with full compensation for
overtime)
*fair play for contractors and ancillary staff, both in their interest
and the interest of permanent staff
*strong negotiating rights when it comes to downsizing, restructuring etc.
*a proper system of maternity benefit and the right to up to three years
educational leave and/or part-time work for those with babies and
children up to 3 years
� a full system of consultation at all levels
This program is not a dream, it is reality for many Digital employees in
Europe at the moment. It will take many years to achieve it in Ireland, but I
believe it is the way forward. Also, don't be put off by those who say Ireland
needs cheap labour to compete. The opposite is the case. It is top quality
which wins in the market place, and it was quality which made Digital great.
Quality employees like and deserve the best.
Page 1 of 2
<picture>
Just a little about myself:
46 years old, part English and part Irish, I was born in England and moved to
Ireland when I was 14. Studied at Manchester, TCD, and Frankfurt. Married with
first child due shortly. Worked at Digital in Frankfurt from 1986-1994 and as a
technical support specialist at Galway since 1995. Life long trade unionist and
SIPTU member at present. (By the way, I am a strong believer in the right to
join, or not to join a trade union. We need a drastic overhaul of trade union
culture in Ireland, and the results of the present discussions at the Dept of
the Taoiseach on employee representation as part of Partnership 2000 are to be
awaited with interest.)
Last but not least, I have been an Offaly fan since the day they took Sam off
Kerry in the seventies, but please dont hold that against me!
One election promise: if elected I will report back to all employees and keep
you all informed. Please use your vote on Monday next (3. March), and if you
like the agenda I have mapped out, please vote for me. If you have any
questions please contact me on dtn 822 4320 or 091 754320.
(e-mail [email protected])
Best Regards,
Kevin Mannerings
Page 2 of 2
|
| ELECTION INFO LATEST
from
Kevin Mannerings
Democracy is about two-way communication, and I would like to share
with you the questions which have been put to me and my answers to them.
Q: How do you vote ?
A: The management will be informing on this. The system is proportional
representation with a single transferable vote. That is to say you put
a number 1 by the name of your preferred candidate, a number 2 by your
second preference etc. You will need you badge as identification.
Q: Can contractors vote ? A: If they are employed by Digital, I believe
so. Go along to vote and ask there as required.
Q: Does this mean a union ? I applied for a job once and was told that
I wouldhave to join the union and that if I fell out with the union I
would be fired.
A: That is terrible. I think that the Irish constitution should be
changed to outlaw this nonsense. Joining a union is your own private
decision. These old-fashioned methods give trade unionism a bad name and
are aleftover from Stalinism. I am in a union myself, and would
encourage people to join one, as
a good democratic union makes us stronger, but I would never impose
this view on others.
Q: Why have we only received one mail from the EIC, just before an
election ?
A: You will have to ask the EIC people that one. I believe that
employee representation is about much more than meeting the management
twice a year and sending out the occasional e-mail.
Q: Why didn't the EIC get off the ground ?
A: This minimalist model has been rejected by the representatives of
Belgium, Italy, Austria, Sweden, France, Denmark, Spain, and Germany.
I agree with them entirely, as do some candidates in Dublin.
Q: What chance is there of co-operation between Dublin and Galway on
this ? Can we get some kind of democratic Irish employee representation
together ?
A: I was delighted to meet two of the Dublin candidates when I visited
Dublin last Friday. Certainly we should work together. Clearly a Dublin-Galway
team is the best result on this one, so I am asking my supporters to give
their number two vote to a Dublin candidate, and I would like it if the Dubs
could do the same for me :-)
Q: Have you had any trouble from management as a result of your
campaign ?
A: None at all, nor did I expect any. The Digital culture of valuing
differences is a trusted friend. We have had some frank discussions,
which I hope benefited both sides.
Q: You are promising enough aren't you ? 35-hour week, 6 weeks
holidays, maternity/paternity educational leave ? You'll be offering to drain the
River Shannon next!
A: My proposals are medium term and perfectly realistic. We are signed
up to Partnership 2000 tax cuts for the next two years and have the 39 hour
week now.
So I would like to see this:
1998 TAX CUTS + inflation equaliser
1999 TAX CUTS + inflation equaliser
2000 37,5 working week, 2 more days holidays
2001 36 hour week, 2 more days holidays
2002 35 hour week, 2 more days holidays
with an inflation equaliser for the three years and local salary
adjustment where there is bad grading or inequality. This can be
negotiated through whatever comes after Partnership 2000.
I am saying that whoever has the honour
to represent the employees of Digital Ireland in Europe should have a
position on this and make their voice heard by those who negotiate these deals.
We should also contact the reps of other hitec companies and get some
steam into the campaign, rather than waiting for the results to be
presented to us from above. The Irish economy is growing rapidly and we
deserve our share of the extra cake we are producing.
Maternity/Paternity educational leave could be partially financed by
tax rebates from previous years and future tax credits,extra allowances for
partners. The state has a benefit as a job is opened up for someone
else. We do this for small businesses, why not for small children?
Workplace cr�che facilities should be part-financed by the state in the
same way, and there could be EU money available for this. If we can get 30
million together to refurbish the nation's racecourses, not to mention three
hundred thousand for the bar of the Dail, we can provide decent convenient
facilities for working mothers. This is how the Kindergarten at Digital
Munich is financed.
Q: What is your comment of the mail from Maureen Lynch and David
O'Donovan?
It is true that the EU directive does not oblige the company to get
down to talks with elected employee representatives on some issues, although
Digital has a lot of corporate programmes which are fair game. However,
why go for a minimum boot? Even in the UK, which has opted out of the
European Social Charter altogether, many progressive and highly successful
companies, including US companies, have included their UK employees in
Works' Councils.
I am asking the management to drop the legalistic bureaucracy and get
down to friendly and co-operative talks. Please give me your number one
on Tuesday to help things along.
Q: I would like to vote for you Kevin, but I'm away next week ?
A: I have told the management and the Returning Officer that it is not
on that some of the electorate, who have training or important customer
appointments, will not be able to vote. Digital Customer Service people
traditionally, and rightly, put their customers first.
If they are on an important call, then they will stay on that call and not
trot off to vote. Their needs must be accommodated in any future election.
That is about it. I just remains for me to wish the other candidates
the VERY BEST OF LUCK in the voting on Tuesday. For me all candidates
are part of a team representing various strands of opinion, so I look
forward to working with them on this in the future.
Best Regards,
Kevin Mannerings
|