SIPTU Waterford District Council will release new data showing the extent and impact of the spread of precarious work practices in the county at a seminar in the Tower Hotel, Waterford City on Friday, 30th August. Speakers at the seminar will include Mayor of the City and County of Waterford, Councillor John Pratt, Metropolitan Mayor of Waterford, Councillor Breda Brennan, SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley and University of Limerick Lecturer, Dr. Michelle O’Sullivan. There will also be a focus on the impact of Brexit on workers in Ireland in a presentation by SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Gerry McCormack. SIPTU Waterford District Council Secretary, David Lane, said: “The new statistics on precarious work in Waterford City and County, complied by SIPTU researchers, indicate that nearly one-in-three workers in Waterford, that is approximately 12,800 people, cannot afford to meet an unexpected expense. Of these workers, 4,800 suffer multiple deprivation experiences.” He added: “The growth of such in work poverty can be directly linked, in many cases, to the spread of precarious work practices. These include the use of rolling short term contracts, non-voluntary part-time employment, enforced self-employment and other employment relationships which result in workers being low paid and insecure concerning their finances.” SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley, said: “Our members are seeking solutions as to how we can effectively counter the spread of precarious work. To this end, the seminar will discussthe SIPTU campaign to tackle precarious work in Waterford City and County. “This campaign will see SIPTU Waterford District Council take a leading role alongside civic and community groups to fight for a better working lives throughout the City and County.” The seminar will conclude with author and labour historian Francis Devine, presenting a talk on a history of the Waterford ITGWU/SIPTU Branch entitled ‘Red Hand on the Suir’. In the evening, long serving SIPTU members will be presented with 50-year and 25-year badges at a social event in the hotel. The seminar will be attended by approximately 70 local SIPTU shop stewards from both the private and public sectors as well as invited politicians. Media are welcome to the attend the seminar and conduct interviews with the speakers.
SIPTU to release new data on precarious work in Waterford at seminar on Friday
