RMA News October 2021
Hope you are all keeping safe.
As I write this in early October around over eighty RMA members together with partners and friends are looking forward to the resumption of our Autumn break which is taking place in the Rose Hotel in Tralee on October 19th, 20th and 21st. It is hoped to run the Break as normal with tours on the Wednesday and hopefully Thursday. We have organised the break on the strict understanding that all participating members are fully vaccinated.
We intend to resume our Spring breaks in late March 2022 in Ennis, more details in the next issue of TUI News. The details of the Spring break will also be in our website www.rmatui.ie from early November together with booking form etc.
Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM)
The Management Committee have called an EGM for the 19th of October in the Rose Hotel, Tralee. This is necessary to adopt the RMA accounts for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 as no AGM could be held in May 2020 or MAY 2021. You have received notice of this EGM and the programme for that afternoon.
Retired Workers Representation Bill
You may be aware that at the end of June Deputy Brid Smith tabled a Bill in Dáil Eireann to amend Industrial Relations Legislation to allow for access to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court for bodies representing Retired Workers. The Government amended her Bill which has resulted in a twelve month ‘Consultation’ period being introduced. We expect the Consultation process to commence shortly. To facilitate the process, an ad-hoc ‘umbrella’ group has come together under the banner of the Senior Citizens Parliament. This group includes the Alliance of Retired Public Servants and groups representing retirees from the Semi-State Sector. While it is regrettable that the ICTU failed to demonstrate support for the Bill, it is acknowledged that it will require further amendments. That the Government did not attempt to vote it down is due in no small way to the volume of lobbying carried out by members of the Alliance and other Retired Associations including RMATUI.
RMATUI Branches
While we are aware that some RMA Branches have held regular Zoom meetings during the ‘lockdown’, many did not. Now that all our members should be vaccinated, it is time to resume ‘normal business’. Where possible, we would encourage RMA Branches to resume meetings, noting that AGMs should be held in October/ November
Membership.
If you are aware of colleagues who have retired this year or last year, please encourage them to join us. It is worth noting that some may be retiring at the end of October this year, or between then and the end of the year (1% rise due on Oct 1st). The RMATUI membership application form is downloadable from the website www.rmatui,ie
More detailed information about the Pensioners’ Representation Bill is also on the website. Finally, we hope to see many of you in the Rose Hotel in October for the EGM and the Autumn Break. In the meantime stay safe – wear that mask – wash those hands and stay healthy.
Dan Keane: RMATUI National Secretary