Historic Events

Largest mobilisation of union members in decades to take place for Trade Union Week

Thirty years since the introduction of the May Day Bank Holiday, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has today (14.02.24) announced Ireland’s first Trade Union Week, which will take place between 29th April and 6th May 2024. ICTU said the week of coordinated events in workplaces and local...

Congress response to ICJ ruling on Israel

Congress notes the recent International Court of Justice ruling that Israel has a prima facia case to be answered and the order on the request for provisional measures in the South Africa v. Israel case. We welcome the Court’s ruling and orders and urge the Government to do all that it can to ensure...

Owen Reidy's message ahead of a massive day of strikes in NI

At today’s Executive Council meeting of the ICTU unanimous support was voiced for all our Northern Ireland affiliate unions engaging in industrial across Northern Ireland tomorrow. Speaking after the meeting Owen Reidy General Secretary of Congress stated, “All our affiliate unions in the Republic...

A brief history of income tax.

As budget day nears, our social policy officer Dr Laura Bambrick explains the background on income tax. Income tax was first introduced in 1799 by Pitt the Younger as “a temporary measure” to help pay for Britain’s war against France. Yearly incomes below £60 were exempt from the tax - equivalent to...

Owen Reidy Addressing Oireachtas Committee on Good Friday Agreement

Union leaders discuss workers rights and constitutional change at the Oireachtas

The Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement discusses workers rights and constitutional change In attendance were Owen Reidy, General Secretary and Mr. Justin McCamphill, President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) John Boyle, General Secretary Irish National...

Irish Congress of Trade Unions statement on upcoming Equality Referendum

At a meeting today of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Executive Council, the matter of the announced referendum on gender equality, care and the family was considered. Congress calls on the Government to publish the wording for the referendum in line with the recommendations of the Citizens’...

Human intelligence must dictate AI at work - Séamus Dooley

Labour history conference to hear call for ILO Convention on digital transformation The need for national governments, European and international organisations to develop a right based approach to the application of artificial intelligence in the workplace has been stressed by Séamus Dooley...

Irish Labour Historical Society events this week

The final programme of talks and events for the ‘Visions of Labour and Class in Ireland and Europe’ Conference is now available online here: ILHS-Programme-of-Events-2023.pdf The conference is taking place in various venues across Dublin from Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th September 2023. Online...

The Marriage Bar: A ban on employing married women

The legislation ending the marriage bar in the Irish civil service became law 50 years ago today, on 31 July 1973. The marriage bar required single women civil servants to resign from their job when they married and banned married women from joining the permanent civil service. To mark the 50th...

Workers and the EU - Reflections on Ireland's Membership

08 May, 2023

To mark 50 years of Ireland in the European Union, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has published this collection of essays by current and former trade union leaders reflecting on the impact of EU membership on workers’ rights over the years. Our general secretary Owen Reidy said: “While...

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