Work Matters - The FSU Podcast

Sign up to receive the latest episode of the podcast HERE

S2 E3 - John O Connell (May 2025)

In this episode, John O Connell, FSU General Secretary, sits down to discuss a range of issues that affect FSU members with Brian McDowell — including collective bargaining, the need for a voice for trade unions and their members, the remote working code of practice, and other issues.

Duration:  23mins

Now available on Spotify HERE and SoundCloud HERE

S2 E2 - Carol Scheffer (March 2025)

Carol Scheffer - National Officer at CWU and President of the Women’s Committee at UniGlobal, talks to Brian McDowell on her time in CWU, the role of the Trade Union movement in winning better pay and conditions for women in the workplace in Ireland and her role as President of the Women’s Committee in UniGlobal.

Duration: 25 mins

Now available on Spotify HERE and SoundCloud HERE

S2 E1 - Budget 2025 (September 2024)

Budget 2025 is to be announced on 1st October. Brian McDowell talks to FSU General Secretary John O Connell and ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy about the issues they would like to see prioritised by the Government on budget day.

Duration: 32 mins

Now available on Spotify HERE and SoundCloud HERE

Season 1

S1 E8 - Defending Journalists, and Advocating for Workers with Disabilities (July 2024)

In this episode we heard from Tim Dawson, Deputy General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists on the work they are doing to support and protect their members around the world in places of conflict, and what they are asking the Irish Government to do, as well as the Trade Union movement in Ireland. To find out more about the work of IFJ go to their website: www.ifj.org

Then we hear from Suzy Byrne who is an advocate for workers with disabilities on why she and other advocates at the National Advocacy Service are on strike, and what supports workers with disabilities need in the workplace.

Duration: 27 mins PLAY

S1 E7 - Collective Bargaining (June 2024)

In this episode we hear the dicsussion which took place at the recent FSU Triennial Conference in Belfast where a panel made up of Owen Reidy the General Secretary of ICTU, John O Connell the General Sectretary of FSU, Alka Bossinger the Deputy General Secretary of Uni Global and Kelly M. Fay Rodríguez the Special Representative for International Labor Affairs · U.S. Department of State discussed on the issue of Collective Bargaining. 

Duration: 52 mins PLAY

S1 E6 - Anti-Racism and Trade Unions (April 2024)

In this episode Brian McDowell talks to David Carroll - Anti-Racist Workplaces & Unions Project Coordinator at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and Steph Hanlon - National Convenor at Le Chéile on the issue of Racism in the workplace and how unions can work to address it.

Duration: 27 mins PLAY

S1 E5 - The Right to Organise Campaign (March 2024)

In this episode Brian McDowell talks to Ethel Buckley - Deputy General Secretary at SIPTU, Gareth Murphy - Head of Industrial Relations and Campaigns at FSU, and Fionnuala Ní Bhrógáin - Head of Organising and Campaigns at CWU on the upcoming Right to Organise campaign.

Duration: 44 mins PLAY 

S1 E4 - Menopause and Menstrual Health in the Workplace (February 2024)

On this episode of Work Matters we are going to talk about two issues affecting women in the workplace. We are going to explore the work being done on menopause and menstrual health workplace policies.

Duration: 32 mins PLAY

S1 E3 - Women In Finance (December 2023)

Today we are going to discuss Ireland’s Women in Finance Charter. An industry-led, government-supported measure designed to encourage gender diversity in the financial services industry in Ireland.

Duration: 26 mins PLAY

S1 E2 - Union Organising and Renewal (November 2023)

Union Organising: Gareth Murphy, Head of Industrial Relations and Campaigns, sits down with Ben Egan, Director Organising at Uni-Europa

Duration: 22 mins PLAY

S1 E1 - Budget 2024 (October 2023)

In the first of a new podcast series from FSU Ingrid Miley talks to ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy and FSU General Secretary John O Connell about the upcoming Budget and the issues they believe the budget should include.

Duration: 28 mins PLAY