Revenue collectors in threat to strike

REVENUE collectors employed by Clare’s local authorities are threatening industrial action as the row over new work practices rumbles on.
The council executive is trying to put plans in place to streamline its revenue collection service, whereby the 16 revenue collectors will be office based rather than home-based, but the employees, all members of IMPACT, are unhappy with this change in work practice.
The executive says that in trying to rationalise revenue collector staff, the series of proposed measures are aimed at making its revenue service more efficient, without incurring job losses among the existing revenue collectors. The proposals are being implemented under a national framework agreement endorsed by the Labour Court in 2006, which would yield major efficiencies across the county, according to the council.
Revenue collectors collect local authority income, such as housing rents, business rates and commercial water rates. Clare County Council confirmed that the 16 revenue collection staff have refused to accept a proposal, which would move their duties from a home-based system to a modern, efficient office-based system.
Leonard Cleary, human resources officer with Clare County Council, revealed that the council has been engaged in discussions with its revenue collectors for the past three years in its agenda to modernise their work process. The same modernisation agenda, which Clare is implementing, has already been agreed and implemented across 23 local authorities leaving IMPACT in Clare lagging behind its counterparts in terms of updating its systems.
“The council and IMPACT trade union engaged in extensive discussions both at local level and with the Labour Relations Commission in attempts to reach agreement. However, the revenue collectors have rejected proposals put forward in September 2009.
“Following Clare County Council’s stated intention to implement the office-based system with effect from November 30, 2009, IMPACT has threatened the council with industrial action,” Mr Cleary said.
He added, “Clare County Council is determined to introduce efficiencies within the organisation. In the event that industrial relations action is taken, the council will take the necessary steps to minimise disruption to its Customers.”
When contacted, a spokesperson for IMPACT said they had “no comment” on the dispute.