Tag Archives: strike

IMPACT has written to the directors of Dunnes Stores outlining the union’s support for Thursday’s strike by workers at the retail chain, which has stores in Ennis and Shannon. In the letter to the directors of Dunnes Stores, IMPACT general secretary, Shay Cody said that the union, representing 60,000 workers nationwide, had pledged its full support for the strike, organised by Mandate, which takes place tomorrow. Mr Cody said that IMPACT has asked members throughout its branch network to show solidarity with striking Dunnes Stores workers in practical ways. “IMPACT is therefore encouraging all its members, their friends, families and communities not to cross the picket lines on Thursday, and not to shop at any of the store,” he said. Mr Cody said that achieving decent contracts for staff, which is at the core of the dispute, could only be achieved through dialogue.

Clare TD, Michael McNamara is to introduce a Bill to the Dáil this Wednesday afternoon, which will provide for the right of Garda and Defence Forces representatives to carry out negotiations on pay and conditions of its members. The Industrial Relations (Members of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces) Bill 2015 will also allow gardaí to take industrial action. “This Bill seeks to introduce the necessary amendments to bring Ireland into compliance with the Social Charter, a European treaty which guarantees social and economic human rights, which Ireland was found to be in breach of by the European Committee of Social Rights,” said the Labour Deputy. “Ireland has been in breach of the charter, as it prohibits police representative associations from joining national employees’ organisations; and prohibits the right to strike of members of the police,” he added. This Bill will not, however, allow members of the Defence Forces to strike, Deputy McNamara stressed.

Second-level schools around the county are closed on Thursday as teachers stage their second strike, protesting against changes to the Junior Cycle. More than 7,000 students in Clare were advised not to turn up to classes as hundreds of members of the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland picket schools. Teachers say the changes, planned by the Department of Education, will undermine standards and fairness. A total of 27,000 second-level teachers are on strike because they believe aspects of the Junior Cycle proposals pose a threat to education standards, fairness and quality. Teachers also have concerns about the capacity of the current system to accommodate such major change. Talks between teaching unions and the Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan, TD, were held last week in relation to the implementation of Junior Cycle reform. Minister O’Sullivan described the action as “entirely disproportionate”. “It will result in our second-level students missing another day …

IMPACT members working at the Limerick group of hospitals have balloted in favour of industrial action following the concerns expressed by the union about corporate governance and senior staff salaries in the hospital group. Ninety per cent of the staff balloted voted in favour of taking the industrial action. The action will involve a refusal to report to the manager of the hospital group. IMPACT assistant general secretary Andy Pike explained, “This industrial action is designed to highlight the opposition of hospital staff to the excessive and unwarranted salary payments to a senior manager through a management consultancy. It is not envisaged that the action would affect the delivery of services in any way. “The HSE director general has said the mid-west hospital group needs additional administration staff to provide vital services to patients. The money spent employing just one management consultant would cover the costs of at least five clerical staff to help the hospitals cope with increasing demands. …

Production remains shut down this Wednesday at Roadstone, Bunratty following the continuation of a nationwide strike against cuts to general operatives’ wages. An official SIPTU picket was placed on the  Bunratty plant on Monday by its employees, as part of a nationwide dispute affecting 20 of the firm’s facilities across the country. General operatives and truck drivers have been  protesting outside the Bunratty plant with official SIPTU placards According to SIPTU, workers will lose almost €20,000 in their wages over the next five years if a new cost-cutting plan is introduced against the wishes of workers. The union claims that the parent company, Cement Roadstone Holdings Limited are trying to implement unsustainable cost savings for Roadstone totalling €10 million over the next five years. The company has been in talks with union officials in recent times. Both parties were also involved in a Labour Court recommendation that urged both sides to resume negotiations. However, these negotiations broke down over the weekend. Management at the …

CABIN crew strikes at Aer Lingus scheduled for next week at Shannon, Cork and Dublin Airports have been called off, pending consideration of a Labour Court recommendation which will be issued on Thursday. IMPACT, the union representing cabin crew, is meeting Aer Lingus management at the Labour Court in a bid to avert two days of planned industrial action next week. The rostering of staff is at the heart of the dispute. Cabin crew believe sufficient progress has been made to call off the strikes.    

Owen Ryan SHANNON Airport, as well as Dublin and Cork airports, narrowly avoided closing last week after the courts granted an injunction preventing industrial action by SIPTU members. In the aftermath of that decision, Aer Lingus has announced it will be taking legal action against the trade union and its organiser, Dermot O’Loughlin, alleging that it lost millions due to the threat of strike. A statement from the airline said, “SIPTU’s decision on March 12 to stand down its work stoppage planned for March 14 was too little too late. The damage had already been done. The decision came less than 36 hours before the stoppage was due to commence. The cloud of uncertainty created by the strike has damaged Aer Lingus business and disrupted thousands of our customers. “The changes made to our flight schedule, to circumvent the planned strike, could not be undone at such short notice. Any further changes to the revised schedule would only have caused …