Fire Service and water workers to begin industrial action

STRIKE Fears dispute may lead to water outages

Cavan County Council and other local authorities across the country face an unprecedented level of unrest across two fronts starting next week, with both firefighters and water services workers to begin engaging in industrial action.

SIPTU members employed as retained firefighters are set to begin their campaign of industrial action next Tuesday, June 6, restricting work to emergency response calls only.

It will also involve non-cooperation with training, drills, and radio calls through emergency centres.

Almost 2,000 retained Fire Service members across 200 fire stations nationwide are members of SIPTU. This includes 10 stations across County Cavan - Cavan Town, Dowra, Ballyconnell, Belturbet, Ballyjamesduff, Cootehill, Virginia, Killeshandra, Bailieborough and Kingscourt.

There are nine retained firefighters in each, and 12 members stationed in Cavan Town.

A recent recruitment campaign run by Cavan County Council saw several fire station postings receive no replies.

The SIPTU Negotiating Committee and the National Retained Firefighters Association who attended failed talks aimed at resolving concerns over recruitment and retention in the service consider the proposals tabled as coming far short of the minimum required.

They also believe the proposals fail to meet the recommendations of the Department of Local Government aimed at addressing pay demands and more structured time off.

SIPTU sector organiser Brendan O’Brien says a series of rolling work stoppages will follow, starting June 13, followed by the possibility of all-out strike from June 20.

“Many firefighters are unable to take leave entitlements due to staff shortages. They’ve also seen their incomes drastically reduced other than what is guaranteed in their retainer due to a reduction in the number of callouts and other restrictions imposed,” he said, speaking to The Anglo-Celt this week.

Water workers

A similar path for industrial action is mapped out for the more than 2,000 water-services workers employed by local authorities, who are due to begin two days of planned strike action - on Wednesday and Thursday of next week, June 7-8.

“Fate determined that these disputes would happen at the same time,” says Mr O’Brien, who is also representing water services workers.

Balloting took place in May, in a dispute that could lead to water outages in local areas, and even impact the government’s plans to establish Uisce Éireann - formerly Irish Water - as a stand-alone utility provider.

There are around 20 plus water service workers represented by SIPTU in Cavan, with several approaching retirement age in the next decade.

The workers’ dispute hinges on a claim that 31 local authorities have not honoured a commitment made to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in 2022, that water workers will retain current pay terms and conditions if they choose to remain with their respective councils rather than transfer to Uisce Éireann.

From January 1, 2027, Uisce Éireann is to take full control of Ireland’s water services, directly employing its own staff, including repair and maintenance workers.

The ‘Water Framework Document’ (WFD) signed up to set out toptions for water workers, but Mr O’Brien claims “difficulties began to arise when a few local authorities began putting different interpretations on what was agreed”.

Challenge

It resulted in SIPTU challenging the Minister for Local Government, Darragh O’Brien, to direct local authorities to uphold the signed agreement. “He reiterated to the local authorities the agreement had to be honoured in letter and in spirit,” adds Mr O’Brien.

With the exception of Dublin City Council which has established a forum to try and link returning workers with new jobs that match their current earnings, Mr O’Brien says: “All the other local authorities are in a different camp. They’ve dug their heels in, and made it clear they’ll only follow what direction is issued to them by the LGMA [Local Government Management Agency].”

A spokesperson for Uisce Éireann informed the Celt that its priority remains the “protection of public health and the environment”, and that it will “work closely with all partners” in advance of any potential industrial action.

They emphasise that the agreed framework guarantees “no change to terms and conditions” and that pension benefits will also be fully protected for local authority staff switching over to join Uisce Éireann.

“We want and need as many local authority staff as possible to join, bringing with them their local knowledge, expertise and passion for water services and combining it with our expertise to build a truly national water services organisation.”

Cavan County Council and the LGMA have both been contacted for comment, which had not been received by time of going to print.