SIPTU has stated that it will resist a plan by the management of Irish Water to implement 1,200 redundancies at the state-owned company as it is a clear move towards its future privatisation and an unacceptable breach of agreements on the operation of the utility.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Brendan O’Brien, said: ‘Our union will vigorously resist any attempt by the management of Irish Water to reduce the number of workers providing this essential service. These workers are essential to the maintenance and the development of public water services. The company has not explained who would carry out the essential work of any employees made redundant. It can only be deduced that the plan is to expand the number of private contractors working for the company which will accelerate the creeping privatisation of this public utility.’
He added: ‘This plan is in direct contravention of a Service Level Agreement between unions and management on the future provision of water services in Ireland. SIPTU will now commence a series of consultative meetings with our members providing water services throughout the country in advance of conducting a ballot for industrial action. SIPTU members are demanding a strong and unequivocal commitment from Irish Water that it intends to fully honour the terms of the Service Level Agreement.
‘We are also seeking an urgent meeting with the management of Irish Water. At this meeting we will be informing the company that we will strongly resist any unilateral attempt to reduce the numbers of public sector workers delivering water services and our members will take industrial action, if necessary, to defend that position.’
SIPTU has also said it expects some disruption to rail services in about two weeks’ time as the dispute with Irish Rail continues. It comes after members of SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Workers Union (NBRU) voted overwhelmingly last Monday for industrial action, in a dispute over payment for past productivity. Members of SIPTU voted 92% in favour while members of the NBRU backed the strike by 95%.
NBRU said last Monday: ‘Loco Driver members of the NBRU today voted overwhelmingly for Industrial Action in response to Irish Rail’s failure to recognise their contribution over the last number of years.’ Dermot O’Leary, NBRU General Secretary, said: ‘Our members have demonstrated their resolve in relation to having their considerable contribution recognised by voting by over 95% to engage in Industrial Action, the company’s refusal to honour the Labour Relations Commission agreement of the 3rd September last to discuss those issues which drivers have delivered has led to a situation whereby services may be affected.’
O’Leary went on to say: ‘The agreement is quite clear with regard to discussing past productivity. We have never encountered a situation where the company have simply said they are not going to honour our agreement and not engage. We will now meet with our SIPTU colleagues on Thursday to discuss our members’ mandate with regard to Industrial Action.’
Union officials at SIPTU and the NBRU were meeting on Thursday afternoon to finalise plans for industrial action, in the ongoing row over payment for productivity. Media reports suggest a three-hour work stoppage on Bank Holiday Friday, October 23. Assistant organiser with SIPTU Paul Cullen said: ‘I wouldn’t like to speculate. . . but there will be some disruption.’ He said the committee would decide the date and duration of the disruption later.
• Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) in the Emergency Department (ED) of St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin have voted to commence a campaign of industrial action up to and including the withdrawal of labour.
The plan for industrial action agreed to date will include the following:
• Monday, October 12 – INMO members will hold a lunchtime protest from 1-2.00pm at the entrance to SVUH;
• Tuesday, October 13 – A work to rule will commence from 8.00am whereby nurses will withdraw from: any clerical work; non-nursing duties or use of information technology; and, use of phones except the two Emergency Ambulance phones in the ED to ensure that patients receive an immediate response in the event of an emergency.
These steps will afford nurses more time for direct patient care. The action follows intensive efforts by INMO members to resolve overcrowding problems where more than 100 patients are regularly being accommodated in the Emergency Department which has a capacity to accommodate only 18 patients on trolleys.
An inability to recruit and retain nurses has made it very difficult to provide safe care for patients and it is an intolerable working environment for members. The patients admitted in the SVUH ED have been subjected to unacceptable conditions where staff are unable to provide the most basic standard of privacy and dignity.
This is due to a lack of available beds in the hospital. Patients are being managed on corridors and in inappropriate spaces, with consequent risk to their safety and health. A dispute continues between nurses and management regarding the number of admitted patients on trolleys in the ED being understated for the INMO’s Trolley Watch.
The INMO has raised this issue directly, with management in the hospital, who have refused to count trolleys in the same way as other hospitals. Therefore, members will return what they believe is the correct daily figure for the duration of this dispute.
According to the INMO’s trolley watch statistics 3,750 patients spent time on a trolley in the ED, awaiting an in-patient bed, from January to September this year. This is an increase of 134% on the same period in 2014. INMO Industrial Relations Officer, Philip McAnenly said: ‘Our members are totally frustrated at management’s failure to address this problem or even acknowledge the extent of the crisis caused by this overcrowding.
‘Patient care and safety is being compromised on a daily basis, because of this intolerable overcrowding which totally prevents our members from providing the care they believe is necessary for their patients.’
McAnenly continued: ‘Nurses took the decision to ballot following months of overcrowding inevitably leading to increased risk to patients and intolerable conditions for nurses. INMO members believe they have now no option but to highlight the unacceptable conditions patients are being subjected to. The decision to commence industrial action, up to and including withdrawal of labour, seeking immediate improvements, to protect both patients and themselves, has been unanimous.’
