With the threat of an ESB strike looming over us, The Peninsula Ireland Blog is here to give you some precautionary advice on what can be done in the event that a strike does go ahead. With the Christmas period on top of us the last thing businesses want and need is the disruption of a power strike.
Even though December can be a wind down for many businesses, for the likes of retailers and those operating in the hospitality industry this is the most profitable time of the year. In reaction to a potential strike many businesses such as Retail Excellence Ireland are already threatening to switch electricity providers if a strike does go ahead, however this will ultimately not help you when you need it most.
Here are some things you can do in preparation of a potential strike:
- Prevention is better than the cure, many businesses are investing in generators to be able to supply them with their own energy. Depending on your type of industry, this may not be an option for you.
- A lot of manufacturing companies have asked their worker to do overtime to ensure orders can be met for Christmas in the instance of a strike. Proactive workforce planning could ensure your business has as little disruption as possible. By talking and explaining to your workers the importance of the overtime and the detriment that could be caused to the business, many would more than obliging to pitch in with the extra work.
- In worst case scenario and the strike does go ahead, if there is a temporary lay-off or short- time working polices within employee handbooks employers may have no alternative but to activate this provision.
