Industrial unrest between employers and employees has unfortunately been common place in Ireland over the last 65 years. Issues that generally lead to industrial conflict include issues such as working conditions, wage demands, work practices, political disputes and social concerns. In general staff will first raise these issues informally with management but if these matters are not resolved to the employees’ satisfaction then this can lead to employees considering other methods to address the issue or vent their frustration such as strike action, slowdowns or work to rule. The last two months, it seems, has seen a spike in such activity.
In last month’s edition of the BLE we brought you up to speed on the ongoing industrial action within Iarnród Éireann. In this month’s edition we take a closer look at other industrial matters which are affecting employers across the country.
One example of such unrest concerns engineering operatives at Dublin Bus who recently rejected Labour Court recommendations on cost cutting proposals put forward by the organisation. In a nutshell, 62% of operatives rejected a proposal whereby Dublin Bus would have made a once-off lump sum payment of €1250 to employees affected by the proposed changes. Dublin Bus is now faced with having to decide whether or not they should implement the changes anyway without employee buy-in. If they do so then this industrial unrest may be amplified further as the changes will not only impact pay and conditions but will also impact shift patterns and redeployment.
Another example is the Prison officers’ work stoppages over health and safety and staffing concerns. The Prison Officers’ Association who represent 1,300 prison officers in Ireland are to hold a series of one-hour work stoppages at two prisons as they have argued that staffing levels are dangerously low at Cloverhill and Mountjoy prisons. This matter could become quite heated as the Irish Prison Service are alleging that any such proposed industrial action would be in breach of the Haddington Road Agreement.
A bitter dispute still appears to exist between Greyhound and SIPTU over proposed pay cuts of up to 35%. These proposals have resulted in strong industrial action such as a blockade of Greyhound’s depot in Clondalkin. Whilst negotiations are on-going, and proposed settlement discussions continue, the dispute remains one of the most acrimonious in the country over the last number of years. It is noted also that there has been talking of setting up an Employment Regulation Order through a waste collection joint labour committee in order to standardise terms across this industry and all such employers are strongly urged to watch this space.
Industrial unrest can be damaging to employee and employer alike and it is recommended that employers seek advice before implementing any cost cutting measures. As seen above, industrial unrest can have a significant impact on service, business and staff. In many cases employees will raise issues informally first so it is crucial for employers to address informal grievances as early as possible to avoid issues festering and developing into larger issues where possible. If a staff member raises an issue they should be referred to their company handbook and policies in place to address such issues. These include the Grievance procedure, Bullying Prevention Policy and Personal Harassment Policy and Procedure. If such an issue is raised please contact the 24 hour Advice Service on 01 855 50 50 where one of our experienced consultants will be able to assist.
