Bord na Móna (BNM) transport staff are prepared to take strike action in response to unilateral pay cuts imposed by the semi-state company this week, according to the union representing workers.
SIPTU said 85 rail transport employees face cuts of up to 12% as part of productivity measures forced through by the company. Affected staff may now lose as much as €110 a week, the union said.
Organiser John Regan said union representatives and management struck a cost-saving deal in February that committed to protecting pay levels for three years.
“The company has effectively ignored [the agreement] to protect the pay of its employees,” he said.
“The agreement only allows for increases in wages if savings of €7.1 million are achieved.
“This is against a background where workers in BNM have not had a pay increase since 2008.
“The unilateral action by BNM to cut pay has further damaged the morale of BNM workers who see it as an abuse of power by management.
“We are calling on company chairman, John Horgan, a former member of the Labour Court, to restore pay levels and insist that management adheres to normal and acceptable industrial relations procedures.”
A strike against the cuts will be planned if such action is approved by SIPTU’s National Executive Council and union members, Mr Regan told Newstalk.com.
However, BNM said it had not yet received notice of a ballot on industrial action.
The “relevant pay and reward provisions” have been enacted in line with the terms of the agreement accepted by the group of unions at the company, it said.
“Where clarification has been required, details are discussed in line with normal industrial relations procedures.
“Under the agreement, all existing lorry drivers will continue to be employed by the company with a number of people redeployed to other parts of the company.
BNM told Newstalk.com that it was “operating in line with established procedures and agreements”, adding that both sides had agreed that there would be “no industrial action” relating to matters covered in the deal.
