SIPTU members at Dublin Fire Brigade are to start industrial action from Monday in protest over 'critical' staffing levels.

They say that Dublin City Council have failed to keep the minimum levels of staff to provide safe systems of work, with many firefighters doing 'unsustainable' levels of overtime.

The industrial action will see workers refuse to do overtime on certain dates as a base level of action.

SIPTU say that Dublin Brigade is 70 firefighters under strength.

Sector Organiser Brendan O'Brien says that this situation is unsustainable:

SIPTU DFB Convenor, Gerry Harris, said:

“Our members have been forced into this regrettable action because of management reneging on an agreement concerning the recruitment of new firefighters which was reached in May 2015.

“This agreement set out a plan to recruit new firefighters which was in line with a circular from the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Alan Kelly, that directed management to ensure safety critical posts where maintained at agreed levels.”

“Following this decision by management, SIPTU representatives agreed to attend a number of meetings of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in an attempt to find another solution.

“However, at these meetings the management of DFB and Dublin City Council failed to present a credible alternative plan.”