TheJournal.ie uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Click here to find out more »
Dublin: 13 °C Tuesday 21 May, 2013

Aviva staff to ballot for industrial action next week

A ballot on industrial action over job losses at the firm could open as early as next Tuesday.

Image: Stephen Kilkenny/LightCurvePhoto.com

A BALLOT FOR industrial action by staff at Aviva could open as early as next Tuesday, the UNITE trade union has said.

Last night, members of the union who work at Aviva’s Galway office voted unanimously to support the ballot action.

UNITE communications officer Rob Hartnett told TheJournal.ie that after meetings in Cork and Portlaoise are held, the wording and structure of the ballot will be decided on Tuesday.

He said the ballot will then commence and staff will be given up to seven days to vote.

There are currently close to 1,400 Aviva staff who are members of the union but Hartnett said there are more people looking to join to defend their jobs.

Brian Gallagher, a regional officer with UNITE, said there was a mood of “anger and defiance” at last night’s meeting in Galway.

“Aviva remains immensely profitable,” said Gallagher.

We are telling staff around the country that they should not accept compulsory redundancies; they should not accept a voluntary package below what they deserve; and they should not facilitate the removal of jobs from Ireland without negotiated agreement.”

Staff in Dublin voted on Wednesday that there should be a mandate for industrial action sought ahead of negotiation on the 950 job losses.

UNITE said it expects to find a similar mood and the same decisions at a meetings in Cork this evening and Portlaoise on Monday.

More: Aviva staff to ballot for industrial action over job losses>

Read: 950 jobs lost as Aviva slashes Irish workforce>

Read next:

Comments (4 Comments)

  • Danny D 21/10/11 #

    how is that going to help anyone or change anything?

    Reply
  • If industrial action does not make them do a u-turn, I don’t know what will!

    UNITE would be better off expending their energies at prolonging their members jobs by engaging with Aviva and setting up counciling and career advice for those that eventually are made redundant. Industrial action will just motivate Aviva to implement their decision with greater expediency.

    Unions need to remember that they are operating in the globalised 21st century and that principled tokenism does its members a disservice.

    Reply
    • Very well said Simon. It seems quite pointless for the union to fight with Aviva when they should be trying to make the transition to redundancy less painlful for the staff by working with the employer to provide career advise, counseling and training. I know quite a few people who’ve been made redundant in the last few years and had to wait up to 6 months for their statutory redundancy from the Social Welfare as the company couldn’t afford to pay it. From my own experience, it’s never nice to have your job made redundant, but if they get a decent redundancy package, they are luckier than most.

      Reply
  • Michelle, Simon Aviva Staff don’t want to fight with the Company they want to talk to them, unfortunatley Aviva wont talk to them so the first point of indstrial action is to bring Aviva to the table! All they have to do is pick up the phone.

    Reply

Add New Comment