BORD NA MONA has criticised a decision taken by its workers’ unions to stage an additional two days of work stoppages later this month.
The semi-State agency described the latest actions by the unions as an “unhelpful escalation…that will only damage the interests of the company and its employees”.
In a statement this evening, Bord na Móna said a pay agreement reached on the 4 April – that was subsequently rejected by staff – was arrived at after long and detailed negotiations which it claims “addressed all the issues of contention”.
“The company was satisfied at the time that the agreement with the unions represented a fair and reasonable accommodation of the interests of all parties,” it added.
Discussions were held at the start of April aimed at resolving an ongoing pay dispute. The unions subsequently decided, after a ballot, to pursue industrial action instead of implementing proposals discussed at these meetings.
Oliver McDonagh, SIPTU’s organiser and secretary of the Bord na Mona division, confirmed to TheJournal.ie that the two work stoppages would take place on 27 and 28 June following a committee decision today. Up to 1,500 staff will be involved.
The strike comes after a majority of the company’s 2,000 workers voted against the deal which would have seen employees given a lump sum of €1,000 and a pay increase of 3.5 per cent.
Workers had been reluctant to accept the performance-related elements of the pay agreement, and also had concerns that the money offered in the dispute would not be pensionable.
Staff held a one-day strike last week with all employees involved in milled peat production taking part in pickets.
Last week: Bord na Móna staff to strike over pay proposals>
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