Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

File photo. Alamy Stock Photo

Workers at Cork and Sligo-based call centre company Abtran launch ballot on possible industrial action

An initial pay claim was submitted by the staff and their union in May, but was not acknowledged by the company.

LAST UPDATE | 24 Jul 2024

WORKERS AT OUTSOURCING services provider Abtran have announced that they are to ballot for industrial action. The workers, represented by the Independent Workers’ Union (IWU), recently launched a pay claim against the company.

The pay claim called for a company-wide pay increase to €15 per hour for all staff, as well as the return of 15 minute “wellness breaks” and for “the company to stop their policy of bringing workers into disciplinaries when they take their statuatory sick pay”.

Workers are currently paid the minimum wage of €12.70. Wellness breaks were removed in January 2023.

The IWU has said that ballots are currently being sent to union members in Abtran’s Cork and Sligo sites, and as a result is expected by 6 August.

Jamie Murphy, General Secretary of the IWU, delivered the initial pay claim to Abtran via email on 13 May. The same day, a senior HR manager at the company responded internally – CCing Murphy into the reply – saying “Please do not reply in any manner to this email of any other correspondences from the sender”.

It is unclear if Murphy was included in the reply erroneously.

He then delivered the pay claim in person to Abtran’s Cork office.

Currently, the union represents about 10% of Abtran staff. However, Murphy says that due to their structure, this is still significant.

“Abtran are essentially min-maxing their staffing levels. They’ll have the minimum amount of staff on to maximise profits and productivity,” he said.

A spokesperson for Abtran told The Journal, “The IWU is an external organisation with which we are not engaged and which has no role in the collegiate and co-perative relationship that we have with our employees.

“Abtran is a responsible and caring employer with an overall commitment to investing in people, and with a positive and supportive environment for everyone throughout our organisation. It is our policy at all times to engage directly and collaboratively with all of our colleagues and we have a clearly defined programme in place which underpins this engagement.”

Abtran’s contracts – a number of which come from the state – work on a service level agreement. This means that Abtran promises their client to provide a minimum level of service over a given period. For example, maintaining an average hold time of five minutes.

“Because of the nature of their agreements, a small number of workers engaged in a work stoppage can wield a lot of power,” says Murphy.

‘Stressful and restrictive’

One Abtran employee who works from home, described the conditions he was working under as “restrictive and controlling”.

“There’s very little respect given to employees by management. The environment, even when working from home, is very restrictive, which causes a lot of stress.

“For instance, there’s little to no help given with difficult calls, and when it is given, it seems be done very reluctantly,” he said.

“There doesn’t seem to be any consideration given to the levels of stress staff are under.”

Another employee, who also works from home, said much the same.

“I struggled a lot with social anxiety and depression, but this didn’t seem to be acknowledged or considered by the company. You were just expected to keep going like nothing was wrong” she said.

“There was a heavy rotation of team leaders, on average every six to eight months, and the quality of leader could very greatly. The lack of any sort of consistency or structure was incredibly stressful.”

Abtran’s contracts

Abtran employs around 1,600 staff between their Cork and Sligo officer, as well as those working remotely.

They currently operate contracts for a number of state agencies. This includes Electric Ireland, a contract worth approximately €30 millon, the National Drivers’ License service, and EFlow.

They were also granted the contract for Irish Water, before it was given to British firm Capita in 2020. Abtran issued a High Court challenge against Irish Water over what they called an “unlawfully low” contract. The case was settled the same year.

Another contract, taken with the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) for Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), initially budgeted for €1.8million, ran to aa final cost of €5.9 million.

They also have contracts with Irish Life Health, the Teaching Council of Ireland, the HSE, Pobal, and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners.

‘Cautiously optimistic’

Alex Homits, one of the organisers working with Abtran staff, said that he is “cautiously optimistic” about the ballot.

“We’ve developed a strong core of union activists across those working in Cork, Sligo, and from home, and the balloting is a positive step. We’ve done lots of prep work, and there’s been a lot of cultural development as well among the staff.

“We’ve been careful to make everyone understand that this isn’t just about the pay claim, it’s about developing those interpersonal skills, the solidarity that makes them a stronger unit,” he said.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

View 21 comments
Close
21 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
    Favourite Ollie Fitzpatrick
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 7:14 PM

    Run with the hare and hunt with the hound, just ain’t on. People voted Independents because they didn’t want mainstream parties. But first chance they get those Independents, turn Turk and push those same mainstream parties into power. Let government give some of their speaking time to them and not opposition time!!!

    224
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Brennan
    Favourite Tim Brennan
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 8:14 PM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: All elected representatives should firstly make a serious effort to get into government. How many more times will the social Democrats come up with excuses for fear of government. Much easier pick up soft money on the back benches and guarantee reelection. The SD’s are nothing more than a debate society and Labour young kids think opposition is better than government. Watch the Labour vote transfer from FG disappear.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shaun Gallagher
    Favourite Shaun Gallagher
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 7:16 PM

    We have very little to give out about American politics what this s”"tshow going on

    172
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Des Hanrahan
    Favourite Des Hanrahan
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 6:49 PM

    I think that this is about trying to hobble Auntú rather than a matter of principle .

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thesaltyurchin
    Favourite Thesaltyurchin
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 8:58 PM

    @Des Hanrahan: no harm

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen
    Favourite Stephen
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 6:59 PM

    Is Kevin Kerr dead? Or has Brennie just not switched profiles lately?

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute DJ D
    Favourite DJ D
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 8:52 PM

    @Padraig Rice Social Dems: I’d be more concerned about Trump24, Tired Jim, Mrs O’Brien, Paul F Doe, Buster Lawless etc than that tool. That first tool I mentioned is never off the Journal and seems to just try to divide Journal commenters on every thread to rile people. That person is obviously a freak, has nothing to contribute and obviously is a dole recipient!

    54
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute DJ D
    Favourite DJ D
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 8:54 PM

    @DJ D: Stephen is another of his profiles. Don’t feed the crocodile!

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Jennings
    Favourite William Jennings
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 8:15 PM

    Funny how these people want diversity, except when it comes to diversity of opinion. Toibin has every right to do what he has to in order to be allocated speaking rights. Aontu got more votes than PBP, the Green Party and Independent Ireland and only got 15,000 less than Labour and the Social Democrats. This criticism from Sinn Fein and the other left-wing hobgoblins seems like nothing more than a cheap attempt to muffle opinions that they don’t like. I personally think that the rule around speaking rights is pure nonsense and is used by the progressive establishment, whether FG, FF or SF, to make sure that smaller parties are kept small. We really should do away with it and allow all members of the Dáil to have fair speaking time and it wouldn’t have come to this if that was the case.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Brennan
    Favourite Tim Brennan
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 8:09 PM

    All the elected reps in SDs and Lab wants speaking time but never made a serious effort to govern. The great Irish debating society the SD’s have run to the hills for fear they would have to do something more than pick up their wages.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam Foy
    Favourite Liam Foy
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 7:22 PM

    Nothing new to see here even after the election

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute rory457
    Favourite rory457
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 8:25 PM

    He is right.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Blue Moon
    Favourite Blue Moon
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 11:38 PM

    Isn’t it just typical of SF taking a pot shot at their Ex member Tóibín. They will do anything and everything just to get media coverage. Maybe they should put their time and effort into repatriating the bodies of the people murdered and buried in shallow graves.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnny Wilson
    Favourite Johnny Wilson
    Report
    Jan 20th 2025, 10:45 PM

    In action? SocDems not once, twice but three times have run away from the responsibility of Government. They are as bad as the Shinners.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute AnthonyK
    Favourite AnthonyK
    Report
    Jan 21st 2025, 7:58 AM

    Tóibín is correct.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robert Halvey
    Favourite Robert Halvey
    Report
    Jan 21st 2025, 10:05 AM

    Iff sf want real change maybe they should listen to what the public wants

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds