A UNION REPRESENTING tradespeople in the construction sector has today announced it intends to serve notice of industrial action to the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA).

Trade union Unite, which represents plumbers, fitters and welders on construction projects throughout Ireland, said 90% of its members had voted in favour of industrial action with the aim of restoring ‘travel time’ payment.

The action will initially comprise a series of one-day stoppages at large construction sites around the country, a union spokesperson said, adding that “while the specific sites have not yet been determined, the disputes committee has decided to exclude residential projects in light of the current housing crisis”.

“The decision to ballot for industrial action came after talks with MEBSCA broke down at the beginning of July,” Unite said in a statement.

The union said that payment of the first hour of ‘travel time’ was originally cut “as a so-called ‘temporary measure’ following the 2008 financial crash”.

“Although this cut was meant to be reviewed after a year, that review never took place,” the statement said.

Unite said that a reversal of the austerity era cut would mean an increase in gross pay of up to 12.7% “at a time of ongoing cost-of-living pressures”.

Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said the situation was “unacceptable” and that the union’s members could count on Unite’s full support.

“Members working for some of the Republic’s most profitable employers are still counting the cost of a cut imposed 14 years ago.”

Unite’s regional officer James McCabe said: “Mechanical employers should be in no doubt regarding our members’ determination to have this cut reversed.

“Resolution of this dispute is in the employers’ hands: they can either return to the negotiating table with a meaningful offer or prepare for significant disruption.”

MEBSCA has been contacted and asked for comment.