Industrial action at Dublin Bus

Dublin Bus drivers have begun picketing some depots this week in a dispute over working conditions and new contracts. Dublin Bus has attempted to introduce two new routes (the 4A and 128) without the agreement of the unions and is pushing for drivers to start their shifts, take their breaks and finish their shift in the city centre. Currently the drivers involved do this at the Harristown depot, near the airport which is 11 km away and unions have claimed that forcing drivers to accept these changes will inevitably lead to an extended working day for no extra pay.
Both Siptu and the NBRU have called on Dublin Bus management to engage in negotiations with them.
Sinn Féin TD and Workers’ Rights Spokesperson Arthur Morgan has called on Dublin Bus management to sit down with unions representing the Harristown garage bus workers before the dispute escalates to other garages across the city.
“Like all other families in the city the Harristown bus workers have to incorporate dropping and collecting of children from school as well as commutes to and from work. Having to now start, finish and take breaks in the city centre is naturally a cause for concern for these workers. It will add additional hours onto their working day and in some instances severely disrupt established routines”, Morgan said.

Job losses across 26 Counties announced

Twenty jobs are to be lost in Ardee, County Louth in January when Ardee Extrusions closes its plant it was announced this week. This news came after manufacturing plant Atlas Aluminium confirmed that it would be closing operations over the next four weeks in Limerick and the loss of 163 jobs would follow.
A further 100 employees in Limerick are anxiously waiting for news on the status of their jobs after South Midland Construction went into liquidation on Friday. Last week Erin Foods in Thurles announced that they would close their plant in January and 100 employees would lose their jobs.
Workers in Atlas Aluminium had engaged in industrial action in the past few weeks having been owed up to €250,000 in back pay alongside allegations of discrimination by management against Polish workers at the plant.
The devastating job losses have come days after the Taoiseach called for “restraint” from the unions in relation to pay claims. Unions have branded these calls as “hypocritical” after the Taoiseach’s €38,000 pay hike last month. 

Aer Lingus workers give notice of industrial action

Aer Lingus workers in Siptu have served strike notice on the company this week after the company’s decision to downgrade the working conditions of it’s employees. The company is attempting to force temporary workers to sign contracts with less pay and longer working hours and threatening them with the termination of their employment if they do not agree. There will be a series of four hour work stoppages from the 20 - 23 November at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports.
The development comes a month after management imposed a pay-freeze as part of cost cutting mechanisms. It is claimed that Aer Lingus would rather suspend all 1,800 Siptu members in the company than be faced with a series of strikes. Siptu is seeking an all-out picket at the airport from the other unions who are members if ICTU and warned of further industrial action if there is no resolution.