Water

A nationwide strike on 7 June by SIPTU members in local authority water services was averted following the decision by the government to guarantee that any workers who do not want to transfer to the new public water company, Uisce Éireann, will have all their earnings protected. The key issue for the union was to secure the guarantee in relation to workers’ allowances and overtime payments they accrue currently as part of their work. Meanwhile, INMO and other health unions have called for the extension of the temporary special leave with pay scheme for workers with COVID to be extended. The

The SIPTU trade union has announced dates for industrial action by water workers and retained (part-time) firefighters in June. Water workers currently employed by local authorities face restructuring as a new national water company is established. The dispute is over the failure of local authorities to guarantee the protection of all pay and conditions if the workers choose to remain with their local authority. The firefighters’ action is over pay and the serious staff shortages in the sector which are putting extra pressure on existing staff who often forego holidays in order to ensure cover

In three separate disputes, members of the Fórsa and SIPTU trade unions have voted in favour of industrial action. In the ambulance service, SIPTU members voted with a 95% majority to back industrial action following the refusal of management to implement a restructuring plan that had been negotiated with and was fully supported by the union. Meanwhile, SIPTU members in the water sector will take strike action on 7 June unless there is a guarantee that their local authority pay and conditions will be protected when they transfer to a new employer, Uisce Éireann, a new standalone public utility

Over 400 social care workers in Legnica in south west Poland could begin strike action on 27 February if their pay demands are not met. Their union, NSZZ "Solidarność", points out that over half the workers are on the minimum wage and this is set to rise to three-quarters if the employers don’t respond to the call for pay increases. The union says that this is a fight not just about pay but for the dignity of the profession. Meanwhile, water workers in Wielkopolska in central west Poland – members of the NSZZ "Solidarność" and Forum trade unions – are involved in protests over pricing and

Members of the STAL trade union employed by two waste companies – the private FCC Environment and municipally-owned RdN – took strike action between Christmas and the new year. Workers in both companies are seeking a 10% pay rise with a minimum monthly increase of €100 and minimum wage of €850 a month. In addition, the main claim at RdN is for all workers on temporary contracts to be made permanent.

The STAL trade union is pleased at the high turnout of workers for the strike action on 13 December in the AdP water company and the two-day action on 9-10 December in the Tratolixo company that provides services to the municipalities of Cascais, Mafra, Oeiras and Sintra. At AdP the union is calling for a €120-a-month increase for all workers and a minimum wage of €900 a month in the face of the employer’s offer of an increase of only 1.2%. At Tratolixo the main demand is for a €100-a-month increase. In both cases the union is pushing for proper negotiations and implementation of a collective