Siptu members to begin industrial action next month in Uisce Éireann dispute
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Siptu members working in water services in local authorities across the country will begin a campaign of industrial action next month.
Members voted to begin action on June 7 as a dispute over the protection of earnings ahead of a move of control to Uisce Éireann continues.
Siptu representative Karan O'Loughlin said: "Siptu members in water services in local authorities voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action to ensure the retention of the value of their earnings in the transition of the responsibility for the maintenance and provision of water services to Uisce Éireann.
"We will be serving notice of industrial action on local authorities across the country. The nature of the action will be decided at the end of this week by our representatives from around the country, and may well take the form of a strike."
Ms O'Loughlin noted that the objective of the action was that workers remaining in the authorities would not suffer a loss of earnings.
She warned that "significant amounts of money will be lost by water workers on a weekly basis, and there will be a significant impact on their pensions if these matters are not satisfactorily resolved."
"It was never the first preference of these workers to enter into a dispute, as their primary objective at work has always been to provide and maintain quality water services for the general public and businesses," she said.
Siptu sector organiser Brendan O Brien said: “The Siptu local authority sector committee has fully endorsed this course of action.
"Our demands are reasonable, as we are only seeking to ensure the practical application of what was already agreed between union representatives and Government officials as part of the Framework for the Future Delivery of Water Services document.
“We will not tolerate the dilution of any terms that protect the pay and conditions of our members whether they remain working with their local authorities or transfer to Uisce Éireann.”
Speaking to the , Uisce Éireann said it is aware of the union position and noted that the dispute relates to the local authorities and not Uisce Éireann directly.
It said the Framework for the Future Delivery of Water Services guarantees that there will be "no change to terms and conditions and that pension benefits will be fully protected for staff who choose to join Uisce Éireann".
The decision to transfer is a voluntary one for all water services staff members, Uisce Éireann said. Members can express an interest in transferring any time between now and 2026.
It said information briefings have been held in each local authority area and these are being followed up with a series of HR one-to-one meetings.