Strike action set to escalate at Department of Agriculture
Delegates to the annual conference of the Civil, Public and Services Union (CPSU) unanimously passed an emergency motion instructing their executive to ballot for a one-day work stoppage across all departments, unless progress is made with settlement moves this week.
The protest would include mass picketing of the Department of Agriculture in Dublin.
Proposing the emergency motion, Dublin delegate Denis Redfern said the union could not afford to tolerate the behaviour of the department, and a display of strength was needed.
He was supported by Nicola Coleman, also Dublin, who said: “Let’s show them what we’re made of.”
Speaking after the conference, CPSU assistant general secretary Kevin Gaughran said the passing of the motion was more a show of support than an escalation of the dispute. “We’re now eight weeks into the dispute, and people want the department to engage in a serious attempt to find a resolution,” he said.
If industrial action is stepped up, the strike will next spread to the Department of Agriculture in Cork, with the laboratory testing centre in Model Farm Road, as well as offices in Hibernian and Mallow, being affected.
If there’s a strike at Model Farm Road, brucellosis testing could come to a halt.
Meanwhile, striking clerical workers are today due to take a High Court action to have themselves put back on the department’s payroll.
The case against the Departments of Agriculture and Finance is being brought by Marie Fuller and 13 other CPSU members at the former’s offices in Clonakilty, Co Cork.
Further talks are due to take place between the CPSU and the department on Tuesday.
A total of 262 female staff have been taken off the payroll, following industrial action in five centres around the country during the past seven weeks.
They claim that their removal contravenes the Civil Service Regulations Act 1956.
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