Great Southern staff threaten strike action over sell-off

Staff at Great Southern Hotels are threatening strike action unless agreement can be reached with the new owners on issues such as wages, pensions and job conditions.

The eight hotels in the chain are currently owned by the state-controlled Dublin Airport Authority, but are due to be sold off to private business.

Talks on the workers' concerns broke down at the Labour Relations Commission earlier this week and SIPTU is now arranging a ballot for next week on possible industrial action

Spokesman Donal Tobin said today that the union was considering all forms of action up to and including an all-out strike.

"The next move is for the Government," he said. "They're trying to throw the Great Southern workers to the wolves, which we believe is a first run for the privatisation of other state assets."