Biggest industrial protest since ’70s on cards

THE biggest industrial protest by workers since the 1970s looks more likely after tens of thousands of construction employees agreed to participate in the action.

Some 100,000 construction workers last night pledged their support for a half-day protest, being organised by trade unions seeking improved redundancy payments.

The ICTU’s Construction Industry Committee (CIC), which represents more than 100,000 workers, said its members will support the campaign on Friday, October 4. Up to half-a-million workers have been urged to back the protest following trade union anger over employers’ failure to comply with Labour Court recommendations on redundancy payments.

CIC chairman Tommy White said the committee had agreed to a request to join the main unions backing the half day of protest. “Almost all construction workers are in temporary employment, so it is a huge problem for us. Even where construction workers are employed for maybe three or four years on a large project, they have no fixed term of employment and there is no statutory provision for redundancy payments.” The committee says the 35-year-old minimum redundancy payments have to be immediately increased. “We strongly support the idea of a better and more comprehensive statutory redundancy scheme, particularly at a time when the industry, like many other sectors, is facing into a period of large-scale uncertainty.”

There have been problems with redundancy packages at the Irish Glass Bottle Company in Dublin and Peerless Rugs in Athy, Co Kildare. Next month’s protests will be co-ordinated at local level, according to SIPTU.

“This is not a strike and the protest is likely to result in a march taking place in Dublin, but it could take a different form in other parts of the country,” a SIPTU spokesperson said.

Trades councils throughout the country are still being canvassed for support and SIPTU expect a final decision on the protest before the end of the week.

Others unions backing the action include the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union; the Building and Allied Trades Union, and the Union of Construction.

Improved redundancy payments could cost the Government 85 million per year and employers 45 million annually.