Building workers protest on safety

HUNDREDS of construction workers took to the streets of Limerick yesterday demanding better conditions on building sites in the city.

The protest was part of an unofficial dispute at a housing development on Dooradoyle Road which has spread to other construction sites and brought work to a standstill.

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has claimed that “bully boy” tactics by a handful of workers is putting up to 2,000 jobs at risk.

“A number of workers have already been laid off and contractors have been forced to issue protective notice to all of their workers as a result of illegal pickets,” a CIF spokesman said yesterday.

“If the workers have grievances about safety and health issues, then they should bring these matters to the attention of the CIF or the Health and Safety Authority.”

Traffic in the city was disrupted when more than 300 workers with black flags and three carrying a black coffin with the slogan “21 Construction Workers RIP” marched from O’Connell Street through Mallow Street and Henry Street and then up William Street. They were highlighting the fact that three workers have been killed on Limerick building sites in the past year and 20 nationwide have lost their lives.

“We want a third party to mediate in this dispute between the building contractors and workers. We want investment in safety and human resources to protect workers on construction sites,” a spokesman said.

“We want sub-contractors to take responsibility for the workers’ safety under the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act, and for the construction industry to be properly regulated,” he said. The workers also claim some contractors are “putting profit before people”.

“Protective notices have been issued to all construction workers because they have tried to exercise their democratic right to protest. We are willing to go the long haul for the implementation of proper health and safety procedures,” the spokesman added.