Publicans deny staff being forced to sign petition against cigs ban

PUBLICANS in Dublin have denied accusations that staff are being forced to sign a petition against a blanket ban on smoking in pubs.

The Licensed Vintners' Association has circulated a petition to all its members in the capital asking them to get staff to publicly declare support for a compromise proposal to the January 1 workplace ban.

But union MANDATE, which represents bar workers, described the move as "one of the most blatant attempts to intimidate Irish workers since the 1913 lockout."

Staff are asked whether they support the ban, but have to write their name and where they work on the sheet. National official John Douglas said: "what does the LVA expect staff to say to their bosses particularly those vulnerable part-timers 'no, we don't support you,' thus jeopardising their jobs and their livelihoods?"

The whole exercise is tainted from the start and the results of the survey should be ignored, said Mr Douglas. LVA chief executive Donal O'Keeffe said the association "absolutely rejected" the accusation that it was intimidatory. "Employees are central to this process and nobody has gone to ascertain their views. Do they support it or not," asked Mr O'Keeffe.

He said staff can refuse to sign or signal their opposition to the compromise proposal, which envisages 50% of pubs being non-smoking; a major investment in ventilation; a two-year review and scientific research into the effects of passive smoking. Bar owners also want exemptions for pubs with less than five employees.

Mr O'Keeffe said time pressures meant the association was unable to carry out a secret survey of employees' views. Mr Douglas said there is another "more deeply cynical" dimension to the petition campaign.

"A worker's signature in support of the LVA's proposals could be used against those very same individuals in the future as evidence they agreed to work in an environment which he or she knew to be unhealthy, thereby reducing the liability which the employer may have, should that person's health be affected."