Strike avoided after Eircom workers accept settlement

EIRCOM has avoided what would have been its first strike action in 30 years after the unions representing its 6,500 workers yesterday agreed to settlement terms mediated between company and workers at the Labour Relations Commission.

The contents of the deal were hammered out on Wednesday night but the union negotiating teams had to seek approval from their respective executives before the strike action could be abandoned.

The deal will result in the payment of the overdue 2% rise due to workers under the national pay agreement Towards 2016. This will be backdated to May 1.

Following payment, the Communications Workers’ Union, which represents the majority of the Eircom workers, has agreed to enter into structured talks with the company regarding future changes.

CWU general secretary Steve Fitzpatrick said he was relieved the matter had been resolved but expressed concern that the once-good relations between the company and its workers had been tarnished by the dispute.

He said the union had been more than willing from the start to sit down and negotiate on changes in working conditions, adding he had previously written to Eircom offering to play a role with his members in the process.

He said the only viable outcome was that the workers be given their pay increase as agreed under Towards 2016.

“We are satisfied with the terms of the settlement and are looking forward to moving on,” he said.

“This dispute arose over the payment of a 2% increase that was due to be paid to workers on May 1 under the national partnership agreement Towards 2016. At no stage did we seek anything more than this basic cost of living increase that workers in Eircom were rightly entitled to and we are relieved to see our stand has clearly been vindicated by the welcome intervention of the LRC.

“It is regrettable it took so long for the company to agree to pay this basis cost of living increase and it will be necessary now for Eircom managers to set about repairing the damage their unnecessary actions have caused to the morale of staff in Eircom.

“I hope that from this point forward, the company will agree to work within the boundaries of the partnership approach to industrial relations that has resulted in a successful and inclusive industrial relations environment in eircom for the past 30 years.”

However, Eircom group human resources director Tony Olthof denied there was now acrimony between staff and management.

“The relationship is now once again on proper and mutually respectful footing. We are in a race together against our competitors and we need to progress in a collaborative manner.”