Union: Members won’t work with councillor until he apologises

IMPACT trade union has ordered its members working in Galway City Council not to co-operate with a local councillor who, they allege, bullied both an authority director and the city manager.

The trade union has also demanded a code of practice preventing elected representatives from bullying local authority workers.

The councillor in question, Pádraig Conneely, admits he did call the director of service and the city manager “wastes of space” during a debate on the handling of the water crisis in Galway, which saw people without water for six months.

However he said, while he was someone who was outspoken when it came to the entitlements of those he represented in the council, it was wholly inaccurate to describe it as bullying.

Mr Conneely also said that the comments were aimed directly at the two officials in a public and open forum and that he would never speak in such a way to lower rank officials behind closed doors.

However, Pádraig Mulligan of IMPACT said a number of his union’s members have had personal attacks on them by Mr Conneely and others.

“Bullying is defined as repeated inappropriate behaviour, direct or indirect, whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another or others at their place of work, which could reasonably be regarded as undermining the individual’s right to dignity at work. As this is not an isolated incident of the behaviour described in this definition, bullying of our members is clearly taking place.

“Everyone is entitled to a safe working environment yet there have been a number of these attacks. This latest one was the straw that broke the camel’s back and we are no longer prepared to accept it. We have said our members will not co-operate with this councillor until such time as we get an apology and a guarantee that it will not happen again.

“This attack was carried out in front of the media and in front of the public. Even his own colleagues proposed that he leave the chamber if he did not apologise.”

Mr Mulligan also said he had written to the leader of Mr Conneely’s party, Enda Kenny, but had not received a reply.

According to Industrial Relations News, the ban will involve a refusal by staff to meet with Mr Conneely, take phone calls or have any contact with him.”