Motor tax office threatened with strike action
If unresolved, the action could throw Cork’s motor tax renewal system into chaos.
Trade union Impact confirmed last night that 73 staff based at the Motor Tax Office on County Hall campus, have refused to co-operate with the county council’s plans temporarily to relocate them while a new office is built, unless the payments issue is resolved.
The council wants, within weeks, to move the staff based at Farranlea Road to a temporary office complex on the Model Farm Road, just over a mile away, to facilitate the construction of a new motor tax office near County Hall.
Impact lodged a claim in July for subsistence payments for each of the staff members affected.
It sought €16.95 per day for each staff member for a period of six months. The total bill would have been just over €148,000.
Negotiations with the council’s human resources and finance departments had reached an advanced and detailed stage by last week.
Despite the sanctioning by former county manager Maurice Maloney of similar deals for hundreds of council staff who moved out of County Hall in 2001 during its multi-million revamp, the new county manager Martin Riordan signalled that he would not sanction the latest claim.
Impact was informed of his position last Monday week. It called an emergency meeting and balloted staff. They voted 69 to four to withdraw co-operation for the planned move.
Impact assistant general secretary Marie Levis said they are prepared to take industrial action unless the issue was resolved.
Mr Riordan’s stance had come like “a bolt from the blue”, she said.
“The staff are entitled to these payments under longstanding agreements in public service.
“They are payments made to staff who are required to be away from their base,” said Ms Levis. “The county manager is temporarily locating these staff away from their base.”
The union is concerned about how the dispute could threaten services to the public, she said.
“But this issue is outside our control.”
She called on Mr Riordan to defer the move pending negotiation and said the union is available for discussions.
A statement from the county council last night said the proposed move is to facilitate improvements for motor tax staff who are in substandard accommodation.
“The temporary relocation is part of an overall plan to redevelop the County Hall campus,” it said.
“Payment of allowances on a daily rate for six months is not appropriate given the circumstances.
“We are currently working through the issues with staff and can assure the public that the high quality service provided by the motor tax office will be maintained.”
It is understood work on the temporary Model Farm Road office is at an advanced stage to accommodate the motor tax office workers.
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