Protective notice threat over strike

ELECTRICAL contractors have threatened to put up to 5,000 workers on protective notice if they go ahead with a threatened strike next Monday.

The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union has organised the action in protest at the failure by electrical employers to increase the hourly rate in the sector from €21.49 to €23.98. They say the increase would be the first paid to 10,500 of their members in the sector since April 1, 2007.

Nevertheless they say some employers are threatening to cut rates to €19.34 per hour and to reduce apprentices’ rates by between 5% and 10%. They also want the right to employ unqualified staff to carry out electrical work at reduced rates.

The Electrical Contractors Association, which is the biggest representative body within the electrical industry, claims the 11.6% increase being sought by the unions is inappropriate given the downturn in the construction industry and resultant lack of work in the electrical sector.

The ECA points out that:

* The cost to any contractor of employing an electrician is approximately €35 per hour taking into account the base Registered Employment Agreement (REA) rate plus holiday pay, PRSI, etc.

* An electrician’s basic annual pay is in the region of €42,000 (excluding additional allowances and expenses), which is well above the average industrial wage of €34,000.

* Despite TEEU claims the current rate of pay for electricians is up to three years behind everyone else in the Irish economy, electricians are currently paid approximately 3% more than other construction craftsmen.

* The value of output in the Irish construction industry in 2007 was €38.5bn. By 2010, it is likely to fall to €9-€10bn, a 75% drop in output.

ECA said rather than striking next week, the TEEU should be looking at non-compliance in the electrical contracting industry.

“The REA has been under pressure from contractors outside the ECA who recently applied to the Labour Court to have it cancelled. The ECA are supporting the continuation of the REA to avoid a ‘race to the bottom’. Instead of the TEEU engaging in industrial action at this time, their resources could be put to better use in investigating non-compliant electrical contractors who are paying electricians well below the legally binding REA rates of pay. Nationwide, there are contractors outside of the ECA only paying electricians €14 to €15 per hour.

“Engaging in industrial action at this time is completely unwarranted and at a time when the industry is in turmoil, it will only serve to threaten current and future projects.

“If this strike goes ahead, the ECA members may have no alternative but to place all workers on protective notice. In order to protect jobs in the industry, we ask that the strike notice issued to commence on the 6th July be withdrawn,” it said.