Dempsey: No-strike clauses to be considered

NO-STRIKE clauses could be applied to the contracts of a range of public sector workers, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey indicated yesterday, in response to what he said was a “disproportionate” strike action by air traffic controllers.

Mr Dempsey said the action, which brought Cork and Dublin Airports to a standstill, strengthened his views that no-strike clauses should be introduced, similar to those applied to Garda, army and fire personnel.

“I think there are a number of areas across a number of different departments where this option will have to be looked at,” Mr Dempsey told the Dáil. “If the kind of disruption that we are seeing and this type of disproportionate response to an industrial relations issue is going to be a feature of industrial relations in this country, then every option has to be looked at.