FF councillors walk out in row over union non-cooperation

FIANNA Fáil councillors walked out of a Cork County Council meeting amid a row over their treatment by members of the IMPACT trade union.

The union, which represents thousands of local authority workers, recently advised members not answer queries from councillors representing Government parties that have supported pay cuts in the public sector.

At the start of yesterday’s meeting in County Hall, Fianna Fáil leader on the council, Cllr Alan Coleman, demanded a statement on the union’s actions from county manager, Martin Riordan.

Cllr Coleman said the non-co-operation was having a very detrimental effect on the party’s constituents as they were unable to gain any information or make representations. “It is regrettable that some of the unions have chosen to be party political,” Cllr Coleman said.

The mayor of County Cork, Cllr Derry Canty (FG) said he would allow the manager to make a statement at 1pm, which was the rule under the suspension of standing orders. But Cllr Coleman said he wasn’t asking for a suspension of standing orders and wanted the manager to speak immediately on the issue.

The council’s Fine Gael leader, Cllr Michael Hegarty, said he couldn’t understand why Fianna Fáil members couldn’t wait until 1pm.

“This whole thing (the union action) was brought about by Cllr Coleman’s party and Government,” Cllr Hegarty said.

“If Fianna Fail were serious about dealing with the situation they would have entered into negotiations with the public service unions before now. This has resulted from Fianna Fáil mismanagement at Government level,” Cllr Hegarty added.

Labour’s leader on the council, Cllr Paula Desmond, also rounded on Fianna Fáil members.

“They’re now must pay the price for their decisions. The ordinary working people are paying the price, not the rich friends of FF,” she said.

“Workers in this country have legal and constitutional rights. Being part of a union they have a right to take industrial action.

“For Fianna Fáil to raise this in this chamber is a disgrace. They want to dismantle workers’ rights and that will be over the Labour Party’s dead body.”

Speaking on behalf of Independents, Cllr Noel Collins said the union wants the Government to reverse last December’s 7% pay cut in the public service.

Fianna Fáil councillors then walked out in protest and returned two hours later at 1pm.

There were angry scenes as both Mr Hegarty and Ms Desmond claimed Fianna Fáil members had earlier been disrespectful to the mayor.

Cllr Coleman admitted that the party had been unhappy with the way Mayor Canty had handled their earlier request.

County manager Martin Riordan said it was “regrettable” that the public service was in a dispute situation.

The manager said he had advised unions what impact their actions were having and had expressed his concern that staff were dealing with councillors according to their political allegiance.

Mr Riordan said the council was trying to address the issue with local union representatives.