Firefighters to go on strike over pay dispute

IRELAND’S 3,700 full-time and part-time fire fighters are set to go on strike within five weeks as a direct result of an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.

The Irish Examiner has learned that notice of the nationwide strike action will be issued to all local authorities later this week in response to ongoing industrial issues in the sector.

After an initial meeting to discuss the potential move last week, SIPTU Dublin fire brigade members voted for the controversial measure due to a constant shortage of staff and pay cuts which the union claims amounts to 13.5% since 2007.

The move was followed by a second meeting yesterday involving representatives of the 1,500 full-time fire fighters across Ireland, who also voted in favour of the controversial step.

Representatives of a further 2,200 part-time fire fighters have also verbally agreed to the move.

And as a result, SIPTU’s national sectorial organiser for the sector, Paul Smyth, has confirmed that strike notice will be served on all local authorities this week, with the strike due to begin from early May.

“We don’t want to have to make this decision, we realise emergency services are hugely important for everyone, but this is a last resort for us,” Mr Smyth explained.

“We want to sit down with Government and talk about the pay cuts, which have basically been a 13.5% cut for fire fighters in recent years, to talk about under- staffing, and to talk about the future of the service.

“We don’t want to have to go on strike, but the purpose of any dispute is to bring about a resolution to ongoing problems and that’s what this is about,” he said.

In addition to the planned fire fighters strike, fire brigade crews for 12 of the capital’s emergency department ambulances are also understood to be considering joining the industrial action.

The controversial move emerged after union officials and representatives of the Department of Finance agreed to further pay-talk negotiations chaired by Labour Relations Commission (LRC) chief executive Kieran Mulvey earlier this month.

A nationwide battle between unions and Government has been taking place since the start of this month over existing pay-cuts being imposed on public sector works.

The Department of Finance has insisted the cuts are vital to the future stability of the Irish economy.