Waste dispute threatens culture festival

CRISIS talks between Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and union leaders take place at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) today in an attempt to resolve a waste collection dispute threatening to disrupt the country’s premier multicultural festival this weekend.

The annual World Culture of Festivals attracts more than a quarter of a million people to Dún Laoghaire, with this year’s event featuring 800 artists from 30 countries.

However, a strike by refuse collectors protesting against plans to outsource their work may mean major disruption which could spread to South County Dublin, Fingal and Dublin city.

SIPTU served strike notice on behalf of its members in the waste collection service over plans by senior management to outsource bin collection to private contractor Panda.

The industrial action is due to begin this Thursday, the day before the festival starts.

The union says a unilateral decision by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county manager Owen Keegan to end waste collection by direct labour is in breach of agreements reached at the LRC in 2008 and 2009. “It also flies in the face of the commitment to maintain direct labour in the Croke Park Agreement,” SIPTU Branch organiser Ramon O’Reilly said.

“Experience throughout the country has shown that where waste collection is privatised, the cost to consumers rapidly increases after initial reductions and householders who live in remote locations or on unprofitable routes are left to dispose of their own refuse. And of course private operators do not provide waivers on charges,” Mr O’Reilly added

Talks took place at the LRC on June 29 at which an agreement was reached that neither party would take unilateral action while negotiations continued.

But on July 8 the council issued a press release stating that Panda would be taking over the waste collection from July 26.

SITPU is balloting members in other Dublin local authorities to take industrial action over what they term a “clear breach of agreement” by management. Already two ballots have been concluded in favour of action.