Irish Life Assurance staff set to strike

UP TO 1,000 staff at Irish Life Assurance could strike within three weeks over the perceived failure of the company to engage over restructuring.

The life business of Irish Life & Permanent, Irish Life Assurance, was put up for sale in May when it was estimated it would raise up to €1.7 billion.

Unite trade union said the “break up and sale” of Irish Life could now be delayed or threatened by a decision by its members to ballot for industrial action up to and including strike action.

An extraordinary general meeting of Unite staff members is set to take place on Tuesday evening. The meeting will be asked to approve a ballot for industrial action.

The union said strike action could take place as early as the first week of November.

Unite said talks on restructuring broke down at the Labour Relations Commission on September 12 and Finance Minister Michael Noonan subsequently refused to intercede, saying it was a matter for the company.

It said a proposed employer/labour conference under the auspices of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and IBEC was agreed by the union but rejected by management.

Unite regional office Colm Quinlan said his members do not want to strike or put the sale of the company at risk.

But he added: “If strike action is what is required to lift management heads from their own post sale bonuses then strike action is what we will seek next Tuesday.”