Water staff to ballot for strike over transfer

Government plans to introduce water charges have hit a major stumbling block with 2,500 local authority staff preparing for strike action out of fear for their jobs.

Plumbers, inspectors, water/sewerage caretakers, and network staff employed by city and county councils to maintain water services are to be balloted by Siptu over the “transfer of assets and duties of Siptu members to Bord Gáis and other sub-contractors” as part of the establishment of Irish Water.

When the creation of the public water utility was announced, the Department of the Environment said there would be a “phased transition of functions from local authorities to Irish Water” and that local authorities would be engaged as “agents” for a “considerable period”.