1,500 Bord na Móna workers to strike again

Up to 1,500 workers at Bord na Móna are to hold two further days of strike action over pay demands, a move which will add pressure to the company’s peat reserves.

Earlier this month, the staff staged a one-day all-out stoppage over their claim for a 3.5% pay increase in line with the first phase of the Towards 2016 national wage agreement.

That action followed a compromise deal reached in April between Bord na Móna and the group of worker unions which would have seen staff being given 1.75% of basic pay from Apr 1, a performance-related payment worth up to 1.75% of basic pay paid in 2013, and a one-off lump sum of €800.

The deal was to be accompanied by a pay freeze until 2016. When the unions balloted their members on the offer 60% rejected it.

The first strike did not impact on the supply of peat to ESB for power generation as the company has a stockpile in reserve. It did however, force the closure of the company’s Derrinlough peat briquette factory and several other locations.

This time the workers, members of the Unite, SIPTU and Technical Electrical and Engineering Unions, are to strike for two consecutive days June 27-28.

Oliver McDonagh of SIPTU said this action will have far more of an impact on stocks.

A company spokesman said that “this latest action by the unions represents an unhelpful escalation of action that will only damage the interests of the company and its employees”.

“The agreement of April 4 last was arrived at after long and detailed negotiations addressing all the issues of contention,” he said.

“The company was satisfied at the time that the agreement with the unions represented a fair and reasonable accommodation of the interests of all parties,” he said.