Council staff plan to step up action as ‘acting payments’ stop

More than 160 staff at a Dublin local authority are to stage two days of work stoppages at the end of this month over management’s decision to stop making ‘acting payments’ to a number of staff.

According to Impact trade union, which represents the workers, 13 staff have already had the payments stopped, and the council intends to treat a further 150 in the same way.

The union says the workers have been carrying out extra work with additional responsibilities — some for as long as 12 years — for which they have received an extra ‘acting payment’.

However, it says the council is now insisting its members must continue to do the work, but without the extra payment.

Industrial action began almost two weeks ago and involved workers refusing to staff public counters between 12.30pm and 2.30pm, the withdrawal of co-operation with evening meetings, an overtime ban, and a refusal to carry out duties at a higher grade.

However, the union has now written to management informing it that, from June 16, no phone calls will be answered between 9am and 10am and all co-operation with rosters and phone cover will cease between 12pm and 2.30pm.

“A two-day work stoppage will take place on June 24 and June 26,” the union said, adding that, after submission of notice to the council, workers were informed that flexi-time would be removed from next Monday.

South Dublin County Council said the industrial action proposed was “a clear breach of the Haddington Road Agreement”.

“Withdrawal from core duties and participation in work stoppages will be dealt with in the appropriate manner,” it said.

“The origins of the dispute are that 10 staff at senior management level had acting or project allowances removed because the justification for these temporary allowances no longer existed. This is part of a national workforce planning exercise being carried out within all local authorities including South Dublin aimed at matching staff requirements and skills with current needs.”

It said that would in turn lead to the filling of vacancies through internal competition where “they are justified and necessary”, and the consequent removal of ad hoc arrangements.

“Management are again referring the matter to the Labour Relations Commission in an effort to enter into meaningful negotiations, which the union to date have refused,” it said.