All-out retained firefighter strike tomorrow called off

Retained Firefighters were on strike last week over pay and conditions. Picture: Evan Doak

An all-out strike of retained firefighters will not take place from midnight.

Following seven hours of talks, the Labour Court believes there are grounds for a formal hearing which will take place next Monday.

Industrial action is to be de-escalated to ‘non-cooperation' until then.

"The Labour Court has come to the conclusion that it will intervene and it can intervene. It is going to use its statutory powers to invite the parties to a hearing next Monday morning," said Siptu Division Organiser Karan O Loughlin.

"It will be a formal hearing of the court next Monday morning and in order to facilitate this, our negotiating committee have agreed to continue the suspension of the strike and to de-escalate the industrial action to a lower level."

She added: "Our members appreciate the intervention of the Court in this matter and have suspended their industrial action at its request. However, the resolution to this dispute will be complex and difficult.

"Our members will not settle for anything other than an agreement which safeguards the functioning of this vital emergency service into the future."

Retained firefighters began industrial action across up to 50% of fire stations last week.

Of some 3,000 firefighters employed nationally, some 2,000 are retained, part-time firefighters.

Unlike full-time firefighters who are paid a wage and accrue benefits such as holiday pay, retained firefighters are paid a retainer of some €8,500 annually to be on call. They are additionally paid per callout.

They say that the annual €8,500 retainer which retained firefighters are paid has not been increased for many years despite inflation and increasing demands of the job.

Unless pay and conditions are improved, some firefighters fear that no one will enter and stay in the fire service which is already facing serious difficulties in recruiting and retaining members.