Oberstown says planned work stoppage by Fórsa staff is in breacg of WRC agreement 

Fórsa staff from Oberstown Child Detention Campus on the picket line outside the Department of Children and Equality in August. File picture: Niall Carson/PA

Oberstown Children Detention Campus has said a planned 72-hour work stoppage by Fórsa members at the centre would be in breach of an agreement reached through the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The union has served notice of renewed industrial action, including a 72-hour stoppage from Monday, October 5, to Thursday, October 8.

In a statement on Monday night, Oberstown management said the escalation did not align with the terms of the WRC agreement, which provided for an immediate pause in industrial action following acceptance of the proposal by Fórsa members.

The agreement also provided that the parties would not engage in further industrial action over matters covered by the proposal.

The statement said: “The WRC agreement provided for an immediate pause to industrial action following acceptance of the proposal by Fórsa members”.

It also said any dispute arising during the lifetime of the agreement, or concerning the agreement itself, would first be addressed locally before being referred to the WRC and, if appropriate, then, the Labour Court.

Oberstown management and the Department of Children, said they are therefore of the view that the proposed 72-hour stoppage would be in breach of the agreement.

Oberstown said it has sought the assistance of the WRC in relation to the dispute.

Management has also rejected claims that business cases arising from the WRC process are not being progressed.

The statement said Oberstown and the Department had invested “significant time and effort” in preparing and submitting the business cases to the Department of Public Expenditure.

The department is currently reviewing the business cases and has requested further information and updates to assist its decision-making, according to Oberstown.

It said the level of detail provided during the process had already resulted in progress including “approval of delegated sanction for new hires”.

Oberstown said it remains “fully committed” to implementing the WRC agreement and wants the business case process to continue so an outcome could be secured as quickly as possible.

It warned that renewed industrial action could delay progress on the issues currently being considered under the business cases.

“Oberstown fully recognises the important work carried out by staff and the challenging nature of the environment in which they work,” the statement said.

However, it said any escalation of industrial action in a children detention setting must also be considered in the context of the “safety, welfare, care, and rights” of the young people in its care, as well as the safety and wellbeing of staff and others on campus.

Oberstown is now urging Fórsa to withdraw notice of the proposed stoppage and engage through the processes set out in the WRC agreement