Staff at Spike Island Tours win battle to have toilet facilities installed

Spike Island Tours ticket office and portaloo at the pier in Cobh, Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Staff at a popular tourist attraction in Cork have won a long-running battle to have toilet facilities installed in their place of work. 

Prior to this kiosk staff for Spike Island Tours on Cobh pier were forced to visit a local shop or hotel to use the bathroom because management refused to provide any facilities. They were also told that they could access running water from a tap on the pier in the town which is normally used to wash fish.

Two of the women complained to the Health And Safety Authority that the conditions breached safety at work legislation, but despite a visit to Cobh from a HSA inspector in early July, the staff were not interviewed nor informed about the outcome of their complaint.

Staff were told by management that the HSA “has confirmed to the SIDC (Spike Island Development Company) that the measures provided by the SIDC regarding facilities in Cobh for staff are acceptable. The matter is now closed.” 

The staff were then told they must sign a contract agreeing to access bathroom facilities in the town’s public library or public toilets.

Spike Island Tours ticket office and portaloo at the pier in Cobh, Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

However, the women refused to do so and instead contacted the trade union Unite. Within 48 hours a portaloo was delivered to the pier.

“It was going on since I began working there four years ago,” says Karen Doyle, one of the staff members who complained.

“It was pretty desperate, but we were told that there would be a facility in the new kiosk being built. Then that was completed in February and there was nothing there.

“We used to go to the Commodore Hotel to use the bathroom facilities because it is clean there but it’s a bit of a distance away and as the business got busier we just didn’t have time to do that.” 

Ms Doyle and her colleagues complained to the HSA but were shocked at the manner in which they say the complaint was handled.

“On July 10 they (the HSA inspector) visited Spike Island and didn’t speak to me or my colleague which surprised us. They contacted the boss and told him what had happened. That is pretty shocking. I would have thought it was us they would have contacted first.

“We were told afterwards by management that the HSA were quite satisfied with the access to facilities.” 

Spike Island Tours ticket office and portaloo at the pier in Cobh, Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

The Irish Examiner submitted a list of questions to the HSA but received a response saying that the authority would not comment on any individual case.

“When we were told the HSA gave a clean bill of health we weren’t happy with that answer and then we were given the ultimatum to sign the new contract or lose our jobs. At that point, I said we really needed to get the union involved so I picked up the phone.

“From that moment everything changed. Within 48 hours the portaloo was installed after four years waiting for it.” 

Ms Doyle says that the staff considered it a major victory.

“We are mature women,” she says. “What if we were young women or migrant women who didn’t know our rights and just accepted these conditions as a lot of other have had to?"

In response to questions over compliance with health and safety law and staff conditions, a statement was issued which says the company does not comment on matters relating to individual staff members' terms and conditions.

“The board is fully committed it the workplace health and safety of all its staff, have not breached any health and safety requirements and continue to work with staff to ensure a safe environment for all.” 

Spike Island Tours ticket office and portaloo at the pier in Cobh, Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Brendan Ogle, senior officer at Unite which has produced a video about the women’s experience, says that they did everything correctly by going to the HSA but the manner in which their complaint was handled left a lot to be desired.

“The public has to be reassured that when workplaces are opening up (after the lockdown) they have to be safe and that did not happen to these workers.”