Staff at Roscommon County Council are staging their second one-day strike today (Tuesday) in support of family-friendly working practices. The first strike took place last Thursday, with further disruption set for every Tuesday and Thursday until council management agrees to reintroduce flexi-leave arrangements similar to those in place in other local authorities.
Last Saturday, hundreds of Fórsa members and supporters marched through Roscommon in solidarity with county workers. The crowd of over 300 – the largest demonstration in the town for many years – drew support from other trade unions including Siptu, Connect, Mandate and Northern Irish unions Unison and Nipsa.
The Roscommon strikers have also received support from trade union allies across Europe, including the Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Workers and the European Federation of Public Service Unions.
The crowd of over 300 – the largest demonstration in the town for many years – drew support from other trade unions including Siptu, Connect, Mandate and Northern Irish unions Unison and Nipsa.
The dispute is over council management’s refusal to halt its effective ban on flexi-leave in the county council, in defiance of Labour Court rulings. Fórsa says it’s now over 12 months since any Roscommon council worker was approved for flexi-leave.
Siptu had a strong presence at last Saturday’s, rally, which was attended by its general secretary designate Joe Cunningham, president Padraig Peyton, and North West organiser John McCarrick.
Local Siptu officials Brendan O’Brien and Maurice Hearne of LAPO were also welcomed by Fórsa members.
Connect trade union’s contingent was led by regional secretary Sean Heading. Mandate also offered encouragement in a message from general secretary John Douglas, who extended “solidarity and best wishes” to the workers in their struggle for “fair scheduling and working arrangements.”
The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) noted the “brave stance” taken by Fórsa members in the council, with general secretary Alison Millar wishing them well in securing a “positive victory.”
Meanwhile, the Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Workers (Fagforbundet) sent support, with union head Sara Bell wishing council staff a “swift victory.”
The Court confirmed last year that Roscommon council staff should have the same rights as their colleagues throughout the local government sector.
Jan Willem Goudriaan, general secretary of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) condemned council management’s refusal to respect employees’ rights while Mike Kirby, the Scottish secretary of UK-wide public service union Unison, said Roscommon workers were not alone in their fight. “Your action coincides with that of our members in East Dunbartonshire beginning strike against similar proposals by their employer council,” he wrote.
These messages of support come amidst a series of one-day strikes taking place every Thursday and Tuesday until council management implement binding Labour Court rulings that back the introduction of flexi-leave.
The Court confirmed last year that Roscommon council staff should have the same rights as their colleagues throughout the local government sector. Its recommendation, which is binding on both sides, pointed to the Haddington Road agreement’s provisions on flexi-leave, which say: “no change is proposed to the existing terms with regard to the amount or the use of hours to be carried over.” That protection carried into the current Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA).
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BREAKING (Tuesday 26th June) Roscommon council ‘has lost the dressing room’ as Siptu backs flexi-leave strike
Fórsa has welcomed today’s (Tuesday’s) decision by the Siptu/LAPO (Local Government Professional Officers) branch in Roscommon county council to back strike action in the council’s deepening flexi-leave crisis.
The news came as Fórsa members in the authority staged their second one-day strike in support of family-friendly working practices.
Welcoming Siptu/LAPO’s decision, Fórsa’s national head of local government said the union had received huge local support today, with members of the public bringing cold drinks and ice-creams to striking staff on picket lines.
We’ve had huge community support and now Siptu’s decision shows that council management has lost the dressing room. The council is out of touch with the people it employs and the people it’s supposed to serve.
“We’ve had huge community support and now Siptu’s decision shows that council management has lost the dressing room. The council is out of touch with the people it employs and the people it’s supposed to serve,” he said.
Siptu/LAPO has over 50 members working in the council.
The dispute is over council management’s refusal to halt its effective ban on flexi-leave in the county council, in defiance of Labour Court rulings. Fórsa says it’s now over 12 months since any Roscommon council worker was approved for flexi-leave.
Mr Nolan said Siptu had a strong national, local and regional presence at a support rally in the town on Saturday. Connect trade union was also present.
Last year, the Labour Court confirmed that Roscommon council staff should have the same rights as their colleagues throughout the local government sector. Its recommendation, which is binding on both sides, pointed to the Haddington Road agreement’s provisions on flexi-leave, which say: “no change is proposed to the existing terms with regard to the amount or the use of hours to be carried over.” That protection carried into the current Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA).
The next one-day strike is scheduled for Thursday (28th June).