Tipperary County Council and SIPTU Trade Union reps met this morning as two branches of the public sector have served notice of Industrial Action due to commence next week.
The meeting was part of the Essential Workers Protocol and SIPTU wants Tipperary County Council to advise the public of the situation and their contingency plans.
Retained Firefighters are to begin a programme of industrial action on June 6th which will be escalated on June 13th and may result in a one-day stoppage on June 20th if the dispute is not resolved. Retained firefighters are seeking improved pay and conditions to address a recruitment crisis in the service which is leaving stations short-staffed and Retained Firefighters unable to be rostered “off call.” SIPTU Divisional Organiser Brendan O’Brien says staff “morale is on the floor” and there is a risk of mass resignations due to the present working conditions.
Staff working in the Water Services section have given notice of two days of industrial action next week on June 7th & 8th which will lead to disruption for the public according to SIPTU. The Union says the resolution to this dispute is straightforward and that the Council along with all other Councils should honour the terms of the Water Framework Agreement put in place in 2022. This states that council staff choosing to remain with their council rather than opting to become direct employees of Uisce Eireann will have their income protected. Dublin City Council is honouring this agreement, however Tipperary County Council alongside 29 other councils is seeking a different deal.
Tipperary County Council says that it “continues to engage both locally and nationally on this issue to minimise the impact on emergency services to the public.” This is the entire response issued to TMWR today following a request for an update.
