Connect Trade Union members will commence strike action today at the street lighting company Enerveo, which provides services to several councils including Tipperary County Council, in a dispute concerning redundancy payments following its decision to end its operations in Ireland.
Connect General Secretary, Paddy Kavanagh, says “Enerveo recently announced that it was bringing to a conclusion its operations in Ireland and will not be seeking to retender for any of its current contracts. The company is refusing to provide its workforce with redundancy payments in line with those previously provided in the sector.
The company operates contracts for the modernisation and maintenance of street lighting for several local authorities including Tipperary County Council. It has announced that it will not seek to renew these contracts, some of which conclude this summer. Enerveo had taken over the service contract previously provided by Airtricity. The company has been heavily criticised for the delays in repairing street lighting in County Tipperary.
Talks broke down yesterday meaning that Connect members will now commence indefinite strike action this morning, placing pickets on places where the company carries out its work which includes Enerveo depots, local authorities and some construction projects. The union says this industrial action will continue “until the company respects their right to be paid redundancy in line with that previously paid in the sector.”
