Skip to content
2010

SIPTU shop stewards call on managers of four Dublin authorities to honour agreements and on Government to regulate waste disposal market in public interest

Date Released: 28 Jul 2010

SIPTU shop stewards representing members in the four Dublin local authorities have called on the managers of those authorities to honour the terms of their agreement with the union to develop waste disposal services in the metropolitan area. Their statement follows a meeting in Liberty Hall this afternoon where arrangements were made to extend the dispute in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown should the current talks at the Labour Relations Commission fail this week.

SIPTU Sectoral Organiser Paul Smyth said after the meeting, “Our members are both angry and concerned that one of the four authorities is attempting to renege on the agreement made two years ago on waste disposal management strategy. The attempt by the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown manager to pull out of the agreement has the capacity to undermine the strategy to safeguard minimum standards and provide some stability to the waste disposal services in the capital.

“His action is also a clear breach of the Croke Park Agreement not to outsource services, before negotiations even begin on local authority restructuring.

“Our members are calling on the Government to introduce measures  to regulate the waste disposal market before it descends into chaos. At present there are no restrictions on anyone entering the market and making a sales pitch for lucrative routes while either ignoring areas which are less accessible, or charging an extra premium to collect from them. Needless to say none of these operators are interested in collecting from anyone on low incomes who cannot afford to pay.

“It is unsustainable for local authorities to compete with these private operators when the latter do not have to make any contribution to the cost of maintaining infrastructure such as recycling centres and  do not have to collect from everybody, regardless of where they live or how much they earn.

“Unless the local authorities in Dublin honour their commitments to us and their obligations under the Croke Park Agreement they leave us with no option but to take action in defence of our members and, we believe, the wider public interest.”

“We  now require the City Manager, John Tierney, and the three County Managers to make a public declaration to the Labour Court and SIPTU that they intend abiding by the Croke Park Agreement and to give a clear commitment on the retention of direct labour. We also need the Government to fast track the procedure that will produce regulations which will ensure private waste companies  compete on a level playing pitch with the local Authorities.





Previous and Next: | 2009