SIPTU members in the rail and road transport division of Bord na Móna (BNM) have voted overwhelmingly to implement a campaign of industrial action in a dispute concerning the imposition of a unilateral pay cut by management. In a ballot counted today (Wednesday, 3rd August), workers in the rail section voted by 94% to 6% in favour of industrial action while their colleagues in the road section backed action by 96% to 4%. BNM Group of Unions secretary and SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, said: “This vote for industrial action resulted from management unilaterally imposing a 12% pay cut on our members. This has resulted in workers’ weekly wages being reduced by up to €110 a week. This outrageous cut comes after a period of eight years in which these workers have not received any pay increases. “The anger the workers feel concerning their cut in pay has been intensified by the announcement last week that the company’s end of the financial year net profit was more than €17 million and BNM board chairman John Horgan stating that it has paid the Government €67 million in dividends since 2007.” He added: “Words of thank you from the company to its employees mean very little when it is cutting wages while making profits. Workers in the BNM rail and road transport division play a vital role in the success of the company’s peat production operation which is not being recognised. “Our members will be serving notice of industrial action following its approval by the SIPTU National Executive. The company can avert any disruption by immediately restoring our members’ pay and withdrawing a threat to outsource road transport operations on 1st September. It must also respect agreed industrial relations procedures in future negotiations with workers’ representatives.”
Bord na Móna rail and road transport workers vote for industrial action
