Workers in the Bord na Móna Finance Shared Services Departments have voted by four to one for industrial action due to a company refusal to suspend a process of eliminating existing jobs and replacing them with ones on lesser pay terms and conditions of employment. The ballot was counted on Friday evening (6th February) and involved workers in the Bord na Móna offices in Newbridge, county Kildare, Lough Boora and Edenderry Power Station, county Offaly. Bord na Móna Group of Unions Secretary and SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, said: “It is unfortunate that these workers were left with no choice but to embark on a campaign of industrial action in order to protect their livelihoods. “The method that management has proposed to fill long term positions in the Finance Departments is designed to destabilise the employment status of other employees and to convert stable employment into precarious employment through displacement. This approach is unprecedented across the semi-state and public sectors and will not be tolerated by workers.” Unite the Union official, Ed Thompson, said: “A similar approach is proposed by management right across the organisation. Our members at recent meetings made it clear they would fully support any action required to support the workers in the Finance Department, whose jobs are under immediate threat.” Unite the Union official, Colm Quinlan, added: “The Bord na Móna Group of Unions has written to management stating that if it agrees to suspend the current process of destabilising workers in employment in the Finance Department until the matter has been dealt with at a Labour Court hearing, we will defer serving notice for industrial action. We will be consulting with members next week with regard to what form of Industrial/Strike action will be taken.”
Bord na Móna workers vote for industrial action to protect jobs
