SIPTU members have rejected a claim by the Dublin City Council Chief Executive, Owen Keegan, that street cleaning services in the city could face privatisation stating that such a move would directly contravene the provisions of the Public Service Agreement. SIPTU Sector Organiser, Brendan O’Brien, said: “In media comments made this week, the Dublin City Council Chief Executive appears to threaten to privatise the street cleaning services provided by our members. In light of this unwarranted intervention our members are calling upon Dublin City Council to reiterate its intention to fully comply with the provisions of the Public Service Agreement, which includes the requirement for local authorities to maximise the use of direct labour.” SIPTU Organiser, Jason Palmer, said: “It is ludicrous for the Dublin City Council Chief Executive to suggest that he would seek to outsource our members work because of his failure to get planning permission to redevelop the Dublin City Council depot in Marrowbone Lane, Dublin 8. “The Public Service Agreement clearly states that where possible workers directly employed by local authorities should deliver services. SIPTU members are committed to ensuring that Dublin City Council adheres to this agreement in full.” He added: “It might have been hoped that Owen Keegan would have learned from recent mistakes. The outsourcing of refuse collection has only resulted in a race to the bottom for workers which has seen decent jobs replaced with cheap labour and customers paying ever more to private companies for the provision of an essential service.”
SIPTU rejects Dublin City Chief Executive assertion that street cleaning could be privatised
