SIPTU LAPO serves notice of industrial action on Roscommon County Council

Jul 3, 2018 | Archives, PressArchive, PressArchive2018

The Local Authority Professional Officers (LAPO) of SIPTU yesterday (Monday, 2nd July) served notice of industrial action on Roscommon County Council in support of their trade union colleagues in Fόrsa who are in a dispute concerning the restoration of a flexitime scheme. SIPTU/LAPO Organiser, Maurice Hearne, said: “Clerical and administration staff represented by Fόrsa have been engaged in four full-day work stoppages since late June. The dispute concerns the restoration of a flexitime scheme which has not been available to staff since early 2017. “The 14-day notice of industrial action served yesterday by our members will mean that almost 50 engineers and planners employed by Roscommon County Council will be joining these work stoppages unless a fair resolution to the dispute is found. “Engineers and planners did not have access to the flexitime scheme until the Labour Court in a binding decision in 2016 stated the arrangements should also apply to these grades.  Despite this, and subsequent clarifications from the Labour Court, management has effectively suspended the scheme for all staff. “Our members are very disappointed and concerned that the scheme, which is so important to staff with young families or dependant relatives, remains suspended despite the findings of the Labour Court.” He added: “In a late development yesterday the National Public Service Oversight Body stated that Roscommon County Council will be in breach of the family friendly provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) if it does not re-engage with a flexitime pilot scheme proposed last April. “We welcome this development and will agree to suspend our industrial action, as requested by the Public Service Oversight Body, if Roscommon County Council agrees to re-engage with the pilot scheme. It must also agree to work with the Workplace Relations Commission to develop a framework of proposals to ensure the full implementation of  the PSSA family friendly policies ”