Planned work stoppage deferred in County Waterford
The planned 24-hour work stoppage has been deferred
A planned 24-hour work stoppage by members of the trade union, Unite, due to take place on Wednesday, October 2, in County Waterford, has been deferred.
The stoppage was planned by members at Dunmore Depot, however, a spokesperson for the trade union told Waterford News & Star the deferral was "pending engagement with management".
The dispute surrounds what the union said was unilateral change to work practices and the Unite spokesperson said the deferral of the planned 24-hour work stoppage by its members working for Waterford City and County Council, was a gesture of good faith ahead of talks with management next week.
Unite had served notice of industrial action after exhausting all other avenues in an attempt to resolve a dispute surrounding the decision earlier this year by Waterford City and County Council to unilaterally impose changes to agreed work practices, involving what the union said is an effective cut to pay, on union members, involved in the maintenance of chlorine dosing and sanitary facilities.
"Unite is demanding that our members be reinstated to their established duties, in accordance with their longstanding terms and conditions of employment, and that they be reimbursed for financial losses incurred due to the Council’s unilateral actions," said the spokesperson.
When contacted about the matter a spokesperson for the local authority said: "Waterford City and County Council is not in a position to comment as negotiations with Unite are ongoing."
