Recycling services in Co. Wexford and 11 other counties will be impacted for two days next month due to industrial action.SIPTU has served notice on Bord na Mona Recycling – which is the last publicly-owned waste collection service.The union says the decision has been taken due to a plan to privatise the company ‘behind the backs of its workforce’. Siptu is to serve notice on Tuesday of a two-day stoppage by about 250 of its members at the company in a dispute over the protection of terms and conditions as the operation is sold off to KWD, a Co Kerry-based waste disposal firm.
The two-day strike is scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Thursday, April 2nd and 3rd, with further action to be called if the dispute is not resolved, the union said.
Bord na Móna has said the terms of the more than 400 staff will be maintained, but Siptu wants a registered employment agreement, which would set out existing arrangements and be lodged with the Labour Court, to protect the workers in the longer term.
Adrian Kane is a divisional organiser with SIPTU – he says they will continue to meet with the company to avoid the strike.