STAFF of the National Advocacy Service in Limerick have this morning (Monday, July 8) returned to the picket lines following a backtrack on an agreed pay deal.
Following an agreement in the Labour Court, management of the National Advocacy Service had agreed to honour the court’s recommendations on pay and conditions for the workers who provide services for people with disabilities.
The staff had paused their industrial action on June 12 following a written commitment from management that the Labour Court deal would be honoured.
Ahead of the strike action this morning, SIPTU Director General John King said that “it is a failure by management, and its funding government department, to live up to a commitment that they would implement the Labour Court recommendation which has forced our members to resume this strike”.
“The workers paused their industrial action on June 12 following a written commitment from management that the Labour Court recommendation would be honoured. After several days of talks between SIPTU representatives, National Advocacy Service management, the Citizens Information Board and Department of Social Protection officials, the funders of the organisation, it became clear that the commitment to implement fully the necessary changes in pay and conditions was being reneged on,” Mr King explained.
“This situation is unacceptable and undermines the proper conduct of industrial relations,” he said.
SIPTU activist and National Advocacy Service staff member Suzy Byrne said that she is “appalled with the way we have been treated”.
“We carry out vital and confidential work with some of those most at risk, providing in-person advocacy interventions in areas including housing, access to justice, health care, safeguarding, and decision-making support,” Ms Byrne said.
National Advocacy Service workers will also take their protest to the Dáil tomorrow (Tuesday, July 9) to call on the government to resolve the pay dispute.
