IAC: Unite serves notice of further strike action on July 19th

Archaeologists to Dig4Decency rather than history at Aungier Street site

Unite, which represents commercial archaeologists in Ireland, today (Wednesday July 11th) announced that members working for consultancy IAC Archaeology will be taking further strike action against the Irish Archaeological Consultancy on Thursday July 19^th. The action, notice of which was served today, follows a 24-hour strike last week at the N22 Macroom Bypass scheme, and will involve a 24-hour stoppage of archaeological works being carried out in Dublin’s Aungier Street.

In June, Unite members working for IAC voted to take strike action on foot of the company’s refusal to engage with Unite regarding a pay claim, either directly or through the Workplace Relations Commission.

Commenting, Unite Regional Coordinating Officer Richie Browne said:

“By refusing to engage collectively with the archaeologists who have built up the company, IAC is digging a hole for itself.

“Unite represents archaeologists working on a number of IAC projects, and these actions will continue until IAC moves to resolve this dispute engaging collectively with their workers through their union Unite.

“IAC operates in the Republic, Northern Ireland and England and its revenue is growing at approximately 20% per annum. Yet qualified archaeologists working for the company can expect to earn as little as €12.50 – only slightly above the new Living Wage rate of €11.90 per hour”, Richie Browne said.

Jean O’Dowd is chair of Unite’s archaeological branch and added: “On Thursday July 19^th, archaeologists investigating medieval remains on Aungier Street will be forced to down trowels to force their employer to join the 21^st century and negotiate collectively with them through the union of their choice.

“Our members have been heartened by the support they have received from across the archaeological profession, not only here but in England where IAC also operates. We will continue to ‘Dig4Decency’ until IAC recognises that those who excavate the past deserve to be treated decently in the present”, Jean O’Dowd concluded.