Union demands that company engage and agree to implement Labour Court recommendation

Unite industrial action ballot to proceed

Unite, which represents craft workers at Dublin Airport Authority, today (Sunday) accused Daa of engaging in a series of U-turns designed to further a new outsourcing agenda which has not been the subject of either the ‘New Ways of Working’ engagement, or Labour Court Recommendation 22381 which has been accepted by Unite, and was also accepted by Daa but later repudiated by the company.  Unite Regional Officer Willie Quigley was commenting on what he termed ‘very concerning and misleading’ correspondence from the Daa following the decision by Unite members to ballot for industrial action – a move driven by the Daa’s decision to abandon the current process and instead to unilaterally pursue a new outsourcing agenda.

“In a series of U-turns, the company has decided to repudiate Labour Court Recommendation 22381 and withdraw the ‘New Ways of Working’ proposals, while also refusing to engage on the substantive ongoing issues.  Instead, they are requesting that Unite engage on a new outsourcing agenda which has not formed part of any discussions to date.

“Unite was particularly disappointed at the tone of the company’s very concerning and misleading letter of 25 August.

“The company’s sole aim at this point appears to be to outsource our members’ work to third-party providers – and in pursuit of that agenda they have repeatedly moved the goal posts.

“Daa’s intransigence means that Unite will continue to process the ballot for industrial action, as mandated by our members, and that ballot is proceeding.

“The company can resolve this dispute very quickly by engaging in full with Unite on the substantive ongoing issues in accordance with its obligations under dispute resolution procedures, and implementing Labour Court Recommendation 22381”, Mr Quigley concluded.