Further day of strike action scheduled for 16 March

Dispute follows company failure to engage meaningfully at WRC and Labour Court

March 9th: Over 200 Unite members at the Cargotec (formerly Moffett Engineering) facility in Dundalk are set to take strike action tomorrow (Friday 10 March) in a dispute surrounding what the union has termed a ‘bogus TUPE’ process.  A ballot of Unite members last month returned an overwhelming 93 per cent vote in favour of industrial action, and a further day of strike action is scheduled for 16 March if the dispute is not resolved in the meantime.

Cargotec has refused to engage meaningfully at the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court regarding their proposal to transfer workers under what Unite has dubbed a ‘bogus TUPE’ which workers fear could leave their established jobs, pay and conditions vulnerable to attack in the future.

Speaking ahead of the action, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

“Last year Cargotec’s global workforce generated over €4 billion in revenue for the company. And the thanks they get from the employer is a ‘bogus TUPE’ transfer to another Cargotec subsidiary which is likely to result in the undermining of the terms and conditions of these workers. And worse, this entire process is being railroaded by the company who are refusing to engage meaningfully in the established state industrial relations mechanisms for union-employer negotiations. Cargotec should be in no doubt Unite will back our members all the way in their defence of decent jobs in Dundalk”.

Regional Officer Brian Hewitt added:

“The overwhelming 93 per cent vote for industrial action should leave Cargotec in no doubt that Unite members will do whatever it takes to defend the terms and conditions of everyone working in the Dundalk facility.  A further day of strike action is scheduled for 16 March. Resolution of this dispute is in the company’s hands:  they need to make use of Ireland’s industrial relations mechanisms and engage meaningfully and collectively with Unite to allay our members concerns and put an end to this dispute”, Mr Hewitt concluded.