Unite the Union, Ireland Region

Unite highlights concerns regarding contractors charging clients for ‘travel time’ not paid to workers

Unite members working as plumbers, fitters, welders and apprentices are set to down tools tomorrow (Friday 20 September) in a third day of action to secure the reversal of the austerity-era cut to ‘travel time’. 

Official pickets will be placed from 00.01 am to 11.59 pm tomorrow (Friday 20 September) on a number of major construction sites in Dublin and Athlone where members of the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA) are carrying out works (see note to editors).

Unite members will also be holding a protest in London tomorrow involving a major MEBSCA employer.

Last month Unite mechanical members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action in pursuit of restoration of the first hour of ‘travel time,’ which was cut in the wake of the 2008 financial crash. Unite served notice of industrial action on MEBSCA members after talks with the group and its parent organisation, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), broke down as a result of the employers’ refusal to engage.

Unite brands employers’ call for talks “disingenuous”

Meaningful offer needed to avert further disruption

September 10th: Trade union Unite, which is in dispute with the members of the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA), today warned that further disruption to major construction projects around the country is inevitable unless MEBSCA and its parent organisation, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) returns to the negotiating table and make a meaningful offer. 

Last Friday (6 September) Unite members working as plumbers, pipefitters, welders and apprentices downed tools on sites in Dublin, Kildare, Limerick and Cork in pursuit of Unite’s claim for restoration of the first hour of ‘travel time’, originally cut as an austerity measure in the wake of the financial crash.

Unite branded a call by MEBSCA/CIF for the union to engage in talks as “disingenuous” because two rounds of talks broke down when the employers refused to engage with the union’s demands and make a meaningful offer to resolve the ‘travel time’ issue. Workers have been waiting for a promised review of the travel time issue since 2011.