Limerick firefighters to be balloted for industrial action
DOZENS of retained firefighters across Limerick are to be balloted for industrial action, Limerick Live can reveal.
The local authority has been informed by SIPTU, which represents retained firefighters, that its members are “now in dispute” with the council.
A letter, seen by this website, has been sent to Dr Pat Daly, CEO of Limerick City and County Council giving two weeks’ notice of the union’s intention to ballot its members for “industrial and strike action”.
Any ballot will not take place until the end of next week at the earliest and there has been no indication as to when any action would take place.
Discussions between various parties, through the Fire Services National Oversight and Implementation group, have been ongoing at a national level for some time in an effort to address long-standing issues which have led to a recruitment and retention crisis in Limerick and across the country.
The key issues relate to the fixed incomes of retained firefighters and ‘structured time off’
“We are now at a stage where despite having repeatedly sought to address this issue through the agreed channels, management have failed to table any meaningful proposals, despite making a commitment to do so, in order to address the recruitment and crisis affecting the Retained Fire Service,” states the letter which was sent by a representative from SIPTU’s Public, Administration and Community.
Limerick City and County Council has been contacted for comment.