Latest news with #industrialAction
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Jones Engineering drops Unite case
Builder Jones Engineering has dropped a High Court case against trade union Unite and three of its officials arising from a strike two years ago. HA O'Neill, part of the Jones group, took High Court action against the union and three shop stewards following a dispute over the restoration of travel allowances to building workers that resulted in a one-day strike in March 2023 at two Dublin sites. The builder claimed it suffered financial damage as a consequence of the industrial action. Unite said on Monday that Jones has agreed to drop the action. READ MORE The union is due in the High Court on Tuesday to confirm settlement of the case against it and its three shop stewards, Patrick James Goold, William Mangan and Damian Jones. In a statement welcoming the move, Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary argued that Jones should never have taken the case. 'It is totally unacceptable for employers to use extreme legal measures against workers exercising their democratic right to strike,' she said. Ms Graham added that it would do whatever it took to defend the union's members and representatives. Jones' lawsuit prompted Unite and global trade union federation, Building and Woodworkers International (BWI), to file a complaint against the company and its owner, US-based Cathexis, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). They alleged the company's decision to sue shop stewards breached the organisation's Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Ethical Business Conduct. A ruling on that is expected shortly, according to Unite. Jones Engineering did not comment on either its decision to end the High Court action or on the OECD complaint. The case stemmed from a one-day strike by Unite members on March 10th, 2023, at Pfizer in Grange Castle, Dublin, and Intel in Leixlip, Co Kildare. This followed the failure of talks at the Mechanical Engineering and Building Services Contractors' Association, Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court on the restoration of a travel allowance of one hour's pay to workers. Unions and contractors agreed to drop the allowance following a financial crash in 2008. HA O'Neill sought a High Court injunction restraining Unite and the shop stewards from engaging in further industrial action pending a final hearing of the dispute. The company maintained that the industrial action was unlawful and that there was no valid dispute between it and Unite. The Supreme Court subsequently ruled that the High Court was wrong to grant the injunction as Unite had followed procedures laid down in the Industrial Relations Act, 1990. However, HA O'Neill subsequently took a separate High Court action against the union and its officials.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Streeting urges doctors to vote no in strike ballot
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged doctors in England to "vote no" in a ballot on industrial action which gets under way on a BBC interview, he urged resident doctors, the new name for junior doctors, to "work with the government" and warned strikes risked hampering the progress being made in the said it was in no-one's interests for strikes to take week it was announced resident doctors would be getting a 5.4% average pay rise this year - more than other doctors, nurses and resident doctors, who took part in 11 strikes in 2023 and 2024, said it was not enough to make up for below-inflation pay awards since 2008. The union is urging members to vote for industrial action, with sources saying strikes would be the likely action year's pay rise comes after resident doctors were awarded rises worth 22% over the previous two agreed to that deal shortly after coming into office, ending a dispute which had lasted more than a account of this year's pay rise, it means the starting salary for a doctor fresh out of university has risen by £9,500 over the past three years to around £38,800, the government said. 'Grotesque' But the British Medical Association (BMA) said even after the latest pay rise another 20% was needed to bring wages back to where they were in doctors' committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said: "We are urging doctors to vote yes to strike action. "By voting yes they will be telling the government there is no alternative to fixing pay – this cannot wait for different fiscal circumstances and a healthier NHS. The answer is to fix it today."The vote on industrial action runs until 7 said his door was always open but added there was no more money to increase salaries above the latest he said a fresh bout of strikes would put attempts to rebuild the NHS at to the BBC, Streeting said: " I don't think strikes are in their interests, in patients interests and I certainly don't think it's in the interest of the NHS overall."Streeting has often cited the deal he reached last year to end the previous round of strikes as evidence of the government's ability to reform the health service and cut waiting lists. Meanwhile, BMA sources said consultants were likely to start a dispute process over their 4% rise - the first step towards moving to an industrial action staff including nurses, midwives and physios have been given a 3.6% increase. The Royal College of Nursing said it was "grotesque" nurses were getting less than doctors for the second year in a Scottish government has agreed a deal worth 8% over two years with health unions representing all staff apart from doctors and dentists. There have been no strikes by health workers in Scotland.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
EasyJet expecting to run full schedule despite Gatwick strike
Gatwick Airport's largest carrier EasyJet is expecting to run its full schedule during half-term despite industrial action at its oil at Redline Oil Services, which fuels airlines including EasyJet, are taking industrial action between Friday and Tuesday after unanimously rejecting the company's pay strike action from baggage handlers, check-in staff and flight dispatchers over what they said were late and missing pension payments - which would have run on the same dates - was suspended to allow Unite members to vote on new terms.A Gatwick spokesperson said: "We are aware of the proposed industrial action from Redline Oil and are working closely with them and our airlines to minimise impacts to passengers." EasyJet, which had 44% of Gatwick's customers in 2024 (43.2m people), says it expects to operate as scheduled as contingency plans are in place at the industrial action by more than 100 Red Handling workers at Gatwick was put on hold for at least two union said it had received proof that pension contributions had been paid, but the remaining day of strike action by baggage handlers on 1 June was still due to go ahead pending the ballot's outcome, the Local Democracy Reporting Service explained that Red Handling had agreed to cover the loss of interest on any contributions not paid, and to carry out an independent audit to ensure missing pensions contributions did not happen again. A spokesperson from Red Handling UK said: "We are pleased to have responded positively and fully to all historical issues raised, resolving every point quickly and collaboratively. "We will continue to work with Unite the Union to work towards a solution to ending the dispute."Unite and Redline Oil has been contacted for a comment.
Irish Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Teachers face 5% pay loss if Leaving Cert reforms blocked
Teachers could lose up to 5 per cent of pay due under public service deals if they fail to co-operate with controversial Leaving Cert reforms, second-level teaching unions have been warned. The changes, due to roll out from next September, will see students awarded a minimum of 40 per cent for project work or practicals across all subjects in a move aimed at broadening assessment and easing pressure facing exam candidates. The two second-level teachers' unions, which last month described the plans as 'rushed' and 'flawed', are to ballot members over whether to accept a new package of supports offered by the Department of Education or embark on industrial action in September. The package, finalised last week, includes fast-tracking permanent contracts for new teachers, more middle-management posts in schools, changes to how additional hours are worked in schools and working groups on topics such as the use of artificial intelligence and teachers' workload. READ MORE [ Teachers are using a 'viral' AI tool to grade students' Leaving Cert work. It's convenient - but is it ethical? Opens in new window ] In letters to both unions, seen by The Irish Times, a senior department official has confirmed that pay increases – worth about 5 per cent between now and next year – are subject to co-operation with the Leaving Cert reforms. They include a 3 per cent local bargaining payment and a 2 per cent general pay increase. 'The department reserves the right to seek a pause or clawback of these [local bargaining] increases in the event of industrial action or other noncompliance in the future in respect of senior cycle redevelopment, through the appropriate public service agreement structures,' the department letter states. The letter says that other pay increases are subject to supporting and co-operating with senior cycle redevelopment. 'In the event that co-operation ceases at any stage, the Department of Education . . . will refer this to the normal dispute resolution mechanisms.' [ My son's teachers have expressed alarm at new Leaving Cert reforms. How will they affect him? Opens in new window ] It adds 'the department considers this document a full and final offer in relation to support measures for this phase of senior cycle redevelopment'. Last week, the Teachers' Union of Ireland recommended that members accept the new Leaving Cert reform package . It said the package was 'the best that could be achieved through negotiation' and had the potential to allay teachers' concerns over workload and resources required by schools. Many of the union's demands for additional supports and resources – contained in a 14-page document it sent to the Minister for Education last March – are reflected in the department's support package. The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland is to ballot members without a recommendation on whether to accept or reject the package. In a statement following the conclusion of talks last week, Minister for Education Helen McEntee said the reforms were 'in the best interest of students'. 'It will help to reduce the pressure faced by students, while recognising a broader range of skills and ensuring that students have the skills necessary to thrive and succeed in a rapidly changing world,' she said. The Irish Second-Level Students' Union supports the reforms and said students 'cannot afford to wait' any longer for Leaving Cert changes. The teaching unions' annual conferences at Easter heard concerns over whether educators could stand over the integrity of new research projects worth 40 per cent, given the cheating risk posed by artificial intelligence. Many also complained that laboratories were ill-equipped for the volume of new research projects for physics, chemistry and biology, and that the changes would benefit affluent schools with access to more resources.
