Post by dangeresque on Jul 13, 2007 21:54:20 GMT
The Communication Workers Union, which represents 5,000 of the 7,000
workers at Eircom says it expects to serve strike notice on the company
within the next few days.
Management at Eircom and unions ended their meeting this afternoon after
just one hour of discussions on resolving the dispute over a 2% pay
increase.
In a statement after the meeting, Eircom said it had presented the union
with proposals for the settlement of the dispute.
But, according to Eircom, the union said it would only discuss the
proposals with the company if it received a guaranteed and unqualified
payment date for the 2% increase.
Eircom said it will pay the 2% increase backdated to 1 May and will pay
the phase 3 (2.5%) and phase 4 (2.5%) increases outlined in Towards 2016.
But the company said the increases must be accompanied by 'documented
understandings at enterprise level'.
According to Eircom, the unions did not to put forward any proposals of
their own and the meeting ended.
Eircom says it is disappointed that the unions have 'failed to engage in
meaningful discussion' and sees this as a missed opportunity to resolve
the issue.
Members of the Communications Workers Union have already voted in favour
of strike action by over 97%.
The union's national executive yesterday agreed in principle to serve
strike notice on Eircom, but said it would first await the outcome of
today's meeting.
The CWU said it would then consult with the other unions at Eircom, before
making a decision on strike notice.
The union said it has not yet decided what form any such action would take.
Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan has called on the CWU and Eircom to
avail of the state's dispute resolution mechanisms.
Eircom has said it will continue to provide service to its customers and
is putting contingency plans in place in the event of industrial action.
If the strike goes ahead it will be the first at the company since 1978
and would cause significant disruption to phone and internet users
www.rte.ie/news/2007/0711/eircom.html
workers at Eircom says it expects to serve strike notice on the company
within the next few days.
Management at Eircom and unions ended their meeting this afternoon after
just one hour of discussions on resolving the dispute over a 2% pay
increase.
In a statement after the meeting, Eircom said it had presented the union
with proposals for the settlement of the dispute.
But, according to Eircom, the union said it would only discuss the
proposals with the company if it received a guaranteed and unqualified
payment date for the 2% increase.
Eircom said it will pay the 2% increase backdated to 1 May and will pay
the phase 3 (2.5%) and phase 4 (2.5%) increases outlined in Towards 2016.
But the company said the increases must be accompanied by 'documented
understandings at enterprise level'.
According to Eircom, the unions did not to put forward any proposals of
their own and the meeting ended.
Eircom says it is disappointed that the unions have 'failed to engage in
meaningful discussion' and sees this as a missed opportunity to resolve
the issue.
Members of the Communications Workers Union have already voted in favour
of strike action by over 97%.
The union's national executive yesterday agreed in principle to serve
strike notice on Eircom, but said it would first await the outcome of
today's meeting.
The CWU said it would then consult with the other unions at Eircom, before
making a decision on strike notice.
The union said it has not yet decided what form any such action would take.
Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan has called on the CWU and Eircom to
avail of the state's dispute resolution mechanisms.
Eircom has said it will continue to provide service to its customers and
is putting contingency plans in place in the event of industrial action.
If the strike goes ahead it will be the first at the company since 1978
and would cause significant disruption to phone and internet users
www.rte.ie/news/2007/0711/eircom.html