Minister and LGMA must act to resolve Local Authority worker dispute

• Sherlock writes to Minister O’Brien asking him to intervene to resolve industrial dispute.
  

With industrial action by Forsa staff members in local authorities across the country due to begin tomorrow, Monday 11th September, Labour workers’ rights spokesperson Marie Sherlock called on the responsible Minister, Darragh O’Brien to intervene to ensure the dispute goes back to the WRC with meaningful engagement this time from the LGMA.

Senator Sherlock said:

“This dispute is about modestly paid workers seeking a process to ensure that their jobs are appropriately graded and remunerated. Those staff are due to begin industrial action on Monday 11th September and I have written to the Minister this weekend asking him to intervene.

“This industrial dispute arises because of an abject failure by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to meaningfully engage with representatives of local authority workers over a job evaluation process. The Minister must ensure the LGMA treats these workers with respect.

We all know the critical importance of local authorities and local services, and it is essential that these workers are appropriately recognised, and given methods of job evaluation that have been granted elsewhere in the public service.

“As part of this dispute, the workers will now only provide support for local authority statutory meetings and will withdraw engagement with elected politicians on all other representations.

“On behalf of the Labour party, we wish to express our strong support for the workers engaged in this industrial dispute, we are alarmed that the LGMA who self-referred to the conciliation process have in no way meaningfully engaged, and we very much urge the Minister to use his office and influence to ensure a speedy resolution to this sadly necessary dispute.”