Dublin terminal set for new strike action

Dock workers at Ireland’s busiest container terminal are set to go back on strike, after an arbitrator failed to resolve their differences with management.

Arbitrator Finbarr Flood said there were three areas of difference between Peel Ports-owned Marine Terminals (MTL) and workers at the Dublin terminal over planned redundancies. 

He has ruled that both sides should abide by court recommendations on severance packages, that the company needs 30 workers and that the "agreed" selection criteria for compulsory redundancies be implemented.

However, IFW understands that MTL has rejected the rulings, while the workers are also unhappy with them.

As a result, a source close to the dispute said it looked like the strike would now be back on, although it was not clear when action would re-start.

The workers said: “This ruling can in no way be seen as a victory for dockers, and is in no way comprehensive in addressing the issues which led to strike action.”

The strike, which started last July, lasted 111 days, and only ended after a resolution was brokered by the Irish Labour Court.

Flood said the workers’ union, Siptu, had accepted a proposal by the Labour Court over the severance package, but MTL’s position was that the court recommendation made no mention of the calculation of service in respect of the ex-gratia element of the severance package.

MTL and the union also disagree over employee numbers. The company argues it needs 27 workers, with two more positions recruited externally, meaning nine compulsory redundancies, The union claims there is no agreement to recruit externally. Flood ruled that the company should operate with 30 employees. 

Siptu also claims the establishment figure and working hours have not been agreed, and is also unhappy with the company’s selection criteria for the redundancies. Flood ruled that both sides had agreed to the criteria and it should therefore be implemented.