ELECTRICIANS FACE being placed on protective notice if a planned strike at up to 200 major construction sites goes ahead next month, an organisation representing electrical contractors has warned. The union representing electricians, the TEEU, has served strike notice to come into effect from Monday next in pursuit of a pay claim of more than 11 per cent.
It said that this would be the first increase paid to the 10,500 TEEU members in the sector since April 2007. The threatened action could involve more than 10,000 electricians.
In a letter included in the pay packets of electricians employed to work in its member companies, the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) said firms were not in a position to pay the increase of 11.3 per cent being sought by electricians. It said that industrial action was completely unwarranted when the industry was in turmoil and “would only serve to threaten current and future projects and subsequently put many more jobs at immediate risk”. The association, which is part of the Construction Industry Federation, represents about 50 of the larger electrical contractors in the country.
In its letter, the ECA said an electrician’s basic annual pay was now in the region of €42,000 excluding additional allowances and expenses. It said that this was well above the average industrial wage of €34,000.
“The cost to any contractor of employing an electrician is approximately €35 per hour, taking into account the base register employment agreement rate plus holiday pay, PRSI, etc. The rate can be higher in circumstances where country money, travel time and payment of bus fares are taken into account”, the letter stated.
In a separate development last night, a strike involving 400 Galway County Council workers ended after intensive talks between their union, Siptu, and local management. Siptu said the council had agreed to immediately reinstate 15 workers suspended yesterday, with no loss of pay.
Workers began picketing council offices yesterday over the removal of the workers from the payroll. Galway County Council has had its annual budget cut by €10 million for its roads programme and said it had little choice but to cut about 100 temporary and contract staff.
The pickets were placed on council headquarters at Prospect Hill in Galway city and at offices in Portumna, Tuam and Ballinasloe as well as at the main water treatment plant in Luimnagh, near Headford.
Siptu said last night that the Labour Court was to hold a hearing into the impact of the cutbacks on local services as soon as possible. In the meantime a joint committee of three Siptu representatives and three management representatives is to be set up to examine the use by the council of private contractors.