Trade unions have condemned the Licensed Vintners' Association (LVA) for asking bar staff to state whether they agree with the organisation's position on the proposed workplace smoking ban.
The trade union Mandate and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) are objecting to the "petition" which outlines the LVA's compromise proposals to the smoking ban and requires employees to sign their name indicating whether or not they support it.
"This so-called petition has to be one of the most blatant attempts to intimidate Irish workers since the 1913 lockout," said Mandate national official Mr John Douglas yesterday.
"It requires the employers to individually approach employees and ask them to sign the petition - that approach has gone out years ago," he told The Irish Times last night.
"We've had members calling us saying that they felt intimidated, some are refusing to sign, others felt they had no choice but to sign in support of the LVA compromise," said Mr Douglas.
Mandate are now calling for an immediate removal of the petition, and are asking its members not to sign it.
"Any results are tainted from the start. No other employers' group are doing this; do the bar owners think they can dictate?" asked Mr Douglas.
The ICTU also supports Mandate's position on the petition, and said it "could be seen as harassment and intimidation".
ICTU vice-president Mr Peter McLoone said that because bar staff depend on their employers for their livelihoods it was "not acceptable that their employers ask them to declare a view on an issue that affects their personal health and safety, and which has also become a political matter".
"What next? Will bar owners be asking their staff how they intend to vote in the next general election?"
"This type of behaviour is unacceptable," added Mr McLoone.
The LVA rejected Mandate's claim that its petition was intimidatory.
"We absolutely reject any notion of intimidation," said LVA chief executive Mr Donall O'Keeffe last night.
"Staff are the most important stakeholders here and nobody has consulted them.
"We are just trying to ascertain support or otherwise for our compromise position," he told The Irish Times.
"We reject the notion of people being browbeaten into signing. We would feel there is a case for our compromise which would significantly enhance working conditions."
The LVA is proposing 50 per cent of a pub to be no smoking, no smoking at the bar, a commitment to investment in ventilation and a two-year review process.
The results of the petition are expected next week.