Enterprise Ireland is facing an "IT switch-off" by nearly 200 technical and professional staff on Monday unless the agency concedes a 4 per cent pay claim worth around £1,500 (€1,900) a year. The action will affect assessments for development aid, environmental impact studies, including compliance with Kyoto Protocol requirements and planning applications.
MSF, which represents the staff concerned, staged protests at Enterprise Ireland premises this week during visits by 400 clients to the agency. MSF's Irish secretary, Mr Jerry Shanahan, said yesterday the electronic "switch-off will be openended. If it doesn't have the desired effect the dispute could be escalated. We will review the situation at the end of next week."
As most of the 200 scientific and technology officers involved use PCs for work and communication purposes, the switch-off will have immediate effect. "We regret the inconvenience to clients and the wider public," Mr Shanahan said, "but we have been over two years in internal discussions, had outside assessors, been to the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court without being given an offer."
The claim arises from the integration of An Bord Trachtala, IDA Ireland, and Forbairt. This created major anomalies in pay structures. Pay harmonisation deals with 800 SIPTU and 250 MSF members have been concluded leading to increases of up to £4,000 being paid. Mr Shanahan says the gap which has emerged between scientific and technical, on one hand, and managerial and administrative staff on the other has become as much an issue of "parity of esteem as pay".
"They feel that the scientific and technical areas have been downgraded since the amalgamation of the three agencies, despite all the lip service over the importance of meeting the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol and other scientifically or technically-based criteria."
Enterprise Ireland says that conceding the outstanding claim by 120 senior scientific and technology staff could unravel the existing agreements and breach the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. Enterprise Ireland's manager of press relations, Mr Pascal Maguire, confirmed that the dispute would disrupt services if it went ahead but added that the agency remained available for talks.
Although there are only 120 staff with a pay claim still outstanding, more than 60 colleagues are expected to join them in their action. These are principal officer grade scientific and technology staff.
