Ashford Castle hotel faces industrial action

Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo, one of Ireland's best-known international hotels, is facing industrial action by staff next …

Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo, one of Ireland's best-known international hotels, is facing industrial action by staff next week.

They voted last Monday to take industrial action next week if management continued to refuse to negotiate on pay and conditions.

The workers want the right to have union representation at negotiations.

The majority of staff employed full-time at Ashford Castle are members of SIPTU number 2 branch in Galway.

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Mr Colm Keaveney, a SIPTU official, said it was with regret that more than 100 workers at the castle felt they had been left with no option but to take industrial action.

"Some 90 per cent of the workforce at Ashford are members of SIPTU. A significant majority of these members reluctantly voted for industrial action.

"They did so because of what they see as the management's refusal to engage in issues important to them, basic conditions of employment and pay. There is some ambiguity with management at Ashford to engage in direct discussion with the workforce.

"The union has made every attempt to sit down with management at Ashford but so far has been refused. We're clearly saying that the door is open and we are available to discuss and iron out all of the issues with management but so far they are refusing our offers," Mr Keaveney claimed.

This is the most important part of the tourist season for the many US and other overseas visitors to Ashford Castle.

SIPTU say that pending acceptance by the union executive of the Ashford workers' application for industrial action, including up to an all-out strike, seven days strike notice will then be issued to management.

"This means that industrial action is likely to get under way next week at Ashford Castle," Mr Keaveney concluded.

Management at the castle were not available for comment yesterday.