Siptu suspends pickets at GMC as talks continue

SIPTU has said that its pickets at GMC Civil and Mechanical Engineering will remain suspended on Monday, as talks which began on Friday at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) are set to continue.

The talks, which begin at 11am this Friday, were agreed by both sides in an effort to resolve a dispute that saw strike action begin on Wednesday at GMC offices at White’s Cross in Cork, as well as Limerick, Dublin and Carlow.

Earlier this week, the Siptu said members had commenced action after discussions between the union and employer collapsed.

The union had claimed that GMC had failed to deliver on a pay increase agreed earlier this year. Siptu had also accused GMC of outsourcing union members’ work, and the union said its members in GMC had not received a pay increase since 2019.

The utilities company is contracted by Gas Networks Ireland for the installation, maintenance and provision of emergency response on gas infrastructure for commercial and residential customers and, as a result of the strike, gas customers have been warned that some services may be impacted.

Before Friday’s WRC talks, Siptu divisional organiser Adrian Kane, said GMC workers had made their feelings clear during the week at picket lines across the country, and he was hopeful the talks would be a step forward on the path to a just resolution.

Speaking to The Echo after Friday’s talks had adjourned, Mr Kane said the talks would resume on Monday morning.

“On Monday, people are not attending work, but in deference to the WRC, we’re not putting a picket on premises during the talks,” he said.