SIPTU have hit back at Roscommon County Council following the local authority’s claims that there are significant time-keeping issues amongst a very small number of outdoor staff.
The row between staff and the County Council follows disciplinary action being taken against four outdoor workers on foot of GPS data which, the council claims, highlights time-keeping issues.
The four workers were placed on administrative leave following a review of the data.
123 outdoor workers voted to take industrial action last week, allegedly because of the authority’s use of the GPS tracking system on trucks and the use of data to take disciplinary action.
Speaking recently, SIPTU spokesperson, Anthony McCormack, claims that the recent use of the GPS system is tantamount to entrapment. He said: “To sum it up, what they’re using here, the GPS, is a means of entrapment, which isn’t legally correct.”
McCormack had earlier stated: “A ballot of our members in the outdoor works department of Roscommon County Council was conducted. The ballot resulted in an overwhelming vote for industrial action, up to and including strike action, in relation to a dispute with management concerning its use of GPS tracking system information in disciplinary hearings.”
He added: “In utilising this information, management has disregarded due process and existing workplace agreements. This situation is completely unacceptable to our members. A decision will now be made on what form of industrial action our members will take and management will be informed of this in the coming days.”
The Roscommon People sought an update from the County Council but at the time of going to press (on Wednesday) no statement was forthcoming.
