Fórsa has reaffirmed its position that forced transfers of local authority workers to Irish Water will not be accepted. The approach was underlined at a special joint meeting of the unions’ two divisions with workers in the sector – the Local Government Division and the Municipal Employees Division – which took place earlier this month to consider Government’s recently published policy paper on the future of water services.

The meeting welcomed assurances given by local government minister Darragh O’Brien that local authority workers won’t be made transfer to Irish Water if an agreement is reached. But Fórsa remains adamant that there will be no forced transfer of staff, no matter the outcome of discussions.

The head of the two divisions, Peter Nolan, told members that the Government policy paper would have an impact on all local authority workers, as local authority income would be reduced dramatically if union demands to develop new services were not agreed.

“Cuts in local authority financing will have an impact across the board for all staff in terms of career development and promotional opportunities,” he said.

The union also expects all existing agreements in relation to redeployment to be honoured by the department.

The president of Fórsa’s Municipal Employees division, Thomas Murtagh, said workers and their families were worried about the future. “We will not tolerate compulsory conscription to Irish Water. Fórsa members want to stay working for the local authority,” he said.

Fórsa and other unions in the sector have been in discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) based on a four-stranded process to address conditions of employment, the status and governance of any new water entity, constitutional protection against privatisation, and the threat to wider local government services that would follow the removal of a substantial income stream.

Read the departmental policy paper HERE.

It’s never been more important – or easier – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.