Fórsa members at the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) will engage in continuing industrial action from next Thursday (10th February), as part of a dispute that saw two work stoppages take place at Irish fishing ports in January.

The dispute involves the findings of an independent review of the SFPA carried out by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), and attempts by management to implement and impose a series of 47 recommendations without the input of the staff representatives in the agency.

On Wednesday (2nd February), Fórsa issued notice of further industrial action in the form of non-cooperation with a number of specific tasks. These actions include quality management systems, weekly situation reports and weekly written reports, in addition to Brexit–related processes, such as all work related to the Agriculture Field Inspection Testing (AFIT) system.

Despite claims by SFPA management of its intention to attend a meeting of the non-commercial semi state oversight body last Friday (28th January) in a bid to resolve the dispute, it did not attend.

Fórsa official Ian McDonnell was in attendance and, in a letter to SFPA management  this week, he said the meeting concluded that the oversight body was not in a position to resolve the dispute, and that there is currently no other binding arbitrary decision-making forum, apart from the Labour Court.

Ian added: “The ball remains firmly in the SFPA’s court to take the necessary steps and confirm that they will attend the Labour Court under binding arbitration to resolve the outstanding matters definitively. As this is not presently the case we will now be continuing with our industrial action.”

He said the union had been made aware of management pressure brought to bear on some members, during the stoppage periods in January, to deviate from their industrial action. Ian added: “Any such intimidation of members that may occur by management must cease.”

An arbitration process, scheduled to take place in July 2021, was disrupted at the last minute when the SFPA informed the Court that any outcome would need to be approved by the Department of Public expenditure and Reform. Consequently, the Labour Court was unable to assist any further.

Fórsa has confirmed that, following the collapse of the industrial relations process last year, SFPA management has continued to alter core working conditions and agreements unilaterally. The union has advised the SFPA that it reserves the right to issue notice of further industrial action.

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