Voting is underway in a ballot of Fórsa members in South Dublin County Council (SDCC). Members are being asked whether they support industrial action in relation to a long running dispute on the outsourcing of legal services associated with rate collection.  

The branch has urged members to vote yes in the ballot.   

Branch Chair Noel McCarthy said: “It’s great to see members casting their vote. If you haven’t voted yet, please do so, and if you have, please remind your colleagues they also need to vote. We’ve spent a long time working on this issue to no avail, and now we need to show the Council that we are not going to back down.”  

Fórsa official Maura Cahalan said: “Over the last three years Fórsa has tried to secure an agreement with management to establish correct staffing resources within the legal department after interim measures were put in place to clear a backlog in 2019.” 

“However, management have proceeded to outsource the service without meaningful engagement and without trying to resolve the matter through the normal industrial relations mechanisms, while Fórsa tried to seek resolution through avenue available, including under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Committee (WRC) and at the Local Authority National Council (LANC).” 

Maura continued: “Our branch and members have no option now but to act in order to preserve the direct and local delivery of services needed within our community and to challenge any further attempts by management to outsource key tasks.” 

On Monday 10th February members will meet at 2.30pm, ahead of the full Council meeting of SDCC, to raise awareness of the issue with Councillors. Maura said: “We’ll be asking Councillors to recognise the essential work carried out by inhouse staff and to stand in solidarity with Fórsa members.” 

A ballot box will be in the union office in South Dublin County Council every day for the duration of the ballot, accessible from 12.30pm to 14.30pm. A mobile ballot box will be brought around the libraries and depots, and to the Clondalkin office. The ballot will run until Tuesday 18th February at 12.30 pm. 

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