The prospect of industrial action in local authorities has increased after management proposed that half of future vacancies should be filled by external competitions. IMPACT members have already voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over the proposed abolition of the ‘common recruitment pool,’ and national secretary Peter Nolan says he expects the forthcoming Local Government Division conference to trigger that mandate.

Management wrote to IMPACT last week with its proposal that one in two posts should, in future, be filled externally. This arrangement would see local authority promotions opened up to other parts of the public service, where council staff aren’t allowed to apply for posts.

Peter said local authorities already engaged in more external recruitment than the civil service and the health and education sectors. “Local authority staff, whose numbers have been cut by close to 30%, have remained responsive to the needs of their communities throughout the worst periods of the economic crisis,” he said.

The Local Government Division conference takes place in Letterkenny between 10^th and 12 May.