The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) has sought discussions with IMPACT after library staff and other local authority employees backed industrial action in ballots.
More than a thousand IMPACT members working in library services have overwhelmingly backed industrial action in response to a unilateral decision by management to alter the educational requirements for library posts. IMPACT members in local authorities have also backed action, by a margin of 87%, in response to a decision by management to abandon an existing agreement on the common recruitment pool.
IMPACT national secretary Peter Nolan said the union’s Local Government and Local Services Divisional Executive Committee (DEC) was unanimous that the employers’ unilateral actions required an immediate, swift and direct response, prompting the decision to ballot.
In a letter to members Peter said: “Common to both issues is the decision taken by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to impose revised conditions on employees without agreement. These decisions severely restrict the opportunities for promotion for IMPACT members. These are the same people who have helped local authorities to weather probably the most difficult decade in their history.”
Staffless libraries
Separately, library staff are continuing to observe IMPACT’s campaign of non-cooperation with staffless library services, with a growing number of local authorities refusing to implement arrangements until they’ve held discussions with staff representatives.
The issue featured on RTÉ radio programme The Business last Saturday (21st January) as part of a report on jobs at risk as a result of automation. IMPACT communications officer Niall Shanahan spoke to reporter Evelyn O’Rourke for the programme. You can listen back here.
Senior Fire Officers ballot
IMPACT’s senior fire officers are also moving to ballot in a dispute about unfilled fire service vacancies. IMPACT says there are over 70 vacancies, a number disputed by management. Talks at the Workplace Relations Commission led to a commitment by management to fill nine posts. IMPACT’s Local Government and Local Services executive has sanctioned a ballot and a meeting of IMPACT’s senior fire officers will take place in Tullamore on Tuesday 7th February.
