Over 400 technical and scientific staff at Forfas are to hold emergency meetings next week to ballot members for industrial action in pursuit of a pay claim. Their union, Manufacturing Science Finance, has accused the Government and the management of failing to honour commitments to harmonise pay rates and grading structures in the new agency.
The staff provides essential services to the electronics, chemical, building and other industries. It also monitors environmental and health and safety matters, and provides ISO quality audits.
In March SIPTU, which represents 700 staff at the agency, secured increases of between £3,000 and £4,000 for its members, to be phased in over periods ranging from two to 10 years. The offer was made after a week of industrial action by the SIPTU members. SIPTU members are now earning up to £53,206 a year. The MSF grades run from £18,000 to £50,000.
The union's regional officer, Mr Joe Bowers, said yesterday his union group committees in Forfas have decided to reject the agency's formal pay proposals for harmonisation of grades. He did not disclose the figures, but described them as "totally inadequate".
The MSF committees would be organising a series of meetings next week to ballot members for industrial action, he said.A spokesman for Forfas expressed surprise last night at the decision by MSF to begin a strike ballot. He said the SIPTU negotiations had been concluded successfully and there had been no indication from MSF that it had withdrawn from negotiations.