The Army will be on standby from today as fire brigade personnel in Ennis, Co Clare, prepare for industrial action after conciliation talks facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission failed to secure an agreement.
Siptu originally issued strike notice to Clare County Council on December 4th. However, after the LRC invited both sides to talks two days later, the expiry date for strike notice was extended by a week at the request of the LRC. A further meeting between both sides late last week failed to reach a resolution. The strike notice expires later today.
While it has not been confirmed what form the action will take or when it will begin, personnel could down tools as early as midnight tonight. A meeting is due today between Clare County Council and Siptu to discuss contingency plans in the event of action going ahead.
Siptu claims that the council has breached agreements and has refused to agree to the appointment of an arbitrator to resolve long-standing issues including staffing in Ennis. The union's Clare county and health service branch organiser, Tony Kenny, yesterday called on the council to "see sense and return to the negotiating table in a realistic and meaningful manner".
A spokesman for the council said the authority had sought to engage with Siptu on emergency cover. "As part of our overall contingency arrangements contact has also been made and is being maintained with the Department of Defence to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place in the event of industrial action arising."
The Defence Forces press office has confirmed that the Army has been asked to provide cover during any strike action and that Corps of Engineers personnel from the Curragh and the west will be on standby in Ennis to cover emergency fire calls.
Ennis fire station, the largest and busiest in Co Clare, is a part-time service covering a catchment area with a population of 60,000 people.
The issues at the centre of this dispute relate to staffing levels at the station which responded to 570 calls last year.