General operatives in the building industry want to elect their own representatives to talks on a "root and branch" review of pay and conditions. The Dublin Alliance of General Construction Operatives says it is not satisfied that full-time union officials are representing ordinary workers on sites adequately at talks with the Construction Industry Federation.
The alliance was formed last Wednesday by leading activists among crane drivers, scaffolders and other groups and includes the chairman of the Dublin Scaffolders' Society, Mr Andrew McGuinness, and the chairman of the Crane Drivers' Society, Mr Robbie McEnroe. Both organisations took unofficial action earlier this year which led to significant pay rises.
To settle the bitter six-week scaffolders' dispute, the Construction Industry Federation agreed to a root-and-branch review of the Registered Employment Agreement. Those talks have begun at the National Joint Industrial Council, at which the CIF and most of the construction industry unions are represented.
Mr McGuinness, a member of SIPTU, yesterday said the organisation was not intended to replace the union, but general operatives were unhappy that they had no direct input into talks which were taking place only because of their action earlier this year.
So far, talks have concentrated on trying to agree a new rate for craft-workers. The general operatives are entitled to between 80 per cent and 91 per cent of the craft rate. However, Mr McGuinness said the general operatives wanted to establish separate rates for themselves based on productivity and responsibility rather than outdated differentials.
The general operatives also want an overhaul of the pension scheme, holiday pay, sick benefit and other conditions. Only 8,000 of the 40,000 general operatives in the construction industry are unionised through SIPTU. The Dublin alliance is seeking the right of these workers to elect three or four representatives, by secret ballot, from sites to participate in the talks alongside full-time officials.