Siptu today called on managers of four Dublin authorities to honour agreements with the union to develop waste disposal services and for the Government to regulate the sector in the public interest.
Siptu shop stewards made the statement after meeting today in Liberty Hall to discuss the dispute over the outsourcing of waste disposal services in the greater Dublin area. The dispute arose after Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown council decided to outsource bin collection services to Panda, a private firm.
After the meeting , union sectoral organiser Paul Smyth, said: "Our members are both angry and concerned that one of the four authorities is attempting to renege on the agreement made two years ago on waste disposal management strategy.
“Our members are calling on the Government to introduce measures to regulate the waste disposal market before it descends into chaos. At present there are no restrictions on anyone entering the market and making a sales pitch for lucrative routes while either ignoring areas which are less accessible, or charging an extra premium to collect from them," Mr Smyth said.
He said it was unsustainable for local authorities to compete with private operators when the latter did not have to contribute to the cost of maintaining infrastructure such as recycling centres and did not have to collect from everybody, "regardless of where they live or how much they earn".
“Unless the local authorities in Dublin honour their commitments to us and their obligations under the Croke Park Agreement they leave us with no option but to take action in defence of our members and, we believe, the wider public interest.”
Mr Smyth called on the city manager John Tierney and the three county managers to publicly declare to the Labour Court and Siptu they intend abiding by the Croke Park agreement, and to give a clear commitment on retaining direct labour.
He also urged the Government to fast-track regulations that will ensure private waste companies compete on a level playing pitch with the local authorities.
Workers in South Dublin, Fingal and Dublin City Council have already voted to take industrial action in support their colleagues in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown if the current talks fail.
Siptu called off strike action planned for last week and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown council agreed to defer signing contracts with Panda as talks proceeded.