A proposed strike by staff at Salthill’s Leisureland complex is seriously threatening next week’s prestigious three-day international swim meet at the venue.
Leisureland staff voted last week to proceed with industrial action after talks with management aimed at ending a long-running pay dispute at the complex failed to secure an agreement.
Strike notice was served today and will come into effect next Friday, the same day the meet is due to start.
The much-anticipated event, the highlight of Swim Ireland’s calendar, has attracted top athletes from across America and Europe and promised to feature one of the most impressive fields ever assembled in Ireland.
Yet, with world record holders Mark Foster and Terese Alshammer among the world-class competitors due to arrive in Galway next week, time is now running out for the organisers to confirm the venue will be available.
Swim Ireland, however, remain confident the competition can go ahead.
"We're still hopefull that a solution can be found," Claire Mulholland of Swim Ireland told ireland.com. "We're still working and promoting the event as if it's going ahead and will continue to do so."
However, Mulholland conceded that if a resolution between staff and management could not be found before the middle of next week, the likelihood would be the organisers would have no option but to cancel the event.
"If nothing is sorted out by Wednesday, then we’ll have to start notifying people with bad news," she added.
The move is the latest headache for the organisers of the meet. Last month skylight roofing, running the length of the pool, was blown off by 80 m.p.h. winds and has only recently been repaired.
