The cash security company Brinks Allied last night responded to yesterday's vote for strike action by SIPTU staff members by insisting that it was available and willing to discuss grievances at local level or the Labour Relations Commission.
The response came hours after staff voted by 60 to nine to serve formal strike notice on the company.
In a statement last night, which was issued as the formal strike notice was ratified and served by SIPTU, the company said it wished "to see a comprehensive resolution of all issues prior to a return to work to enable us to restore customer confidence in our operations and we remain fully committed to ensuring this".
It continued: "We also remain available to discuss these issues with our employees and their union, either at local level or with the assistance of the LRC in the first instance."
However, the company des- cribed the current industrial action as "unofficial industrial action which is unacceptable and totally contrary to normal industrial relations procedures".
The statement now makes it likely that talks will be held at an early date but union sources, while welcoming the statement, last night said it stopped short of accepting a referral to the Labour Court.
A strike at Brinks Allied, with pickets getting underway from Thursday next, has the potential to dramatically worsen the current shortage of cash in some ATM machines.
Brinks Allied services about 240 machines, mainly in Dublin and the north-east. Machines which are currently being serviced by supervisory staff would quickly run out of money as these workers have indicated they will not pass a picket.
At their meeting yesterday morning staff voted to authorise union officers to take industrial action, up to and including strike action. About 80 staff including drivers are employed on the cash delivery vehicles.
Speaking after the meeting yesterday, Mr Kevin McMahon, the SIPTU security services branch secretary, said the workers had consistently called for management to agree to attend the Labour Court or some other form of arbitration.
He said the strike notice was likely to "bring matters to a head" as the company - which he maintained was essentially a good employer - would be unable to fulfil its contracts with the banks once pickets began in about a week. "If it is unable to do its business then it has no business," said Mr McMahon, who added that workers were aware that such a move could leave them without jobs.
Some workers bringing cash to ATMs and collecting from shops and supermarkets currently earn about €12 to €13 per hour with overtime bringing the amount up to about €40,000 a year for a 56- hour week.
However, the dispute is not about pay, but about health and safety issues, according to the union.
