The glory of our privatised bin services – redux June 26, 2014
Posted by WorldbyStorm in Economy, Irish Politics.trackback
This from the IT this morning:
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has pledged to contact the National Employment Rights Authority about a dispute at Greyhound waste-management company as Independent TD Clare Daly described practices at the company as more suited to The Sopranos.
Mr Kenny said he would also ensure the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) was informed of the situation.
He said it seemed extraordinary that unionised workers should be asked to take a cut of €250-€270 a week without any discussion or notice being given to them.
And:
Ms Daly said workers were being asked to sign a new contract with a cut of 24 per cent in basic wages as well as cuts in other allowances. Drivers were being asked to take a cut of €250-€270 and operatives cuts of €120-€140.
And these were introduced unilaterally.
That would be the same crew as this… and this… and this…. … and relates to this….
Fair dues to Clare Daly on this by the way.
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
I had a conversation recently with a former councillor in NIC, who told me that when Greyhound were handed the contract, virtually none of the councillors, even ‘left’ ones really saw the issue for what it was, and just talked about ‘efficiency’ and delivery’. It’s not even a privatisation as such, where commercial interests are invited to compete to deliver formerly public services; GH were more or less given the DCC household database and off they went. Nor is there any robust review procedure. Apparently the only ones – perhaps ironically – who saw something fishy in it, were the competition authority.
Tangential maybe to the way GH treat their workers, but again, not really…
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Councillor Cieran Perry (who was on the central area committee which includes NIC) saw it for what it was and raised the issue at the time. There was no other ‘left’ councillor of any credibility in NIC , unless you include Labour who always supported the charges, and blamed those who opposed them as being responsible for the privatisation. Individual members of the Gregory Group historically were ambivalent on the whole bin tax issue ( I’m not including Tony himself) and a few years back the group could not adopt a stance on water charges because there were differences of opinion. Most councillors actually show no interest in anything, barely read anything they are given and pretty much do what the officials tell them .
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I was wondering which cllr’s SoS’s acquaintance was referring to. Certainly agree CP has been steadfast on the issue and water charges throughout.
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Well now…… I spoke to CP about this and all he did was offer to ‘talk to Greyhound for me’. I’m perfectly capable of using a phone, thanks. He showed no interest in engaging with the substantive issue. His final email was more or less ‘we are where we are’. Whereas Anna Quigley, the councillor mentioned above did a fair bit of research on the history of the deal and provided a lot of info.
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..and for those few contributors here outside NIC, she was part of the Gregory group.
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Interesting SoS. Useful to know. Just on a broader point it’s a real pity AQ wasn’t able to stay on as cllr – no great radical but I heard very good reports about her.
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I thought Larry O’Toole had done something on this. Got following from SF website:
6 September, 2011 – Dublin City Council adopts Sinn Féin motion opposing bin privatisation
THE leader of the Sinn Féin group on Dublin City Council, Councillor Larry O’Toole, has called for the implementation by Council management of the decision of the City Council on Monday night to oppose the privatisation of the capital’s household bin collection service.
At its monthly meeting last night (Monday 5th September), Dublin City Council adopted a Sinn Féin motion which said that the Council “in fulfilment of our public service responsibility to the citizens of Dublin and of our duty as an employer to our workforce, will retain as a council function the waste collection service and will oppose its privatisation”
Sinn Féin Councillor Larry O’Toole said:
“The democratically-elected representatives of the people of Dublin have now voted against the privatisation of the household refuse collection service.
“Council management should implement this decision.
“This is a key Council service and if it is ended householders will have to pay private providers. There will be no protection for those currently holding waivers and many householders will face increased costs.
“Workers in these private firms have poorer pay and working conditions than Council staff currently employed to deliver this service.
“There is a special responsibility on the Labour Party members of the Council to see that this Council decision is implemented. Indeed, some of their members voted for the Sinn Féin motion. Labour is in Government and so can help ensure both at Council and at Government level that this democratic decision is carried out.”
ENDS
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