Plumbers, fitters, welders and apprentices are staging a strike action across the country in a move that has affected construction projects for major companies in Ireland.
Workers, who are members of the Unite trade union, have commenced a full-day work stoppage in a dispute over travel allowances.
The strike action began at midnight, with workers placing pickets at various large construction sites.
These sites, located in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Kildare, are where members of the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA) are involved in ongoing projects.
Construction projects for major companies like Intel, Diageo, Eli Lilly, Analog, and the ESB have been disrupted by the industrial action.
At the heart of the dispute is the demand for the restoration of payment for the first hour of workers’ travel time. Unite members have been seeking this reinstatement as part of their travel allowances, which they argue is crucial given rising costs.
Last month, Unite members overwhelmingly voted in favor of industrial action after talks with MEBSCA initially broke down in early July.
The breakdown in negotiations prompted the union to take stronger action to press for their demands.
While further talks were held last month, no agreement was reached between the union and MEBSCA, leading to today’s widespread disruption across major construction sites.