SIPTU members, working in local employment services (LES) and Job Clubs, have voted in favour of industrial action which will commence with protests at locations across the country on Monday, 6th September.
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Peter Glynn, said: “Our members have been left with no option other than to begin a campaign of industrial action due to the failure of the Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, to engage with them on the future of the sector.
“We are calling on the Minister to live up to the commitment she gave in the Dáil to immediately engage with stakeholders and not to proceed with a government tendering process for private companies to bid for state contracts to run programmes to assist people getting back into the workforce. Once this is done she must establish a stakeholder forum to discuss the future of these essential community services without the threat of their privatisation.
“A sub-committee of SIPTU representatives, employed in LES and Job Clubs, will meet tomorrow (Friday, 27th August) to discuss what form and at which locations the protests will take place on Monday, 6th September.”
He added: “There is huge support among elected representatives across the country for the retention of LES and jobs clubs in their present form. This summer, SIPTU launched the ‘Our Community is Not for Sale’ campaign to oppose the privatisation of these community services. The campaign has received widespread support that clearly indicates that clients and the general public do not support the privatisation of these services.”
