It’s being suggested Clare County Council’s winter maintenance programme could be significantly impacted if workers agree to go on strike.
The local authority’s outdoor staff are to be balloted for industrial action within the next two weeks as part of an escalation in a dispute with management.
SIPTU, which represents those being balloted, claims the action is a result of “management’s refusal to engage with the State’s own industrial dispute resolution system”, and that the issue stems from vehicle usage policies including parking arrangements.
SIPTU Organiser Arek Muszynski has been telling Clare FM’s Seán Lyons the local authority hasn’t engaged appropriately.
You can listen to the full interview below.
Clare County Council Statement in Response to SIPTU
Clare County Council continues its call on SIPTU to return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and refutes the assertion that is has failed to comply with agreed dispute resolution procedures following the implementation of vehicle usage policies last March.
The essence of the dispute surrounds the policy which states that Clare County Council vehicles including HGV, road maintenance and articulated trucks, must be parked at council depots overnight and not (be) driven home unless there is a business need.
SIPTU’s position is that it wants to pause the policy before returning to the WRC, but to do so having regard to known risks, is not considered a responsible approach by Clare County Council.
The vehicle usage policies were implemented on March 31, 2025, following a process of engagement with staff and unions going back to April 2024 (11 months).
In April 2024 Clare County Council engaged with all unions, including SIPTU, regarding the Vehicle Telematics and Vehicle Usage Policies.
During this process Clare County Council identified and highlighted the Health and Safety risks associated with the practice of bringing home local authority vehicles, as well as issues of insurance and climate action among others,
Clare County Council continued to engage with SIPTU from April 2024 to December 2024, addressing and providing substantial answers to all enquiries submitted by SIPTU through emails, meetings and phone calls.
Clare County Council Management Team then agreed to adopt the policies and on December 4, the unions were notified that these policies would be implemented on March 31, 2025.
Clare County Council continued to engage with SIPTU after this date and dealt with further queries up to and including attendance at the WRC Conciliation in April 2025.
The outcome of this conciliation process was that SIPTU would consider their position and engage with their members. Clare County Council expected and welcomed further engagement through the WRC following this initial consultation. Unfortunately, instead SIPTU took the decision to ballot its members and take industrial action.
Clare County Council remains available and committed to engaging with SIPTU through the WRC.
