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Foreign Secretary called on to intervene in embassy dispute
WORKERS at the British Embassy in Dublin were meeting this week to discuss
plans to escalate a bitter dispute over job cuts.
Trade union Unite was holding a general meeting of staff to discuss their
next move after workers staged a one-day strike last week.
The move comes after it emerged the union’s general secretary Derek
Simpson had written to British Foreign Secretary David Miliband asking
him to personally intervene in the row.
Around 40 workers held a one-day strike last week as the controversy worsened
with protests at Ambassador David Reddaway’s residence and at the
Embassy gates in Dublin.
Workers had voted to strike a fortnight ago after three Irish employees
in the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) section were given letters warning
them they faced compulsory redundancy.
Despite 40 employees walking out as part of the strike action the Embassy
maintained it was business as usual.
Workers may now decided to stage more walk-outs as they continue their
action.
The Dublin Embassy is the only British Embassy in the world which recognises
trade union membership.
Up until last week workers had never staged strike action before.
An attempt by Ireland’s Labour Relations Commission to mediate in
the dispute is said to have been rejected by British officials. |
