Staff responsible for testing the safety of medical devices at the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) are to take industrial from Tuesday in a dispute over a proposal by the authority to make one person redundant.
Unite, the union representing the 20 staff involved, said the action was “not about numbers but the principle” of compulsory redundancies being deployed in the public sector and suggested the move could impact on talks about a new national pay deal.
The NSAI would require the permission of both the Department of Expenditure and Reform as well as the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment but the union says this has been sought.
The situation arises because the NSAI had sought voluntary redundancies, Unite says, but received no applications.
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“No public-sector employer has gone through with compulsory redundancies in 15-odd years, said the union’s regional officer, Ed Thompson, “and bearing in mind we have no collective agreement in respect of public servants at present, it’s strange that, going into talks, whenever they might start, a public-sector employer would seek to progress this.
“It’s basically going to have a serious impact on how those talks develop given that the first thing the unions will probably look for is protection of the employment of their members.”
The union’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said it “beggars belief that the NSAI is seeking to tear up a long-standing convention in the public sector and impose compulsory redundancies”.
Thompson said the number of people working in the section had already significantly reduced over time and that on foot of the move on voluntary redundancies the union had sought talks with NSAI management “in relation to reassignments or redeployments, to put together a comprehensive agreement but they haven’t agreed to sit down with a view to getting an agreement”.
He said the staff had subsequently voted “overwhelmingly” for industrial action and those who assess the safety and quality of medical devices will decline to carry out work linked to conformity tests which are billable and so bring in revenue, while others will work only their contracted hours.
The action could escalate to a strike if no progress is made on resolving the dispute, Thompson said.
The NSAI was approached for comment.
