Management at Irish Water and the trade union Siptu are to hold further talks in coming weeks on foot of moves by the company to end controversial bonus payments.
Siptu told management at a meeting in Portlaoise yesterday that it would not accept any unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of its members employed by Irish Water.
On Tuesday Irish Water told staff that no bonuses would be paid in respect of 2013 or 2014.
An independent review into the bonus structure at Irish Water is also to be carried out.
Consult
A spokesman for Siptu said that following yesterday’s talks in Portlaoise. the union would go back and consult with members. The union represents about 100 personnel at the company.
Company representatives who attended the talks yesterday are also expected to revert back to their senior management.
The union said while it was not a fan of merit-based payment systems, workers had signed up for one (as a replacement for a previous arrangements under which staff received incremental wage rises based on length of service), and it could not stand over people potentially having 6 per cent of their earnings taken away.
‘Scapegoat’
Siptu organiser
Adrian Kane
said: “We’re not going to accept a situation where the ordinary workers in Irish Water are a scapegoat for a very unpopular water tax.”
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said he hoped Irish Water "amicably" followed through on a decision to not pay staff bonuses for this year given the "difficulties" at the utility company.
