Security firm strike averted after talks

The planned one-day stoppage by cash transit staff on Friday has been postponed following an agreement between Siptu officials…

The planned one-day stoppage by cash transit staff on Friday has been postponed following an agreement between Siptu officials and representatives of the security industry after talks held this afternoon.

"The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, has agreed to meet Siptu representatives, including General President, Jack O'Connor, on April 25 to discuss issues of concern to security employees," explained SIPTU's security branch secretary Kevin McMahon.

"We also reached agreement with the security companies that the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) would be invited to draw up health and safety guidelines for employers, employees and clients in the industry," Mr McMahon added.

The dispute follows the robbery of €2.5 million from a Brinks Allied consignment - the latest in a series of armed robberies of cash transit vans.

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A one-day stoppage was expected last Friday but was deferred because of the funeral of Pope John Paul II. The industrial action is likely to disrupt cash deliveries and lead to some ATM machines running out of cash.

Last summer, security guards at Brinks Allied went on strike on the grounds that new procedures for armed robberies were unsafe.

Cash machines in parts of the country were left empty and 1,030 working days were lost before the dispute was resolved by the Labour Court.

Luke Cassidy

Luke Cassidy

Luke Cassidy is Digital Production Editor of The Irish Times