Fórsa union members at Oberstown Children Detention Campus have carried out a six-hour work stoppage.
Ireland’s largest public service trade union said the industrial action, which commenced at noon today, was due to a continuing dispute over resourcing and safe staffing at the facility.
The ongoing industrial action follows a ballot of Fórsa members in May.
Oberstown staff have been engaged in a work-to-rule action since 25 June and management has been notified of further planned work stoppages, of increasing duration, on Tuesday 11, Tuesday 18 and Tuesday 25 of August.
Fórsa assistant general secretary Deirdre O’Connell Hopkins said the industrial action will continue indefinitely until members’ concerns over safety at the child detention facility are resolved.
“This action became unavoidable in the context of ongoing capacity challenges at Oberstown,” she said.
“Safe staffing is the goal here. Until that’s achieved, the health and safety of residents and staff continue to be compromised.”
Ms O’Connell Hopkins said Fórsa has advised Oberstown management that it has reserved the right to review, amend and further escalate the action, up to and including additional work stoppages or a further withdrawal of labour, but that its representatives remain available to meet management for talks about resolving the dispute.
Following talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in June, Fórsa said that management proposals had not provided a viable or operationally safe response to the issues raised.
