16/06/2008

Increased Industrial Action For Social Affairs Dept

Civil servants in the Department of Social and Family Affairs are planning to take further industrial action from today.

Around 2,500 members of the Civil Public and Services Union are taking the action following the breakdown of discussions at the Labour Relations Commission on Thursday.

The union is taking action over management’s refusal to implement new flexi-time arrangements already in place throughout other civil service departments.

A representative from the union said: "The new Time and Attendance system in the department of Social and Family Affairs is being blocked by CPSU members in their dispute to achieve the extension of flexi time bands which are available everywhere else in the Civil Service.

"Management has refused point blank to extend the bands in a dispute, which in our view, is purely about their lack of trust of staff."

The CPSU says there is no valid reason for not implementing the changes and its members will refuse to answer telephones or work overtime at social welfare offices around the country as a result of the department's stance.

Full strike action has as yet to take place, but according to the union’s spokesman, the action has not been ruled out.

(DW)


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