Bríd Smith TD expresses People Before Profit’s full support for Unite the Union construction sector members striking for reinstatement of ‘travel time’
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith today expressed full support for mechanical workers in the construction sector, who are members of Unite the Union, as they prepare to strike tomorrow, Friday 6th September.
Deputy Smith said “Mechanical workers on construction sites go on strike from tomorrow morning. The dispute relates to the union’s claim for reinstatement of the first hour of ‘travel time’, which was cut following the 2008 financial crash. ‘Travel time’ has been paid since the 1960s to compensate construction workers for the fact that they are often required to travel to different sites, often at short notice.
Unite’s efforts to resolve the ‘travel time’ issue have repeatedly been frustrated by the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA). Unite has made multiple attempts to resolve the matter through collective agreements, Workplace Relations Commission hearings and Sectoral Employment Order applications, but MEBSCA has consistently refused to engage on the issue. Unite members have no choice now but to take industrial action.
People Before Profit supports the striking Unite members and I will be at the picket line tomorrow morning to express People Before Profit’s full solidarity”.
Richard Boyd Barrett says: Full support and solidarity to the Unite mechanical workers in the construction sector as they prepare to go on strike tomorrow!
The strike action is being taken as part of the dispute to get reimbursement for the first hour of travel time. Travel time payments had been paid to construction workers since the 1960s until it was stripped away from them in the 2008 financial crash.
We’ve all seen how costs have shot skyward since then. The workers deserve to have the payment restored.
Full support to the workers!
