Strike ballot over possible future privatisation of Irish Water

Water service workers currently employed by Irish local authorities have voted in favour of a ballot on strike action if guarantees given over their transfer to Irish Water are not honoured by the government.

The 3,200 workers due to be become employees of Irish Water fear that in the future, a publicly owned company may be considered for privatisation.They want a cast-iron government guarantee that before that could happen there would have to be a national referendum on the public ownership and management of water services.

General secretary of the Connect trade union, Paddy Kavanagh, explained: “Our members believe enacting this in a timely fashion is the only way in which the government can fulfil its commitment that their terms and conditions will not be undermined.

“ For our members, protecting their status as public servants providing the most important of public utilities can only be done by the government meeting its commitment to hold a constitutional referendum, so that the future status of their employment cannot be changed other than by the will of the Irish people.”