Fire station strike enters its second day

Firefighters in Cavan are into their second day of rolling, one-day work stoppages as they ratchet up their protest for better pay and conditions. The move affects half the county’s stations at any one time.

From 8am on Wednesday , June 14, five of the 10 stations in Cavan - Cavan Town, Kingscourt, Virgibia, Ballyconnell and Dowra closed their doors.

Tomorrow (Thursday), stations in Cootehill, Bailieborough, Ballyjamesduff, Belturbet and Killeshandra will remain shut.

The action coincides with representatives joining a national picket outside Dublin’s Leinster House, and comes a day after retained firefighters demonstrated outside the Cavan County Courthouse ahead of the monthly meeting of elected members.

The first phase of industrial action began last week with a work-to-rule, and unless the dispute over pay and conditions is resolved between now and next Tuesday, June 20, this could escalate to an all-out strike.

Between now and then however Cavan Town will close Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday; Cootehill on Thursday, Friday and next Monday; Kingscourt on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; Bailieborough on Thursday, Saturday and next Monday; and Virginia on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday.

Ballyjamesduff will close Thursday, Friday, next Monday; Ballyconnell on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday; Belturbet on Thursday, Friday, next Monday; Killeshandra on Thursday, Saturday, next Monday; and Dowra on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

There are currently around 3,000 firefighters nationwide, two thirds of which are represented by SIPTU in their demand for a better work / life balance and better conditions in order to retain and recruit staff.

It’s estimated that almost 60% of those in retained fire services likely to leave in three years, as irregular hours and non-permanent nature of work takes toll, and union rep for the Cavan Town station, Cian Donohoe, says on the picket line “is the last place we want to be.”