WORKERS at Servisair, which provides baggage handling for several airlines at Dublin airport, have voted to strike over a company decision to sack or discipline nine employees, including three shop stewards.
The workers are also threatening to strike because the company has refused to give a commitment that it will stop using secret cameras for surveillance purposes or refrain from using video recordings for future disciplinary purposes.
This is the second time this year that Servisair workers have voted to strike. Last February they went on strike over pay.
Although the workers won significant increases as a result of that strike, nine of the 90 people who took industrial action have since been disciplined. Six have been dismissed, one as the result of evidence collected on a hidden camera. The other three have been penalised through demotions, written warnings or further disciplinary hearings.
One shop steward is among those staff who were dismissed, one has been issued with a final written warning and the chief shop steward is under further investigation. All three were involved in negotiating a settlement to the last strike.
SIPTU members have voted by four to one for a strike. Yesterday, SIPTU branch secretary Mr Paul O'Sullivan said the union had hoped the resolution of the last strike "would have led to a reasonable industrial relations climate in the company". However, events since the strike had led members "to feel this is an onslaught on the union and their elected representatives".