A strike by security staff at the Dublin-based Brinks Allied firm is set to go ahead on Monday after the company this evening rejected the Labour Court recommendations aimed at ending the dispute which has prevented cash deliveries to hundreds of ATM machines on the east coast.
In a statement issued on behalf of Brinks Allied this evening, the company said it had informed the Labour Court that it is "not in a position to accept the court's recommendation on the introduction of new security vehicles and associated issues".
The statement added: "The company has advised the court that its needs are specialised to ensure safety and security is at a level that affords staff the best protection available.
"Equally the company has to be in a position to restore customer confidence in its operations. In these
special circumstances the company is unable to accept the recommendation."
The company said it is an international market leader in the cash-in-transit business and is bringing best practice security measures to Ireland to ensure safety of personnel and cash movements.
But the statement added that the "frequency and variety" of criminal activity in this area has greatly increased and said new procedures are essential to effectively counter these and to minimise risk to staff.
"The company is applying the best equipment and procedures currently in use internationally to achieve these objectives and is confident that employees, customers and the public will benefit from their early
adoption."
It said it was appreciative of the work done by the Labour Court and that it continues to be available to talk with its workforce to resolve these issues.
SIPTU said earlier, following the acceptance of the Labour Court proposals by 50 to nine in a secret ballot, that its members were available immediately to co-operate with management in restoring a full service to the public.
However, it said that in the event of the company's rejection of the recommendation its members would proceed with the strike action originally proposed for this week.
The court recommended that Brinks staff co-operate with management in the use of the controversial Dutch vehicles but that the management drop its insistence on a 'drive away' policy by staff in the event of an armed robbery or attempted robbery.
It also awarded the workers €750 each for loss of earnings during the dispute. The workers were treating the dispute as a health and safety matter and as a 'lock-out' by the company.
Hundreds of non-branch ATM machines on the east coast are now without cash. Queues are building in bank branches in Dublin as customers find themselves forced to withdraw cash from the counters. In addition, the Laser card "cashback" service has been heavily promoted on radio and in newspapers to inform card users that they can request up to €100 in cash when they carry out transactions at certain retail points throughout the State.