The Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse is likely to be affected by industrial action by scaffolders which will involve erection work being "blacked" over the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Their dispute is also expected to cause serious delays to building projects throughout the Dublin area during the coming week.
The scaffolders say that they will begin strike action by Monday, April 12th, if employers do not meet their claim for pay rises ranging from £3 to £12 an hour. They intend to place pickets on any sites where scaffolding work is carried out during the Easter week building trade holiday. Normally, about half of the scaffolders would work during the coming week.
The industrial action planned by scaffolders is unofficial and poses a major challenge to the pay terms and negotiating procedures provided for in Partnership 2000. It is on these grounds that the Construction Industry Federation is opposing their action, although it has said that it remains open to discussions with their union, SIPTU.
Yesterday morning SIPTU negotiators met the CIF in an attempt to avert a dispute. Progress was made in areas relating to training, certification and health and safety.
Employers also offered to refer outstanding issues, including pay, to the Labour Relations Commission, which was prepared to facilitate discussions on April 15th.
However, this proved too little, too late for the scaffolders, who have twice before deferred industrial action. At a mass meeting yesterday afternoon in Liberty Hall they decided to take the full Easter holiday from April 2nd after they heard that there was no pay offer from the CIF.
SIPTU has no involvement in the industrial action, which is being organised by the Dublin Scaffolders' Society. However, SIPTU's construction branch chairman, Mr Mick Finnegan, says that he understands the scaffolders' frustration at pay levels in the industry.
Mr Finnegan said that none of the scaffolders who had attended the meeting in Liberty Hall earned more than £6.25 an hour and many had pay rates of between £5.50 and £5.84. This was unacceptable, given the huge profits of the industry.
A spokesman for the CIF said that basic rates had risen by over 21 per cent under Partnership 2000. An increase of 7 per cent, due under the building trade craft analogue agreement, was due to come into operation today.
The coming week will be seen as a test of the resolve of both sides. Room for manoeuvre may exist through the development of proper pay grading structures for scaffolders. However, if there is no move on this during the holiday period, the building industry will face its most serious dispute since 1969.