A DISPUTE over the freezing of assets and finances by three trustees of the Building and Allied Trades Union (Batu), which represents construction workers, was adjourned in the High Court yesterday.
Batu is seeking an order overturning the decision of three of its trustees, Richard O’Flaherty, Dermot Gray and Tony Flanagan, to freeze its finances following a dispute which arose from the alleged redundancy of two of its organisers due to financial problems within the union.
Batu, through its general secretary Paddy O’Shaughnessy, who is also a trustee, has asked the High Court to lift the purported freezing on May 20th last of the union’s finances to allow it to operate normally.
The case came before the court last week when it was told that affidavits were to be filed on behalf of the defendant trustees. Yesterday, Barra Faughnan, for Batu, said they had only just received two affidavits and it had been agreed between the sides to adjourn the case until later this week.
Mr Justice Peter Charleton agreed to adjourn the matter and said that, while the case may not be heard later this week, it would be marked as having priority in the court list.
Pickets have been placed by some of the staff of Batu’s Dublin office in support of the two officials involved. There was also a picket placed outside the main entrance to the Four Courts yesterday.
The officials were allegedly laid off at the beginning of May as part of cost-cutting measures which included a 10 per cent cut in wages for office staff.