EMPLOYEES AT THE National Advocacy Service, which supports adults with disabilities, will return to the picket line tomorrow after management at the organisation “backtracked” on a pay agreement, SIPTU said.

The union said its members would go on strike following “a failure” by management to adhere to an agreement about following through on a Labour Court recommendation on pay and conditions.

The workers had already been taking industrial action but paused it on 12 June after they received a commitment from management to improve pay and working conditions.

SIPTU’s deputy general secretary, John King, said the “failure by management, and its funding Government Department” had forced the workers to resume their strike. 

“After several days of talks between SIPTU representatives, National Advocacy Service management, the Citizens Information Board and Department of Social Protection officials, the funders of the organisation, it became clear that the commitment to implement fully the necessary changes in pay and conditions was being reneged on,” King said.

Brendan Carr, SIPTU Sector Organiser, said: “We have had interventions by several members of the Government in the aircraft pilots’ dispute, with calls for both sides to honour the Labour Court and prevent disruption for holidaymakers. However, we await the Government to honour a Labour Court recommendation issued to one of its agencies and prevent disruption to vital services for people with disabilities.”

He added: “These workers have gone to the Labour Court, achieved a  recommendation and now face a body which is fully publicly funded and refusing to implement it.”

SIPTU activist and National Advocacy Service staff member, Suzy Byrne, said that she and her colleagues were “appalled” by the way they have been treated. “It is saddening that we have been left with no choice but to resume strike action,” she said. 

As part of the strike action, SIPTU said pickets will be placed outside National Advocacy Service offices in Dublin 7, Tallaght, Bray, County Wicklow, Athlone, County Westmeath, Tullamore, County Offaly, Limerick City, County Roscommon, Waterford City, Cork City, County Louth and Kilkenny.

The workers will also be protesting outside the Dáil on Tuesday to call on the Government to work to resolve the dispute.

The National Advocacy Service has been asked for comment.