City firefighters give council ultimatum amid possible escalation of industrial action

Cork city firefighters have issued the council with an ultimatum following disappointment around a proposal it was initially hoped would end industrial action.

This will be the 42nd day of demonstrations that Siptu , employed as firefighters in Cork city,  began in response to the closure of Ballincollig Fire Station. The facility has been closed since 2021, and overall staffing levels in the city remain a grave concern for both firefighters and the public.

A proposal was received from Cork City Council on Wednesday which was described as “unacceptable” by one Siptu member.

The group had initially said they would escalate their demonstrations in the event that a meaningful proposal was not offered. However, they are now providing Cork City Council a one week’s grace period to prepare a revised and meaningful proposal.

If this request is not honoured by Wednesday, demonstrations will take a different and escalated form. Pickets are currently in place for 15 minutes before shifts in Anglesea Street and Ballyvolane Fire Station. A Cork City Fire Brigade source issued the Echo with an update and said:

“They (Cork City Council) produced a proposal. However, this wasn’t a meaningful proposal so we are meeting next Wednesday in the hope that they can issue a proposal we can work with. Although I can’t go into detail on the process, I can say that no progress has been made and this is unacceptable. We have given an undertaking that between now and next week’s meeting we won’t escalate. 

"However, if there is no progress after this week we’ll have run out of options.” 

He explained how they expect the process to play out next Wednesday.

“It will basically be another engagement through the WRC. If that proposal has merit we’ll go straight into the conciliation process. If they can put a proposal on the table that could end this dispute we will be in and out in 20 minutes, but we have no idea what’s going to happen.” They described the untold damage this is causing to everyone involved.

“Everyone is finding it incredibly upsetting. We are 42 days into this at this stage and there is still no sense of any sign of realism from the council.” Firefighters are currently sacrificing 15 minutes before and after every shift to picket outside their workplace.

“There is basically no movement from cork city council. If we can get it resolved it will be a safe working environment. know that giving up their time to this could save a life.” 

Cork City Council issued a statement to the Echo in relation to the matter.

"Cork City Council and SIPTU attended a Conciliation Conference at the Workplace Relations Commission on Wednesday, May 31,” the statement read. “At the request of the WRC both parties agreed not to make any comment on the current process."