Minister Darragh O’Brien has called on retained firefighter representatives to re-engage with the Workplace Relations Commission and prevent further industrial action.
It’s reported that SIPTU has accepted the invitation, but has not been requested to suspend industrial action yet.
The minister wrote to the union to say that the planned escalation of action this weekend is posing a severe threat to public safety.
As of Saturday, 12th August, all stations will go went dark and cut internal communications other than life saving information.
This Saturday, 19th August, retained firefighters were planning to close an additional one station each week in each county.
Up to 2,000 part-time firefighters are seeing better pay and better working conditions to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the service. All 15 fire brigades in County Donegal are crewed by retained firefighters.
Minister O’Brien said he would be a “strong advocate” for the retained firefighters during the upcoming public sector pay talks, which begin in a matter of weeks.
