Work

New Irish Coast Guard service provider reaches deal on transfer of staff with two unions

Bristow to take over services on phased basis later this year following backing from Forsa and Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association

Handout photo taken with permission from the Facebook page of Irish Coast Guard one of their helicopters, as an Irish Coast Guard helicopter, with four crew on board, has gone missing off the west of Ireland. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based aircraft was providing cover for another helicopter involved in an early morning rescue operation. See PA story IRISH Coastguard. Photo credit should read: Irish Coast Guard/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

Bristow will start to take over the service’s operations in the final quarter of this year.

Emmet Malone
Mon Jan 15 2024 - 15:50

Bristow Ireland and Fórsa have agreed terms for the transfer of Irish Coast Guard staff with members of the union working at the service having voted for an agreement both parties say will protect existing service and conditions.

The company is to take over the services on a phased basis starting later this year and will operate six AW189 helicopters from bases at Shannon, Sligo, Waterford and Weston as well as a fixed wing service. The value of the 10-year contract signed with the Department of Transport last year has previously been put at €670 million.

The two unions representing staff had expressed concern about their transfer to the new company from CHC Ireland when Bristow advertised a number of positions after winning the contract last year, but an agreement was reached on the issue with Fórsa and the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) before Christmas and that has now been endorsed by both sets of members.

Fórsa represents the service’s winch operators while its affiliate, IALPA, represents pilots.

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Bristow will start to take over the service’s operations in the final quarter of this year and all of the existing staff will transfer to the new operator by June 2025 with their current terms and service protected. The company says it will ultimately employ about 150 people.

“We are delighted to have reached this agreement with Fórsa and IALPA, which is an important milestone in the transition process. We are collectively very committed to a successful transition, and we are looking forward to positive ongoing engagement and co-operation. We look forward to the delivery of this critical and life-saving public service for the people of Ireland,” said Bristow’s Neil Ebberson.

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In a message to its members confirming the outcome of the ballot on the agreement, which also includes new procedures for the resolution of disputes, Fórsa’s Katie Morgan said it “represents a positive step forward, following an initially anxious period for everyone working in the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue service.

“There had been many months of uncertainty about the transfer of our members to a new contractor. This agreement protects our members’ jobs and service through the transition, and a comprehensive set of protections for existing terms and conditions.”

IALPA vice president Daniel Langan said the union was “delighted” to have concluded an agreement with Bristow.

The company said talks are still ongoing with Unite which represents technical staff at the service and that union’s regional officer, Rob Kelly, said he was confident that an agreement will be concluded in the near future.

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Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish Times

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