The first industry-wide negotiations in 35 years for pay and conditions of construction workers was threatened yesterday when the union which represents 60 per cent of site workers withdrew from the talks body, writes Eamon Timmins. The Dublin Alliance of General Construction Operatives has instructed SIPTU to withdraw from the construction industry's National Joint Industrial Council in protest at having just one of the eight union seats on the 16-member body, despite the number of workers they represent. The other seven are held by the craft unions.
The group, an alliance of SIPTU, had been seeking five of the eight union seats on the council. Its chairman, Mr Andrew McGuinness, said it would seek to have its own national joint industrial council to deal with the negotiations for general construction operatives.