The result of a ballot of Dublin firefighters on a 7 per cent pay award by the Labour Court will be known later today and is expected to be close. The SIPTU and IMPACT negotiators have recommended acceptance.
If the firefighters reject the recommendation it is unclear whether an existing strike mandate can be used to begin industrial action, as originally planned, from Monday, March 8th. Last December the fire fighters voted by 597 to 14 for a strike. However, a Supreme Court judgment in a strike involving bricklayers last autumn suggests another strike ballot may be needed.