Scaffolding contractors met for several hours yesterday to discuss the worsening situation in Dublin, but they have made no new offer to the striking workers. Meanwhile, as more city-centre sites close because of the dispute, pickets are being extended to new developments in the suburbs.
Industry sources estimate that about 500 building workers have been laid off in Dublin because of the strike by the 800 scaffolders, and further lay-offs are inevitable next week if the dispute continues. Several hundred more workers have been issued with protective notice by their employers.
Each side accused the other of increasing intimidation yesterday. The director of the National Association of Scaffolders and Access Contractors (NASAC), Mr Martin Lang, said that owner-drivers of trucks delivering supplies to sites had been threatened, as well as site management staff.
A SIPTU branch secretary, Mr Eric Fleming, said he had reports of members being threatened and one of them had had his car wrecked in Ballsbridge while picketing a site. He added that several SIPTU members were facing eviction for non-payment of rent.
Because the dispute is unofficial, scaffolders are not in receipt of strike pay and cannot claim unemployment benefit. Mr Fleming renewed his appeal for an offer from the Construction Industry Federation before further hardship was caused by the dispute.
However, Mr Lang said it was "the other side" which was outside procedures. He said the scaffolding employers remained anxious to resolve the dispute and they were ready to discuss any formal proposals from SIPTU through the agreed procedures, provided the unofficial action was ended.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Cork Scaffolders' Society denied media reports that his members had returned to work on Thursday. He said that because of the reports the society would be renewing pickets which had been lifted in the city as a goodwill gesture to allow talks.
In Limerick a week-long strike in support of carpenters seeking higher wages and direct labour ended yesterday, when both sides agreed a formula for talks to begin next Monday. However, scaffolders in the city are expected to continue with their strike.
The chairman of the Dublin Scaffolders' Society, Mr Andrew McGuinness, said the mood amongst scaffolders was hardening and they might have to seek a national rate for the job. If such a claim was made in place of the demand for increases at local level currently being sought, it would make it even harder to resolve this dispute, which was gradually spreading to all sites in the three cities.
Trade union sources are also concerned that increasing numbers of other general operatives may join the scaffolders as they are laid off. However, a major disincentive is that if the laid-off workers join the industrial action they will lose their entitlement to unemployment benefit. So far, no new unofficial groups have emerged to place pay claims.