15th July OTIS Lifts Dispute - Company Recall Vans
Re: TEEU says Otis decision to recall vans from lift engineers will make emergency cover impossible during dispute
Otis Lifts has ordered Technical Engineering and Electrical Union members on strike over compulsory redundancies to return their vehicles. The union’s Assistant General Secretary, Arthur Hall, described the company’s action as “totally unwarranted. The company appears to be determined to ensure our members cannot provide the usual emergency cover they always provide during a dispute.
“TEEU members have provided 24 hour cover since the strike began on Monday and have responded to about 20 calls to date, mainly at hospitals, but also going to offices and apartments where people were trapped. The recall of vehicles is a worrying development and it suggests that reports we have heard that the company plans to bring in strike breakers from Britain may be true.”
Responding to company allegations that the strikers had engaged in ‘improper and dangerous use of company vans’, he said, “I can only assume they are referring to the fact that some of our members have used vehicles to attend pickets as well as answer emergency calls.
“They actually thanked us for the cover we were providing before announcing it was no longer needed and demanding the return of the vehicles. This is typical of their approach since the dispute began. On the one hand they put out statements saying they are complying with the Labour Court recommendation and on the other they disregard it in practice.”
The dispute is over the sacking of 17 lift engineers on June 26th by Otis Lifts. The Labour Court issued a Recommendation on May 21st detailing how redundancies should be implemented at the company. The union deferred industrial action for a week to facilitate talks but these proved futile.
“The Company has disregarded the substance of the Court’s Recommendation, which was based on the norm that operates throughout the Lift Industry in Ireland and is accepted by its major competitors.”
