July 17th, 2010 Ballymun Lift Strike ends After 24 weeks as TEEU to consider extending Otis Lifts strike to other United Technologies Companies The 24 week long strike involving members of Technical Engineering and Electrical Union at Pickerings Lifts in Ballymun is over. The terms of the agreement are confidential but are in line with the industry norm for redundancy agreements in the industry. An agreed formula was finalised in negotiations with the assistance of an independent mediator yesterday. It was then put to the strikers by TEEU General Secretary Eamon Devoy. They voted to accept the terms yesterday evening. Pickerings will resume its repair operations for the residents of Ballymun until a replacement contractor has been appointed by Dublin City Council. Over 400 tenants have been affected by the dispute. Meanwhile a similar dispute over redundancies at Otis Lifts, which is now entering its second week, may escalate as the union considers extending its industrial action to other subsidiaries of United Technologies in Ireland. The dispute affects lift services in hospitals, shopping centres, industrial plants, office and apartment complexes. As in the case of the Pickerings Lifts dispute TEEU members offered emergency cover. This cover was accepted initially by Otis and operated successfully until Thursday when Otis notified employees it was ending the arrangement. The dispute is over the sacking of 17 lift engineers on June 26th by Otis Lifts. It is the largest lift company operating in Ireland and among the facilities affected in Dublin are: · The T2 Terminal, Dublin Airport · The Criminal Courts complex, Park Gate · The Square, Tallaght · The Dundrum Shopping Centre, · Ulster Bank Headquarters and its Dame Street Branch · The Bank of Scotland, Ireland in St Stephen’s Green · Arnotts, Henry Street · The Jervis Street Shopping Centre · The Custom House Square and · Spencer Dock 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 decided to ignore 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”, TEEU Assistant General Secretary Arthur Hall said. “We remain available for talks.”