Ballymun Lift Strike and Pickerings
Today, I was contacted by Mr Conor Brennan of Pickerings who informed me that there were five people employed by Pickerings permanently maintaining the Ballymun lifts. The four people who were laid off worked on contracts outside Ballymun and never worked in the Ballymun Estate for Pickerings.
The Area Manager for Dublin City Council Mr Michael O’Neill is seeking a Court Order to lift the picket which is entirely warranted and should have been done earlier. I cannot imagine private tenants putting up with no lifts for this length of time – 10 weeks for some. Justice for the tenants in Ballymun must be the prime interest of a public representative particularly as the Ballymun maintenance crew were not directly involved in the dispute.
In February last Dublin City Council wrote to Pickerings terminating the contract. But there has been some confusion since. It is important that the picket is lifted and that the lifts are mended. The sooner the better!
The TEEU letter is appended and it is not an all-out strike as Pickerings say that some workers are working.